Resumo de 3. Amba And Bhishma: Mahabharata

Satyavati?s elder son, Chitrangada, had been killed in a battle. He had no issues. Therefore, Vichitravirya inherited the throne at a time when he was a minor. Till such time he came of age, Bhishma took over the reigns. According to kingly traditions, a marriageable girl would take that prince for her husband, who, in a gathering of valiant princes, wins her through a competitive display of the martial arts. The king of Kasi had organised such a gathering for her beautiful and accomplished daughters Amba, Ambika and Ambalika. Bhishma took Vichitravirya to this festival as the latter was now an adult. But Bhishma was misunderstood and even ridiculed by those gathered, including the princesses, for an over aged suitor himself. Bhishma was angry. In his rage, he defeated the competing princes in every manly art and drove with the three princesses towards Hastinapura. But, as Amba was already in love with Salva, the king of Saubala, the latter chose to fight a battle with Bhishma on his way back, which he predictably lost. At Hastinapura, as Bhishma got busy making arrangements for Vichitravirya?s wedding with the three princesses, Amba decided to appeal to Bhishma?s righteousness and begged of him to let her marry Salva. The ever-logical Bhishma conceded and solemnised Vichitravirya?s marriage with Ambika and Ambalika. At Saubala, however, Salva refused to take Amba for his bride since he had been humiliated in a battle by Bhishma. Now it was Amba?s turn to be angry and her anger was directed at Bhishma. Infuriated, she appealed to every king and prince worth his salt to teach the old man a lesson. But none had the guts to take up cudgels against Bhishma. She then approached Parasurama, an avowed hater of the martial races, who consented and fought Bhishma, only to acknowledge defeat. Amba?s only recourse now was a helping hand from the gods. She prayed hard and was able to please Siva, who granted her a boon, that Amba would slay Bhishma when she was reborn next. Amba, in no mood to wait, flung herself into a pyre and embraced death. She was reborn as the daughter of King Drupada. She practised austerities in the forest for long and was successful in metamorphosing herself into a male. She became a warrior and came to be known as Sikhandin. Later, during the long battle of Kurukshetra, Sikhandin was Arjuna?s charioteer for some time. During his fight with Arjuna, Bhishma, known for his chivalry, refused to cast arrows lest it should hit Sikhandin, who he knew was primarily a female. He was also tired of his long and arduous tenure on earth. So, with due consideration of the situations prevailing, he resolved to be vanquished by his beloved Arjuna in the Battle of Kurukshetra.

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