After facing a battlefield full of kings, Bhishma turned his chariot around—not out of fear, but out of fury. Shalva, the king of Saubha, had arrived, breathing vengeance. What followed was not just a duel between warriors but a clash between pride, power, and unspoken promises. Like two bulls charging for the same mate, Bhishma and Shalva collided with a storm of arrows, tearing through the sky like thunderclaps. Though Shalva fought valiantly, even injuring Bhishma, the son of Ganga, responded like a lion reclaiming his forest. With divine calm, he shattered Shalva’s chariot, killed his charioteer, and felled his horses. Yet, he spared the king’s life—a gesture perhaps of mercy, perhaps of disdain. Shalva slunk back to his kingdom, defeated in arms but still burning in pride.
Bhishma returned to Hastinapura, the three princesses of Kashi in tow. Vichitravirya, now of marriageable age, was to be wed. But destiny, once again, refused to be tamed. It was then that Amba, the eldest, stepped forward—not to plead, but to claim. With a still voice that rippled through the silence of the sabha, she said, “I had already given my heart to Shalva. My garland was invisible, but my choice was clear.” Amba had watched two men fight over her—one for love, one for duty. Yet neither had asked her what she wanted. She was no prize, no trophy to be passed on. What she had offered Shalva in quiet faith was now shattered by the clang of Bhishma’s arrows.
When Bhishma, known for his wisdom and restraint, agreed to let her go, hope flickered in her heart. She imagined running into Shalva’s arms, reclaiming what was hers. But what awaited her was not warmth but rejection. Shalva turned away. “You were taken by another,” he said. “I cannot accept you.” That moment was not just a refusal. It was a collapse of identity. She had been kidnapped, returned, and now refused. What remained of her will, her womanhood, and her voice? A woman who had once stood at the cusp of love now stood in exile from her kingdom, her suitor, and her destiny.
With nowhere to go, Amba returns to Hastinapura. There, she confronts Bhishma and demands justice. She asks him to marry her and save her honour because he was the one who abducted her without her consent. The other two princesses—Ambika and Ambalika—entered the royal household as brides. But Amba, though royal, was now seen as tainted. This was not a decision she made, but rather a result of her circumstances. And yet, she would not break. This was not the end of her story—it was the ignition. But Bhishma refuses to marry her due to his vow of celibacy. In this moment of complete rejection, something changes in Amba. She turns from a rejected woman into a woman with purpose : Not love. Not marriage. But revenge. She vows that she will be the cause of Bhishma’s death—even if she has to be reborn for it. She undergoes severe penance, seeking divine intervention. Eventually, Lord Shiva appears and grants her a boon: she will be reborn in her next life as a warrior who will bring about Bhishma’s end. Amba then sacrifices herself in the fire and is reborn later as Shikhandi—the warrior who plays a key role in Bhishma’s downfall in the Kurukshetra war.
This story is Amba’s awakening. She is the inner scream that erupts when dignity is stripped silently. The slow realisation that even a woman of high birth is not spared when men decide her fate. Bhishma did not mean to harm her. Shalva did not want to betray her. And yet—they did. Sometimes dharma, when not rooted in empathy, becomes cruelty in disguise. Amba’s refusal to obey, her declaration of love, and her demand to be heard were not weakness, but spiritual rebellion. She challenged the great Bhishma not out of arrogance, but out of pain. She reminds us that silence is not consent, and being a victim does not mean you stop fighting.
In every era, there is an Amba—a woman told she has no right to choose. And in every era, she rises.
Journaling Prompts
- Like Amba, have you ever been rejected after choosing love, trust, or vulnerability? What was the impact of that betrayal—and how did you choose to rise from it?
- When life cornered you—when you were neither accepted here nor there—did you fear, or did you transform? What version of you was born in that fire?
Interesting Reads
This is a book about everything you were never taught at school. It’s about understanding your emotions, finding and sustaining love, succeeding in your career, failing well, and overcoming shame and guilt. It’s also about letting go of the myth of a perfect life to achieve genuine emotional maturity. Written in a hugely accessible, warm, and humane style. Discover the book here!
