Amvālikā (Amvalika) is the daughter of the king of Kāśī (Kasi), she was the youngest among his three princes. Bhīṣma (Bhishma)took by force the three daughters of the Kāśī — Amvā (Amva), Amvikā (Amvika) and Amvālikā (Amvalika), from their Svayamvara-sabhā ( Swayamvara-sabha; a ceremonial assembley where a bride chooses her own groom), in order to to get them married to Vicitravīrya (Vichitravirya), his younger brother. Amvā, the eldest princess, refused to accept Vicitravīrya as her husband, but Amvikā and Amvālikā gladly tied the knot with him. They got married with a grand ceremony at the palace of Hastināpurā (Hastinapura).

Seven years after the marriage, Vicitravīrya died of tuberculosis, without leaving a child. Mother Satyavatī appointed Maharṣi (Maharshi; Great Sage) Vyāsa (Vyasa) to produce Kṣetraja (Kshetraja) sons out of the womb of the daughters-in-law. Satyavatī was concerned to hear that Amvikā would give birth to a blind son, due to her own fault. A blind person is not suitable for kingship. So the responsibility of giving birth to the future king of the Kuru dynasty. To make it sure that she would not commit the same mistake, Satyavatī had probably warned her already. As a result, Amvālikā did not close her eyes, seeing the terrible appearance of Maharṣi Vyāsa, but she turned pale in fear. Vyāsa said, ‘Since you have turned pale seeing my appearance, your son will also be of pale complexion —
yasmāt pāṇḍutvamāpannā virūpaṃ prekṣya māmasi
tasmādeṣaṣa sutaste vai pāṇḍureva bhaviṣyati.

Thus king Pāṇḍu (Pandu) was born of the womb of Amvālikā. After the death of Pāṇḍu, Satyavatī went away to perform ‘Vānaprastha’. At this time, Amvikā and Amvālikā also accompanied her to the forest.