Ambalika

Expressions researched:
"ambalika"

SB Canto 9

SB 9.22.20, Translation and Purport:

Bhīṣmadeva was the foremost of all warriors. When he defeated Lord Paraśurāma in a fight, Lord Paraśurāma was very satisfied with him. By the semen of Śāntanu in the womb of Satyavatī, the daughter of a fisherman, Citrāṅgada took birth.

Satyavatī was actually the daughter of Uparicara Vasu by the womb of a fisherwoman known as Matsyagarbhā. Later, Satyavatī was raised by a fisherman.

The fight between Paraśurāma and Bhīṣmadeva concerns three daughters of Kāśīrāja—Ambikā, Ambālikā and Ambā—who were forcibly abducted by Bhīṣmadeva, acting on behalf of his brother Vicitravīrya. Ambā thought that Bhīṣmadeva would marry her and became attached to him, but Bhīṣmadeva refused to marry her, for he had taken the vow of brahmacarya. Ambā therefore approached Bhīṣmadeva's military spiritual master, Paraśurāma, who instructed Bhīṣma to marry her. Bhīṣmadeva refused, and therefore Paraśurāma fought with him to force him to accept the marriage. But Paraśurāma was defeated, and he was pleased with Bhīṣma.

SB 9.22.21-24, Translation:

Citrāṅgada, of whom Vicitravīrya was the younger brother, was killed by a Gandharva who was also named Citrāṅgada. Satyavatī, before her marriage to Śāntanu, gave birth to the master authority of the Vedas, Vyāsadeva, known as Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana, who was begotten by Parāśara Muni. From Vyāsadeva, I (Śukadeva Gosvāmī) was born, and from him I studied this great work of literature, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The incarnation of Godhead Vedavyāsa, rejecting his disciples, headed by Paila, instructed Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam to me because I was free from all material desires. After Ambikā and Ambālikā, the two daughters of Kāśīrāja, were taken away by force, Vicitravīrya married them, but because he was too attached to these two wives, he had a heart attack and died of tuberculosis.

SB 9.22.25, Translation and Purport:

Bādarāyaṇa, Śrī Vyāsadeva, following the order of his mother, Satyavatī, begot three sons, two by the womb of Ambikā and Ambālikā, the two wives of his brother Vicitravīrya, and the third by Vicitravīrya's maidservant. These sons were Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Pāṇḍu and Vidura.

Vicitravīrya died of tuberculosis, and his wives, Ambikā and Ambālikā, had no issue. Therefore, after Vicitravīrya's death, his mother, Satyavatī, who was also the mother of Vyāsadeva, asked Vyāsadeva to beget children through the wives of Vicitravīrya. In those days, the brother of the husband could beget children through the womb of his sister-in-law. This was known as devareṇa sutotpatti. If the husband was somehow unable to beget children, his brother could do so through the womb of his sister-in-law. This devareṇa sutotpatti and the sacrifices of aśvamedha and gomedha are forbidden in the age of Kali.

aśvamedhaṁ gavālambhaṁ

sannyāsaṁ pala-paitṛkam

devareṇa sutotpattiṁ

kalau pañca vivarjayet

(CC Adi 17.164)

"In this age of Kali, five acts are forbidden: the offering of a horse in sacrifice, the offering of a cow in sacrifice, the acceptance of the order of sannyāsa, the offering of oblations of flesh to the forefathers, and a man's begetting children in his brother's wife." (Brahma-vaivarta Purāṇa).