A king of the Ikshvaku clan.

Antecedents: Vishnu – Brahma – Marichi – Kashyapa – Vivasvan – Vaivasvatamanu – Ikshvaku – Vikukshi -Shashada – Puranjaya – Kukulstha – Anenas – Pridhulashwa – Prasenjit – Yuvanashwa – Maandaata – Ambarish.

Maandaata had three sons – Ambarish, Purukutsa and Muchukunda and fifty daughters. The daughters were all married by a sage called Saubhari.

Once, Ambarish conducted a yajna and was gaining much prowess. Indra became envious and stole the cow that Ambarish was using for the yajna. The yajna upadhyaya approached Ambarish, told him about the cow missing, and suggested that a man be sacrificed instead. The king searched for the cow everywhere and couldn’t find it. He finally reached the mountain Bhrigutunga, where he found the sage Richika living with his wife and sons. He told the sage all that happened and pleaded to give him a human in return for even a lakh of cows. Richika loved his eldest son, and the youngest was the beloved of his mother. The middle son Shunashefa was finally given in exchange for a lakh of cows. While returning with Shunashefa, the king rested in Pushkar. There, Shunashefa found his uncle Vishwamitra and told him what had happened. Shunashefa wanted the king’s requirement met, but didn’t want to die either. Vishwamitra agreed to save him. He called Madhushyanta and his other sons and told them that one of them should turn into the sacrificial cow and save Shunashefa. But all of them refused. Vishwamitra cursed that all of them would live for a thousand years surviving only on dog meat. He then called Shunashefa and said that if he prayed to the gods while he was being sacrificed, they would help him. Shunashefa accompanied Ambarish to the sacrificial altar where he was made to wear the ceremonial clothes. Shunashefa prayed to the gods, Indra appeared and blessed him with long life. As per Ramayana Balakanda Sarga 61, and Brahmandapurana Chapter 58, Indra also blessed Ambarish with all the prowess he would have gained from the sacrifice. In other scriptures like the Devibhagavata, Shunashefa was a character in Harishchandra’s sacrifice and his father was Ajigarta.

After Ambarish became the ruler, his kingdom prospered. Ambarish was a devotee of Vishnu and Vishnu was pleased enough to grant him the use of the sudarshana chakra. Ambarish then started an Ekadasi vrata whose power made even Indra afraid. It was during that time, that Durvasa visited devaloka, Indra encouraged him to disrupt Ambarish’s vrata. Durvasa visited the king, who received him and sent him to the Kalindi river for ablutions. Durvasa delayed his return till the end of the king’s vrata. Ambarisha made the offering to the gods and kept a portion for Durvasa. Durvasa returned and refused to partake of it since he considered it leftovers. He became angry, and from him emerged the demon Kritya to annihilate Ambarish. Ambarish called for the sudarshana chakra, which appeared, and after killing Kritya went after Durvasa. Durvasa ran to Indra who was helpless. He then went to Brahma, who sent him to Shiva, who also said he couldn’t help him. Durvasa finally reached Vishnu, who told him that only Ambarish could help him. According to Bhagavata Navamaskanda, Durvasa rushed to Ambarish who recalled the chakra and told him the importance of the vrata.

As per Mahabharata Adiparva Chapter 1 verse 227, Bhishmaparva Chapter 9 verse 6, Vanaparva Chapter 129 verse 2, Ambarish once conducted a yajna on the banks of the Yamuna. In Mahabharata Vanaparva Chapter 263 verse 33, Durvasa remembered Ambarish. In Mahabharata Dronaparva Chapter 64, Vyasa mentioned Ambarish among the 16 illustrious kings before Yudhishtira. The others were Marutta, Suhotra, Paurava, Shibi, Rama, Bhageeratha, Dilipa, Maandaata, Yayati, Shashabindu, Gaya, Rantideva, Bharata, Pridhu, and Parashurama. As per the same chapter, Ambarish had battled thousands of kings on his own, and had conducted a hundred yagas. Ambarish once asked Indra how his commander Sudeva was a better warrior than him, as per Mahabharata Shantiparva Chapter 98 verses 6-11. According to Mahabharata Shantiparva Chapter 234 verse 23, Ambarish gifted 110 crore cows to brahmins. As per Mahabharata Anushasanaparva Chapter 94 verse 24, Ambarish was among those who stole Agastya’s lotuses. As per Mahabharata Anushasanaparva Chapter 137 verse 8, in addition to cows, he also gifted kingdoms to brahmins.