Amba was the eldest daughter of Kashiraj, the king of Kashi and Ambika and Ambalika were her two younger sisters. When all the three sisters were of marriage able age, the king arranged their swayamwara.

Swayamwara is a ceremony in which the bride exercises her right to choose her husband from the assembled suitors.

Several kings and princes attended the swayamvara and the most prominent was Shalva, the king of Saubala. He and Amba were secretly in love and she had already planned to put her garland around the neck of Salva. When the ceremony was about to begin, Bhishma, the regent of Hastinapura, strode into the assembly of swayamvara. Since he had taken a vow of celibacy in his youth everyone was surprised to see him.

Bhishma approached Kashiraj and said, "I come on behalf of the king of Hastinapura, my younger step-brother, Vichitraveerya.

For generations the princesses of Kashi have been married in the royal family of Hastinapura. By holding this swayamwara you have broken this tradition and insulted us. I am taking away your daughters with me to Hastinapura where they will be married to the king. If any in this gathering wants to stop me he is welcome to try." Saying this he left the hall with the three princesses of Kashi.

    It is said that Shalva, who was in love with Amba chased Bhishma and engaged him in battle but he was no match for Bhishma and was forced to surrender. Bhishma took all the three sisters - Amba, Ambika and Ambalika to meet Satyavati, the Queen Mother. Ambika and Ambalika readily agreed for the marriage with Vichitraveerya as this was the best thing that could happen to them. Amba, however, told Bhishma of her secret love for Shalva and requested his permission to be set free. Bhishma accepted Amba's request and set her free and also arranged to go to Saubala with the respect a princess deserved.

      But Amba received a rude shock at Saubala. Shalva refused to accept Amba. Salva had his reasons to refuse Ambika's love. Being defeated by Bhishma was embarrassing enough, but receiving his love in charity was like having salt rubbed on his wounds. Hence this forced Amba once again to go to Hastinapura for justice. She held Bhishma responsible for her predicament. Shalva would not have refused her, if Bhishma did not abduct her and she could not shame her father by returning to Kashi unmarried. Hence now it was Bhishma's duty to marry her to save her life. Amba demanded that Bhishma marry her, since he was the one to have won her in swaya. But Bhishma was chained by his own vow of celibacy and flatly refused to marry Amba.

      Amba consulted her maternal grandfather Hotravahana, who advised her to seek the assistance of Parshurama.
Parshurama had been Bhishma's guru and hence Bhishma would not disobey him. Amba sent Akrutvrana, a disciple of Parshurama to meet the great sage Parasurama. The emissary poured out tale of miserable events before Parasurama. Parshurama upon hearing the sad events of Amba agreed to intervene and summoned Bhishma. He first advised Bhishma and then ordered him, but Bhishma would not retract his decision. The two engaged themselves in a duel fight to resolve the matter and the fight lasted for several days, and both drew blood without victory for any one. Finally they were prevailed by the Gods from heaven to call off the battle.

       Amba was back to square one. She then pleased Sage Subramanya with her austere penance. Sage Subramanys gave her a garland of lotuses, which never fades - saying that whoever wore that garland would become the mortal enemy of Bhishma. Amba went from pillar to post but she could not find anyone who could accept the garland and the challenge Bheeshma. In frustration she herself hung the garland on the palace gate of Drupada, the king of Panchala.

     Then she went to a thick forest and undertook even more severe austerities in order to please Lord Shiva. When Lord Shiva appeared before her, she asked for a boon will enable her to kill Bhishma. Lord Shiva told her that this would not be possible in her present life and she would have to wait for her next life to be the cause of Bhishma's death. Amba then there ended her life by self-immolation.