*KASHYAPA AND ADITI ORIGIN OF EVOLUTION IN HINDU CULT*
*DIFFERENT PROJECTIONS A SEEN PART 3 17624 18624*
*Kasyapa Muni*
A chief among the Prajapatis.
1) Kashyapa-Son or Grandson of Brahma? It is difficult to give a definite
answer to this question.
In Mahabharata, Adi Parva, Chapter 65, we see those six spiritual sons –
Marici, Angras, Atri, Pulastya, Pulaha and Kratu – were born to Brahma.
Kashyapa was born as the son of Marici and that all living beings in the
world took their origin from Kashyapa. According to this statement,
Kashyapa is the grandson of Brahma.
But in the 14th Sarga of Aranyakanda in Valmiki Ramayana there is an
account of the creation of all animate and inanimate objects in this world.
According to a statement in that passage, we find that Kashyapa was the
youngest brother of Marici, Atri, Pulastya and others. This means that
Kashyapa was the son of Brahma. Therefore, there is nothing wrong in
regarding him either as the son or as the grandson of Brahma. In the
Puranas we find references to him in both ways.
*2) Original Gotra. Mahabharata, Santi Parva, Chapter 297, verse 17 says
that all living beings belong to the four original Gotras – the gotra of
Angiras, Kashyapa Gotra, Bhrgu gotra and Vasistha gotra and that all the
other gotras came into existence subsequently*.
3) Kasyapa’s wives. Kashyapa had 21 wives who were: Aditi, Diti, Danu,
Arista, Surasa, Khasa, Surabhi, Vinata, Tamra, Krodhavasa, Ira, Kadru,
Muni, Puloma, Kalaka, Nata, Danayus, Simhika, Pradha, Visva, and Kapila. Of
these, the 13 wives, Aditi, Diti, Kalaka, Danayus, Danu, Simhika, Krodha,
Pradha, Visva, Vinata, Kapila, Muni and Kadru, were the daughters of Daksa.
Of these the first wife Aditi had 12 sons. These 12 sons namely Visnu,
Sakra, Aryama, Dhata, Tvasta, Pusa, Vivasvan, Savita, Mitra, Varuna, Amsa
and Bhaga are called Adityas (som of Aditi). In the sixth Manvantara these
12 Adityas belonged to the group known *as Tusitas*. (The present
Manvantara is the seventh one). The 33 crores of Devas came into being from
the twelve Adityas.
The Daityas were born from Kasyapa’s second wife Diti. The chief Daityas
are Hiranyakasipu, Hiranyaksa and Simhika. All the other Daityas were born
from them.
The Danavas were the children of Danu, another wife of Kasyapa. Dvimurdha,
Sambara, Ayomukha, Sankusiras, Kapila, Sankara, Ekacakra, Mahabahu, Taraka,
Mahabala, Svarbhanu, Vrsaparva, Puloma, and Vipracitti are the famous
Danavas. The other Danavas were the children of the people mentioned above.
Another wife of Kasyapa, Surabhi, gave birth to Aja, Ekapad, Ahirbuddhnya,
Tvasta and, Rudra and also the Ekadasa Rudras namely: – Hara, Bahurupa,
Tryambaka, Aparajita, Vrsakapi, Sambhu, Kapardi, Raivata, Mrgavyadha,
Sarpa, and Kapali.
Vinata gave birth to Garuda and Kadru was the mother of the nagas.
The Puranas proclaim that all living beings that we see in the world today,
sprang from Kasyapa’s offsprings by his different wives.
(Valmiki Ramayana, Bala Kanda, Chapter 29// Visnu Purana. Part I, Chapters
15-21;// Mahabharata, Adi Parva, Chapters 16 and 65 and
Agni Purana, Chapter 18).
4) Brahma taught Kasyapa cure for snake, poison. The serpents (Nagas) were
born to Kadru, one of the wives of Kasyapa. Once Kadru asked her children
to hang down like hair from the tail of Uchchaihshravas. They refused to do
so. Kadru became angry and cursed them that they would be burnt alive at
Janamejaya’s Sarpa Satra (snake-sacrifice). After the curse, the Nagas
became dangerously venomous. At this stage, Brahma taught Kasyapa the art
of curing snake-poison to protect other creatures that might be bitten by
the Nagas. Cure of snake-bite in this world dates from that time.
(Maha-bharata Adi Parva. Chapter 20).
5) Kasypa and Garuda. Garuda is a mighty son of Kasyapa by his wife Vinata.
Vinata made a bet with her sister Kadru. Kadru won the bet. Vinata became
Kadru’s maid-servant as a result of the bet. To be relieved of this bondage
Vinata’s son Garuda had to bring Amrta from Devaloka and give it to Kadru
and her Naga-sons. Garuda agreed and flew up to Heaven to fetch Amrta.
On the way, he visited his father Kasyapa who was performing penance on the
Gandhamādana mountain. He asked his father to give him some food, as he was
very hungry. Kasyapa told him the following story:
“Long ago a sage named Vibhavasu lived near this place. He and his younger
brother named Supratika began to quarrel over the sharing of their father’s
wealth. The elder brother transformed the younger brother into an elephant
by a curse and the younger brother turned the elder into a tortoise lay his
curse. They are still living in yonder lake as elephant and tortoise and
continue like enemies. If you eat both of them, you will be strong enough
to fight against the Devas and get possession of Amrta for yourself.”
On hearing this, Garuda went to the lake and caught the elephant and
tortoise in his claws and flew up into the sky. The mountains began to
tremble and a whirlwind swept the Heavens when Garuda beat with his wings.
He flew about here and there unable to find a convenient place to sit and
enjoy his meal. On the way, his eye caught sight of a huge banyan tree
spreading its branches far and wide, to a distance of 100 yojanas around
it. When he perched on one of its branches with the elephant and tortoise,
the branch broke and fell down. From that branch certain sages known as
Balakhilyas were hanging with their heads downwards. So, to prevent them
from falling to the ground, Garuda lifted it in his beak and began to fly
up again. Unable to find a suitable spot where he could deposit the branch
with the sages, Garuda returned to his father again. At the request of
Kasyapa, the Balakhilyas went to the Himalayas. He showed Garuda a vast,
snowclad mountain on which he could deposit the broken branch he was
carrying. Garuda flew to that mountain and ate up the elephant and tortoise
and thus gained strength to fight with the Devas for Amrta. After that he
proceeded to Heaven. (Maha-bharata Adi Parva, Chapters 29-31) .
6) Other Birth of Kasyapa.
In Caksusa Manvantara, the sage Sutapas performed a penance along with his
wife Prsni for 12,000 years. Lord Visnu appeared to them and asked what
boon they wished to ask. They prayed that the Lord should take birth as
their son. Visnu granted their prayer and was born as their son.
In the next Manvantara (the period of Vaivasvata Manu) Sutapas and Prsni
were re-born as Kasyapa and Aditi respectively. At that time also Mahavisnu
was born to Aditi as Vamana. (See under Vamana). In this birth, Kasyapa had
many other wives besides Aditi. Surasa was one of those wives.
(Bhagavata,10th Skandha).
*It was this Kasyapa himself who was reborn as Vasudeva and Aditi became
Devaki*. *Surasa was born as Rohini, another wife*. There is another reason
for Kayapa and Aditi to take birth for the third time. Once Kasyapa had
prepared to perform a Yajna. All arrangements were complete. But the
sacrificial cow alone was not available. Kasyapa solved the problem by
stealing a cow from Varuna’s cattle-shed. Aditi and Surasa concealed it in
the Asrama. Enraged at the theft of his cow, Varuna complained to Brahma. A
curse was pronounced by Brahma and Varuna that as a punishment for stealing
and hiding the cow, Kasyapa should be reborn as a cowherd and Aditi and
Surasa should be reborn as the cowherd’s wives. It was by this curse that
Kasyapa, Aditi and Surma were reborn as Vasudeva Devaki and Rohini
respectively. (Devi Bhagavata,4th Skandha).
7) Parasurama’s gift of land to Kasyapa. Parasurama performed a Yaga after
exterminating all Ksatriya Kings. At that Yajna he gifted all the lands he
had conquered till then to Kasyapa. In Mahabharata, Aranya Parva, Chapter
117, there is a reference to this gift.
8) Kasyapa and Kerala. After Parasurama went round the world eighteen times
and exterminated the Ksatriya Kings he performed a Yajna. At that Yaga he
gave the whole earth as daksina to Kasyapa. After that, Kasyapa drove away
Parasurama from the earth to the south. Taking pity on Parasurama, the
ocean gave him the region known as “Surparaka”. Kasyapa seized Surparaka
also from Parasurama and gave it to Brahmanas. Parasurama went to the
forests after it. Later on, intermixture of castes took place in this
region and anarchy prevailed there. At one time, Surparaka sank down into
Patala (lower world). Kasyapa who saw this held the earth up, brought
Ksatriyas from the north and made them rulers of the country.(Maha-bharata
Santi Parva, Chapter 49) .*This “Surparaka” is believed to be Kerala.*
9) Other Details about Kasyapa.
(i) Kasyapa arrived at the place of Arjuna’s birth accompanied by other
sages. (Mahabharata, Adi Parva, Chapter 122) .
(ii) Kasyapa flourished in Brahma’s assembly. (M.B. Sabha Parva, Chapter
11).
(iii) Once there was a dispute between Virocana, the son of Prahlada and
Sudhanva, the son of Angirasa. It was Kasyapa who settled this dispute.
(See the 5th Para under the word Angiras).
(iv) Once Kasyapa went on a pilgrimage in the company of Yudhisthira. (M.B.
Vana Parva, Chapter 85.
(v) Once Brahma gifted the entire earth to Kasyapa at a Yajna. Bhumidevi
(Goddess of the earth) who was distressed at it, went to Patala and began
to lament. At that time Kasyapa propitiated the goddess by is austere
penance. (Maha-bharata Vana Parva, Chapter 114)
(vi)) After Parasurama had given the entire earth to Kasyapa, Kasyapa drove
away Parasurama from the earth. Paraurama then shot an arrow into the sea
and converted that portion of the sea into land. (Maha-bharata Drona Parva,
Chapter 70, Verses 18 and 19). {KR So Kerala is only 5000 years old}
(vii) When the war between Kauravas and Pandavas was in progress, Kasyapa
approached Drona and wanted him to bring the battle to a close.
(Maha-bharata Drona Parva, Chapter 190).
(viii) Kasyapa was also present with other sages at the time of Skanda’s
birth. (M.B. Salya Parva, Chapter 45) .
(ix) Kasyapa once gave some pieces of advice to Pururavas. (M.B. Santi
Parva, Chapter 73)..
(x) In the 8th verse of Chapter 208 of Santi Parva, in Mahabharata, we find
that Kasyapa had another name #Arista-nemi.
(xi) Kasyapa once related to Bhisma, the story of Mahavisnu’s Varahavatara.
(Incarnation as Boar). (Maha-bharata Santi-Parva, Chapter 209, Verse 6).
(xii) Bhasa *Bharata** says that gingelly seeds were first introduced into
this world from sage Kasyapa’s body. (Maha-bharata Anushasana Parva,
Chapter 66, Verse 10) .*
(xiii) Kasyapa explained to Vrsadarbhi, the evil of receiving pratigraha
(presents).(Maha-bharata Anusasana Parva, Chapter 93) .{KR Anti-corruption
then?}
(xiv) Kasyapa once spoke to Arundhati about the weakness of his body.
(Maha-bharata Anusasana Parva, Chapter 93, Verse 65).
(xv) At another time, Agastya suspected that Kasyapa had stolen his lotus.
But Kasyapa swore that he was innocent. (Maha-bharata Anusasana Parva,
Chapter 94).
(xvi) In Bhasa Bharata it is said that Kasyapa was one of the Sapta Gurus
(seven Preceptors) of Kubera. The other six Gurus were – Vasistha, Atri,
Gautama, Bharadvaja, Visvamitra and Jamadagni. (Maha-bharata Anusasana
Parva, Chapter 150) .
(xvii) In Bhagavata we see that Kasyapa and other sages were instrumental
in bringing about the destruction of Yadu Vamsa.
*Kasyapa*
One of the prajapatis, the son of Marici and one of the sons-in-law of
Prajapati Daksa.
He is the father of the gigantic bird Garuda, who was given elephants and
tortoises as eatables. He married thirteen daughters of Prajapati Daksa,
and their names are Aditi, Diti, Danu, Kastha, Arista, Surasa, Ila, Muni,
Krodhavasa, Tamra, Surabhi, Sarama and Timi. He begot many children, both
demigods and demons, by those wives. From his first wife, Aditi, all the
twelve Adityas were born; one of them is Vamana, the incarnation of
Godhead. This great sage, Kasyapa, was also present at the time of Arjuna’s
birth. He received a presentation of the whole world from Parasurama, and
later on he asked Parasurama to go out of the world.
His other name is Arista-nemi. He lives on the northern side of the
universe.
* Srimad-Bhagavatam 1***
K Rajaram IRS 17624 18624 To be contd
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