Swayamvara was a system or ritual by which the bride will come, see and listen to the details of the King or bridegroom and would decide whether to marry him or not and if the groom was approved by her she would place the garland on his shoulder and it would be decided that her marriage with that particular groom is over and done with.
Bheeshma took part in the Swayamvara of Kasi raja's daughters AMBA, AMBIKA and AMBALIKA. There were so many princes and kings of different countries who were handsome, powerful and young and they mocked Bheesham as they thought he, an old man, had come to take one of the princess. Bheeshama got annoyed and called them to fight him and defeat him. They all united and fought Bheeshma who defeated them and took the three girls and went to Hastinapuram, his state. One king Salvan went after Bheeshma and continued fighting and Bheeshama defeated him and went with these three princesses.
Bheeshma arranged the marriage of the three girls with Visithraveerya but Amba the eldest who loved Salavan refused to the marriage with Visithraveerya and said 'The great Bheeshma, I already took Salavan as my husband and if you force me to marry your brother then the marriage would be against Justice. So do as you feel."
Realizing that what she said was correct Bheeshama allowed her to go back to Salaven. When she went to Salven he refused to accept her as she was taken away from him after getting defeated and she stayed in the house of Bheeshama and hence he could not marry her.
Amba came back to Bheeshma and asked Visithraveerya to marry her. Visithraveerya refused to marry her as she had taken Salven as her husband mentally. So she again went to Salven and begged him to marry her. He again refused and she came back and asked Bheeshma to marry her.
Bheshma refused and said he has vowed not to marry. So Amba spent many years in Bheeshama's home and went finally and asked many kings to fight Bheeshma and kill him for her. No king was ready for that. Then she went to Parasurama, who had vowed to kill all Kshtriyas and asked his help to kill Bheeshma. Parasurama came and fought Bheeshma for many years but could not defeat him as they were equal in valour. Finally Parasurama accepted his defeat and withdrew.
As nobody was able to help her Amba prayed to Karthikeya, the God son of Lord Shiva who gave her a garland and told her that anybody who wears it would kill Bheeshma. She took the garland to many kings but as before nobody wanted to fight Bheeshma.
Now Amba went to lord Shiva and did penance for his boon. Lord Shiva appeared before her and told her that in her next birth she would kill Bheeshma. Immediately she jumped into the fire and died. In her next birth she was born as daughter to Durupatha King as a daughter. As a young girl she took the garland and wore it. Fearing attack from Bheeshama her father Durupatha sent her to jungle. In the jungle Amba did penance and mediated and became a man, called Sikandi. Arjun used Sikandi to kill Bheeshma in the war of Pandava and Kauravas. Sikandi was made to fight Bheeshma as a shield to Arjuna to protect him. As Bheeshma refused to fight Sikandi, since he was a woman in his previous birth, it was easy for Arjuna to kill Bheeshma as Bheeshma cannot be killed unless he desired so.
Amba came back to Bheeshma and asked Visithraveerya to marry her. Visithraveerya refused to marry her as she had taken Salven as her husband mentally. So she again went to Salven and begged him to marry her. He again refused and she came back and asked Bheeshma to marry her.
Bheshma refused and said he has vowed not to marry. So Amba spent many years in Bheeshama's home and went finally and asked many kings to fight Bheeshma and kill him for her. No king was ready for that. Then she went to Parasurama, who had vowed to kill all Kshtriyas and asked his help to kill Bheeshma. Parasurama came and fought Bheeshma for many years but could not defeat him as they were equal in valour. Finally Parasurama accepted his defeat and withdrew.
As nobody was able to help her Amba prayed to Karthikeya, the God son of Lord Shiva who gave her a garland and told her that anybody who wears it would kill Bheeshma. She took the garland to many kings but as before nobody wanted to fight Bheeshma.
Now Amba went to lord Shiva and did penance for his boon. Lord Shiva appeared before her and told her that in her next birth she would kill Bheeshma. Immediately she jumped into the fire and died. In her next birth she was born as daughter to Durupatha King as a daughter. As a young girl she took the garland and wore it. Fearing attack from Bheeshama her father Durupatha sent her to jungle. In the jungle Amba did penance and mediated and became a man, called Sikandi. Arjun used Sikandi to kill Bheeshma in the war of Pandava and Kauravas. Sikandi was made to fight Bheeshma as a shield to Arjuna to protect him. As Bheeshma refused to fight Sikandi, since he was a woman in his previous birth, it was easy for Arjuna to kill Bheeshma as Bheeshma cannot be killed unless he desired so.
Bheeshma was so much hit with arrows he fell to the ground and was in dead bed or rather a bed of arrows till he died.
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