With years passed, Shantanu and Satyavati had two sons: Chitrangada and then Vichitravirya. The elder, Chitrangada, began to grow and develop into a valiant and matchless warrior. Alas, he died an untimely death in battle, which threw the whole of kingdom into an unfathomable sorrow. So the younger son, Vichitravirya, thus got a responsibility of his elder brother to be the future king of the realm.
But Vichitravirya was feeble, in all-encompassing ways. He was weak-minded, he was always ill. Although he was of a good and gentle disposition, kind-hearted and lovable, his frailty was a constant worry for Queen Satyavati.
Not wanting to compromise the future of the Kuru dynasty, it was decided by Queen Satyavati and Bhishma to get him married as soon as possible. Bhishma, who always remained loyal and committed to maintaining the family honor, accepted his task. He heard that the three princesses of the kingdom of Kashi, namely Amba, Ambika, and Ambalika, were famous throughout the country for their beauty and virtues. The king of Kashi had organized a swayamvara ceremony in which the princesses would get an opportunity to choose husbands from the assembly of suitors.
Bhishma, confident in his mission, attended the swayamvara. There on the scene, in his unmatched aura and incomparable quality, he defeated all the other suitors of the princesses and finally confiscated those three for Vichitravirya. The princesses, who were confounded by everything, were taken to Hastinapura.
In return, the Bhishma narrated to them the complete story of everything and to the queen Satyavati. Ambika and Ambalika resigned themselves to their fate and consented to be Vichitravirya's wives. But Amba, the eldest, then revealed something startling—that she had already given her heart into the hands of the king Shalva and had intended to become his queen. Hurt and disturbed, she begged Bhishma to let her return to Shalva.
He pitied her, and thus granted her wish of separation, but the king of Shalva would have none of her after being humiliated and declined to marry her. Amba, heartbroken and thirsty for revenge, returns to Hastinapura to seek justice. She attributed her misfortune to Bhishma and swore not to rest until she was the cause of his downfall.
Both Ambika and Ambalika married Vichitravirya and made all possible efforts to cure him of the sickness. Each day, however, things did not seem to get any better for him. His rule was short-lived, and he died without leaving an heir, leaving the kingdom in turmoil.