Ambalika, Ambālikā: 15 definitions
Introduction:
Ambalika means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, biology. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.
In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: Wisdom Library: Bhagavata PuranaAmbālikā (अम्बालिका):—One of the daugthers of Kāśirāja, who, together with her sister named Ambikā, were taken away by force and were married to by Vicitravīrya. (see Bhāgavata Purāṇa 9.22.21-24)
Source: archive.org: Puranic EncyclopediaAmbālikā (अम्बालिका).—(1) The youngest of the three daughters of the King of Kāśī—Ambā, Ambikā and Ambālikā. Vicitravīrya, son of Śantanu married Ambikā and Ambālikā. The mother of this princess was Kausalyā. Pāṇḍu’s Mother. Vicitravīrya died before children were born to his wives. To avoid the extinction of the family, Satyavatī, mother of Vicitravīrya summoned Vyāsa, her other son and asked him to beget a son for Ambikā. Vyāsa obeyed his mother half-heartedly. Ambikā did not like the dark-complexioned, crudely attired Vyāsa. Still owing to the Mother’s pressure, she passively submitted to the act. As a result of their union was born Dhṛtarāṣṭra, who was blind from his birth. The grief-stricken mother called Vyāsa again and asked him to have union with Ambālikā this time. As Ambālikā’s face was pale at the time of their union, a child with pale complexion was born to her. He was named Pāṇḍu. Having thus failed in both attempts, Satyavatī asked Ambikā to go to Vyāsa again. At night Ambikā secretly disguised her waiting-maid and sent her in her own place, to Vyāsa. The waiting-maid experienced exquisite pleasure in Vyāsa’s company and as a result a most intelligent son was born to her. It was he who became the renowned Vidura. (Mahābhārata, Ādi Parva, Chapter 106). (See full article at Story of Ambālikā from the Puranic encyclopaedia by Vettam Mani)
Source: JatLand: List of Mahabharata people and placesAmbālikā (अम्बालिका) is a name mentioned in the Mahābhārata (cf. I.90.54) and represents one of the many proper names used for people and places. Note: The Mahābhārata (mentioning Ambālikā) is a Sanskrit epic poem consisting of 100,000 ślokas (metrical verses) and is over 2000 years old.
The Purana (पुराण, purāṇas) refers to Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India’s vast cultural history, including historical legends, religious ceremonies, various arts and sciences. The eighteen mahapuranas total over 400,000 shlokas (metrical couplets) and date to at least several centuries BCE.
Ayurveda (science of life)
Nighantu (Synonyms and Characteristics of Drugs and technical terms)
Source: WorldCat: Rāj nighaṇṭuAmbālikā (अम्बालिका) is another name for Ambaṣṭhā, an unidentified medicinal plant, according to verse 4.77-79 of the 13th-century Raj Nighantu or Rājanighaṇṭu. The fourth chapter (śatāhvādi-varga) of this book enumerates eighty varieties of small plants (pṛthu-kṣupa). Ambaṣṭhā is a highly controversial plant. Vaidyas use different plants at different places for this. The reason is the confused description of the drug by various authors. Together with the names Ambālikā and Ambaṣṭhā, there are a total of sixteen Sanskrit synonyms identified for this plant.
Āyurveda (आयुर्वेद, ayurveda) is a branch of Indian science dealing with medicine, herbalism, taxology, anatomy, surgery, alchemy and related topics. Traditional practice of Āyurveda in ancient India dates back to at least the first millenium BC. Literature is commonly written in Sanskrit using various poetic metres.
General definition (in Hinduism)
Source: Wisdom Library: HinduismMother of Pandu, whom fathered the Pandavas. She was sister to Amba and Ambika (mother of Dhritarashtra, whom fathered the Kauravas).
She was the (second) queen of Vichitravirya (the other was her sister, Ambika), king of Hastinapura.
After Vichitravirya died, his mother asked Vyasa to give both his wifes a son (Ambalika bore Pandu and Amika bore Dhritarashtra).
Also see: Ambika
Ambalika was the youngest of the Kashi princesses and was the second wife of Vichitraveerya, the half-brother of Bhishma. She was abducted from the Swaymwara (self-choice ceremony) by Bhishma along with her sisters Amba and Ambika. Finally, only she and her sister Ambika married Vichitraveerya.
After her husband died without leaving a heir, she had intercourse with sage Vyasa as per the orders of her mother-in-law Satyavati. However, she could not bear the terrible appearance of the sage and turned deathly pale during the ordeal. Because of this, her son Pandu was born with extremely pale skin.
Biology (plants and animals)
Source: Google Books: CRC World Dictionary (Regional names)Ambalika in India is the name of a plant defined with Hibiscus cannabinus in various botanical sources. This page contains potential references in Ayurveda, modern medicine, and other folk traditions or local practices It has the synonym Ketmia glandulosa Moench (among others).
Example references for further research on medicinal uses or toxicity (see latin names for full list):
· Bulletin of the Natural History Museum, London (Botany) (1999)
· Bot. Journal of the Linnean Society (1998)
· Journal of Ethnopharmacology (2004)
· Supplementum ad Methodum Plantas (1802)
· Repertorium Botanices Systematicae. (1842)
· Florae Senegambiae Tentamen (1830)
If you are looking for specific details regarding Ambalika, for example side effects, health benefits, extract dosage, pregnancy safety, chemical composition, diet and recipes, have a look at these references.
This sections includes definitions from the five kingdoms of living things: Animals, Plants, Fungi, Protists and Monera. It will include both the official binomial nomenclature (scientific names usually in Latin) as well as regional spellings and variants.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryAmbālikā (अम्बालिका).—
1) A mother; good woman (as a term of respect or endearment.)
2) Name of a plant (Mar. ambāḍā).
3) Name of the youngest daughter of Kāśīrāja, wife of Vichitravīrya. She became the mother of Pāṇḍu by Vyāsa who was invoked by Satyavatī to beget a son to Vichitravīrya who had died without issue.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryAmbālikā (अम्बालिका).—f.
(-kā) 1. A mother of PaNdu.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English DictionaryAmbālikā (अम्बालिका).—and ambikā ambikā (akin to ambā), f. Proper names,
Ambālikā (अम्बालिका).—[feminine] mother, [Name] of a princess.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Ambālikā (अम्बालिका):—[from ambā] f. ([vocative case] ambālike), mother, [Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā]
2) [v.s. ...] of a plant, Name of a daughter of a king of Kāśi (wife of Vicitravīrya, and mother of Pāṇḍu), [Mahābhārata]
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English DictionaryAmbālikā (अम्बालिका):—(kā) 1. f. Idem.
[Sanskrit to German]
Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with: Ampalikai.
Ends with: Brihadambalika, Kambalika.
Full-text (+2): Ambika, Vicitravirya, Amba, Pandu, Brihadambalika, Mandavya, Ampalikai, Vidura, Kashiraja, Kashya, Kaurava, Kashi, Pandavas, Vyasa, Kaushalya, Hatha, Ambaka, Ambashtha, Prasenajit, Tryambaka.
Relevant text
Search found 22 books and stories containing Ambalika, Ambālikā; (plurals include: Ambalikas, Ambālikās). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Chapter 5 - The Birth of Dhritarastra, Pandu and Vidura < [Adi Parva]
Chapter 3 - Bhishma Abducts Three Princesses < [Adi Parva]
Chapter 7 - The Poisoned Cake < [Adi Parva]
Puranic encyclopaedia (by Vettam Mani)
Sanskrit sources of Kerala history (by Suma Parappattoli)
5.5. Udayavarmacarita of Ravivarman < [Chapter 2 - Historical details from Mahatmyas and Prashastis]
Mahabharata (English) (by Kisari Mohan Ganguli)
List of Mahabharata people and places (by Laxman Burdak)