Kashapa

Vamana avatar, Kashapa's son with Aditi, in the court

of King Bali.
Devanagari
Sanskrit
Transliteration
kayapa
Affiliation rishis
Consort see "wives of Kashapa"
below
Kashyapa
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Kashyap)
Kashapa (Sanskrit kayapa) was an ancient sage
(rishi), who is one of the Saptarishis in the present
Manvantara: others being Atri, Vashistha, Vishvamitra,
Jamadagni, Bharadwaja,Gautama.
[1]
According to the
Vedic knowledge, he is the son of Marichi, one of the ten
sons (Manasaputras) of the Creator Brahma.
The Rishi are seers who know and by their knowledge are
the makers of shastra and "see" all mantras. The word
comes from the root rish Rishati-prapnoti sarvvang
mantrang jnanena pashyati sangsaraparangva, etc. The
seven great Rishis or saptarshis of the first manvantara are
Marichi, Atri, Angiras, Pulaha, Kratu, Pulastya, and
Vashishtha. In other manvantara there are other
sapta-rshi. In the present manvantara the seven are
Kashapa, Atri, Vashishtha, Vishvamitra, Jamadagni,
Bharadvaj. To the Rishi the Vedas were revealed. Vyasa
taught the Rigveda so revealed to Paila, the Yajurveda to
Vaishampayana, the Samaveda to Jaimini, Atharvaveda to
Samantu, and Itihasa and Purana to Suta. The three chief
classes of Rishi are the Brah-marshi, born of the mind of
Brahma, the Devarshi of lower rank, and Rajarshi or
Kings who became Rishis through their knowledge and
austerities, such as Janaka, Ritaparna, etc. Thc Shrutarshi
are makers of Shastras, as Sushruta. The Kandarshi are of
the Karmakanda, such as Jaimini.
He was also the author of the treatise Kashyapa Samhita,
or Jivakiya Tantra, which is considered a classical
reference book on Ayurveda especially in the fields of
Ayurvedic pediatrics, gynecology and obstetrics.
[2]
It can be safely assumed that there were many Kashapas and the name indicates a status and not just one
individual.
Contents
1 Wives of Kashapa
2 Children of Kashapa
3 Kashapa in Sikhism
4 Kashapa and Kashmir
5 Notes
6 External links
Wives of Kashapa
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The Prajapati Daksha gave his thirteen daughters (Aditi, Diti, Kadru, Danu, Arishta, Surasa, Surabhi, Vinata,
Tamra, Krodhava, Id, Vishva and Muni
[3]
in marriage to Kashapa.
[4]
Children of Kashapa
Main article: Suryavansha
Kashyapa was the father of the devas, asuras, ngas and all of humanity. He married Aditi, with whom he
fathered Agni, the Adityas, and most importantly Lord Vishnu took his fifth Avatar as Vamana, the son of
Aditi, in the seventh Manvantara.
[5]
With his second wife, Diti, he begot the Daityas. Diti and Aditi were
daughters of King Daksha Prajapati and sisters to Sati, Shiva's consort. Kashapa received the earth, obtained
by Parashurama's conquest of King Kartavirya Arjuna and henceforth, earth came to be known as
"Kashapai".
His sons from Aditi or Adityas were Aa, Aryaman, Bhaga, Dhatr, Mitra, Pan, a daughter
Bhumidevi, akra, Savit, Tva, Varua, Viu, and Vivasvat or Vivasvan,
[3]
who went on to start the
Solar Dynasty (Suryavansha), which later came to be known as Ikshvaku dynasty, after his great
grandson, King Ikshvaku, whose subsequent kings were, Kukshi, Vikukshi, Bana, Anaranya, Prithu,
Trishanku, and finally King Raghu, who gave it the name, Raghuvansh (Dynasty of Raghu), and then
further leading up to Lord Ram, the son of Dashrath.
[6]
His sons from Diti were Hiranyakashipu and Hiranyaksha and a daughter Sinhika, who later became
the wife of Viprachitti. Hiranyakashipu had four sons, Anuhlada, Hlada, Prahlada, and Sanhlada, who
further extended the Daityas.
[3]
Garuda and Aruna are the sons of Kashapa from his wife Vinata.
[7]
The Ngas (serpents) are his sons from Kadru.
The Danavas are his sons from Danu.
The Bhagavata Purana states that the Apsaras were born from Kashapa and Muni.
Uttar Ramayana says Diti had a son named Maya who was the lord of Daityas.
[8]
In the family line of Kashapa, along with him there are two more discoverers of Mantras: his sons Avatsara
and Asita. Two sons of Avatsara, Nidhruva and Rebha, are also Mantra-seers. In the Manvantara period
named 'Svarochisha', Kashapa was one of the seven sages (saptarishi) for that manvantara.
The Indian valley of Kashmir in the Himalayas is named after him.
Kashapa in Sikhism
In Brahm Avtar composition present in Dasam Granth, Second Scripture of Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh
mentioned Rishi Kashapa, as second avtar of Brahma.
[9]
According to him, Rishi Kashapa had great
knowledge of Vedas and interpreted it very thoughtfully to whole world which bring them internal relief.
[10]
He married with four wives, Banita, Kadru, Diti and Aditi and have many children out of them some remain
religious (Deities) and other became irreligious (Demons).
[11]
Kashapa and Kashmir
The Valley of Kashmir got its name from Kashapa Rishi.
[12]
According to the Vedic Knowledge, the Kashmir
valley was a vast lake called Satisaras, named after Sati or Parvati the consort of Shiva. The lake was
inhabited by the demon Jalodbhav. The Nilamat Puran of the 7th century mentions the region being
inhabited by two tribes the Nagas and the Pisachas. The lake was drained off by leader of the Nagas
called Ananta (Anantnag region of Kashmir is named after him) to capture and kill the demon. Ananta later
Kashyapa - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kashyap
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names the valley as Kashapa-mira after his father Kashapa. Kalhana in Rajatarangini (The River of Kings)
also mentions Prajapati Kashapa killing Jalodbhava with the help of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. The lake was
then drained and comes to be known as Kash-mira after the Rishi Kashapa.
[13]
Notes
^ Inhabitants of the Worlds (http://www.sacred-texts.com/tantra/maha/maha00.htm) Mahanirvana Tantra,
translated by Arthur Avalon, (Sir John Woodroffe), 1913, Introduction and Preface.
1.
^ Q7 (http://indianmedicine.nic.in/html/ayurveda/afmain.htm) indianmedicine.nic.in. Q 7. The main classical
texts for reference of Ayurvedic principles include Charak Samhita, Susrut Samhita, Astang Hridaya,
Sharangdhar Samhita, Madhav Nidan, Kashapa Samhita, Bhavprakash, and Bhaisajya Ratnavali, etc.
2.
^
a

b

c
Vishnu Purana: Book I, Chapter XV (http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/vp/vp050.htm) The Vishnu Purana,
translated by Horace Hayman Wilson, 1840. p. 112. The daughters of Daksha who were married to Kayap
were Aditi, Diti, Danu, Arisjht , Suras, Surabhi, Vinat, Tmr, Krodhava, Id , Khas, Kadru, and Muni 19;
whose progeny I will describe to you...Vishu, akra, ryaman, Dht, Twshtri, Pshan, Vivaswat, Savitri,
Mitra, Varua, Ana, and Bhaga
3.
^ Saklani, Dinesh Prasad (1998). Ancient Communities of Himalayas (http://books.google.co.th
/books?id=tK5y4iPArKQC&pg=PA74&lpg=PA74&dq=Kashapa+rishi&source=bl&ots=B7cMMaADaS&
sig=xHTaNUZmkDxBNl9qe5t-CbQZQ94&hl=en&sa=X&ei=3rxEULiiJMHprAfbnoDAAw&
ved=0CFoQ6AEwCDgK#v=onepage&q=Kashapa&f=false). Indus Publishing Co, New Delhi. p. 74.
ISBN 8173870901 Check |isbn= value (help).
4.
^ Account of the several Manus and Manwantaras (http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/vp/vp075.htm) Vishnu
Purana, translated by Horace Hayman Wilson, 1840, Book III: Chapter I. 265:22, Vishu, at the request of the
deities, was born as a dwarf, Vmana, the son of Adit by Kayap; who, applying to Bali for alms, was promised
by the prince whatever he might demand, notwithstanding ukra, the preceptor of the Daityas, apprised him
whom he had to deal with. The dwarf demanded as much space as he could step over at three steps; and upon
the assent of Bali, enlarged himself to such dimensions as to stride over the three worlds. Being worshipped
however by Bali and his ancestor Prahlda, he conceded to them the sovereignty of Ptla.
5.
^ Lineage of Kashapa (http://www.valmikiramayan.net/ayodhya/sarga110/ayodhya_110_prose.htm) Valmiki
Ramayana, Ayodhya Kanda in Prose Sarga 110.
6.
^ Birth of Garuda (http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m01/m01032.htm) The Mahabharata translated by Kisari
Mohan Ganguli (1883-1896], Book 1: Adi Parva: Astika Parva: Section XXXI. p. 110.
7.
^ Valmiki Ramayan 7.12 8.
^ Dasam Granth, Dr. SS Kapoor (http://books.google.co.in/books?id=8-h8ptzp0lUC&pg=PA76&
dq=brahma+avtar&hl=en&sa=X&ei=fsbgT_PEB4nMrQeMyaSTDQ&ved=0CD4Q6AEwAQ#v=onepage&
q=brahma%20avtar&f=false)
9.
^ Line 8, Description of Kashapa the second incarnation of Brahma, in Bachittar Natak. 10.
^ Line 7, Description of Kashapa the second incarnation of Brahma, in Bachittar Natak. 11.
^ Valentine, Simon Ross (2008). Islam and Ahmediyya Jamat: History, belief, Practice
(http://books.google.co.th/books?id=MdRth02Q6nAC&pg=PA13&lpg=PA13&dq=Kashapa+rishi&source=bl&
ots=E3VnPtds6P&sig=UTHDTPe9S-SlHqIQIkdzwtU2R-8&hl=en&sa=X&ei=jbBEUKr0McvqrQeY-oGoDg&
ved=0CGAQ6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=Kashapa%20rishi&f=false). Hurst Publishers Ltd. p. 13.
ISBN 9781850659167.
12.
^ Kaw, M.K. (2004). Kashmir and its People: Studies in evolution of Kashmiri Society
(http://books.google.co.th/books?id=QpjKpK7ywPIC&pg=PA455&lpg=PA455&dq=Kashapa+rishi&
source=bl&ots=-SIYawPy6b&sig=gzEbncZOUXunKe5gLzAk091Faeo&hl=en&
sa=X&ei=jbBEUKr0McvqrQeY-oGoDg&ved=0CFkQ6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=Kashapa%20rishi&f=false).
A.P.H. Publishing Corporation. p. 6. ISBN 8176485373.
13.
External links
http://mythfolklore.net/india/encyclopedia/Kashapa.htm
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Categories: Hindu sages Gotras
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