Abstrakt
Ambā is an episodic character of the Mahābhārata, her story being narrated in the Ādiparvan episode about the wedding of Vicitravīrya, and later in the Udyogaparvan episode, in which Bhīṣma explains to Duryodhana, why he would not fight against Śikhaṇḍī (who is Ambā reborn). Ambā in her journey crosses several established social boundaries: she is kidnapped by Bhīṣma from her svayaṃvara and taken to Hastināpura, then is allowed to return to her intended husband Śālva but rejected by him she goes to a forest where she meets wise ṛṣis and commences her vengeance.
After practising austerities she kills herself and is reborn as Drupada's daughter Śikhaṇḍinī. In a great distress she goes to a forest again where a yakṣa shows mercy to her and changes sex with her.
Thus she becomes a man - Śikhaṇḍī who will eventually be the cause of Bhīṣma's death. There are two transforming experiences of initiation in the forest.
A forest is one of principal literary topoi, a symbol of being lost and trying to find oneself, of subconsciousness, an initiation topos. The proposed paper will compare the forest narratives in Ambā's/Śikhaṇḍinī's story with accent on the common motives (a forest, an āśrama, a supernatural being, a boon/a curse), the initiation and the symbolism of forests, waters and fire.