Rajarshi Ambarisha is a scion of the Ikshvaku dynasty. He is descended of a noble and illustrious lineage. Ambarisha’s father Nabhaga was a paragon of virtue and a model of rectitude and truthfulness. An incident in Nabhaga’s early life illustrates his dedication to truth.
Nabhaga was mulcted of his share of inheritance by his brothers when he was away engaged in his studies. On his return from the gurukula, he was exhorted by his helpless father to go to a sacrifice performed by certain sages and help them by clarifying doubts that often occurred to them in the course of their ritual. His father also told him that the sages, pleased with his timely services, would bestow on him all the remnants of the sacrificial materials on completion of the rite.
Accordingly, Nabhaga went to the sacrifice conducted by the sages and waited upon them. At the end of the sacrifice, the sages bequeathed the residue of the materials to Nabhaga. When Nabhaga was about to take possession of them, there appeared on the scene a dark-complexioned person pressing his exclusive claims on the full quantum of the materials.
They finally agreed to refer the dispute to Nabhaga’s father, who with an exemplary sense of judicial impartiality pronounced the verdict in favour of the dark-complexioned person. He said that it had been settled long ago that the remnants of sacrificial materials rightfully belonged to Rudra.
Nabhaga dutifully abided by his father’s decision and renounced his claim. Impressed with the sense of probity, righteousness and truthfulness of Nabhaga and his father, the dark complexioned Rudra gave the materials to Nabhaga and vanished.