Ambika was the daughter of King of Kashi and wife of Vichitravirya, King of Hastinapur.

Along with her sisters Amba and Ambalika, she was taken by force by Bhishma from their Swayamvara. (Bhisma challenged the assembled Kings and Princes and defeated them.) He presented them to Satyavati for marriage to Vichitravirya.

After Vichitravirya's death his mother Satyavati sent for her first born, Rishi Ved Vyasa. On his mother's wishes, he visited both the wives of Vichitravirya to grant them a son. When Vyasa visited Ambika, she saw his very dreadful and forbidding appearance with burning eyes. In her frightened state, she closed her eyes and dared not to open it. Hence her son, Dhritarashtra the father of Kauravas, was born blind.

After Dhritarashtra's birth, When Satyavati requested Vyasa to visit Ambika for the 2nd time, she dared not to go and send her maid instead. So the maid gave birth to a son Vidura, who was raised as brother of Dhritarashtra and Pandu.