Ambikāvana, “the grove of Ambikā”, is a sacred grove in the Kurudeśa, the homeland of the Kuru kings in northern Bhāratavarsha. It holds a shrine of Ambikā (Pārvatī, the consort of Bhagavān Śiva) and is a place of pilgrimage to Bhagavān Śiva.

The Bhāgavata Mahā Purāṇa connects it with Nanda and the gopas, who went there on a yātrā (pilgrimage) after the events at Govardhana. Two episodes of the tenth Skandha belong to it: Nanda’s seizure by a serpent (Chapter 28) and the carrying off of the gopīs by Śaṅkhacūḍa (Chapter 34).

The pilgrimage

The gopas and gopīs of Gokula went to the shrine of Ambikā as part of their religious observance. The Bhāgavata describes Ambikāvana as the place of this yātrā.

Nanda and Sudarśana (Chapter 28)

During the pilgrimage to Ambikāvana, Nanda kept the Ekādaśī fast. In the dark before dawn he went to bathe in the river. A great serpent seized him.

The serpent was really the vidyādhara Sudarśana. The ṛshis of the line of Aṅgiras had cursed him (śāpa) to live as a serpent until the touch of the feet of Bhagavān Kṛshṇa freed him. Bhagavān Kṛshṇa touched him, and he was freed. Sudarśana then went to the world of the devas.

After this, Bhagavān Kṛshṇa showed the gopas who had gathered there a vision of Vaikuṇṭha, reflected in a sacred lake.

Śaṅkhacūḍa and the gopīs (Chapter 34)

In a separate episode, set in the Ambikāvana period, the gopas were asleep at night and the gopīs were gathered near Bhagavān Kṛshṇa. The asura Śaṅkhacūḍa, a servant of Kubera who wore a gem on his head, carried off groups of gopīs.

Bhagavān Kṛshṇa and Balarāma went after him. Bhagavān Kṛshṇa killed Śaṅkhacūḍa and gave the gem from his head to Balarāma.

Sources

Bhāgavata Mahā Purāṇa, 10th Skandha, Chapter 28
Bhāgavata Mahā Purāṇa, 10th Skandha, Chapter 34