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It is believed that Kesarwanies are the descendants of Rishi Kashyap from whom they got their gotra "Kashyap". Also, Kesarwanies have their origin from Kashmir, which was founded by Kashyap Rishi. There are many Legends about Kashyap Rishi in Hindu mythology. As per Padma Purana, once goddess Parvati expressed her desire to know about all the incarnations of Lord Vishnu. Lord Mahadeva replied - Lord Brahma had created numerous Prajapatis like Bhrigu, Mariachi, Atri, Daksha, Kardam, Pulastya, Pulaha, Angira and Kratu. |
Sage Kashyap was the son of Marichi (a sage - one among the Saptarshis). He was created by sage Marichi using his mental powers.
In the Mahabharat, according to Vedvyas, Marichi was the son of Brahma. In time, Mariachi had a son named Kashyap who then married the daughters of Daksh Prajapati; Diti, Aditi, Vinta and Kadru.
In other texts it is said that Daksha Prajapati was born out of the right thumb of Brahma and all the people were his descendants. He had one thousand sons and fifty daughters. Sage Kashyapa was married to Daksha Prajapati and Prasuti’s thirteen daughters, named Aditi, Diti, Danu, Kala or khasha or Vishwa, Danayu or Danu, Sinhika, Krodha or Krodhavasha, Pradha or Muni, Vinata, Kapila or Surabhi, Tamra , Ira and Kadru (also Arishta, Surasa).
(It is not clear that Rishi Kashyap was having four, seven or thirteen wives. In different texts, the names of Kashyap's wives are different. Some inconsistency between the texts is common in Hindu mythology.)
The sage Kashyap, through his many wives, fathered many races of celestial beings.
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Aditi was the senior most benevolent wife of the sage Kashyap. She gave birth to all deities including Lord Indra, Varun, Vivaswanand, Aditya or Surya. These were the demi-Gods of Indian mythology. Some of the demi-Gods such as the Sun and Moon gods are in some sources not amongst the children of Kashyap and Aditi, but have alternate tales of birth.produced the gods.
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When Vivaswan got married, he had two sons-- Manu, the father of mankind and Yamraj, the god of death. All the dynasties on the earth descended from Manu's sons.
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Sage Kashyap commenced the most austere penance--Payovrata (it is the vow of milk, in this only milk should be drunk by those who are observing this vow) to help the deities regain their lost kingdom (heaven) once again from their enemy - the righteous but vain king of the Asuras BALI. He was accompanied by his wife--Aditi in his penance, which lasted for one thousand years. At last, Lord Vishnu became pleased by their penance and appeared before them. Sage Kashyap narrated the woeful tales of the deities and requested him to make Indra the Lord of all the three worlds. Lord Vishnu promised that he would take incarnation as Vaman. In course of time, Aditi became pregnant and ultimately gave birth to Lord Vaman.
It is said that Aditi was the paragon of sweetness and hence her children were virtuous and noble. Whereas Diti was shrewish, so her children were evil.
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- Diti brought forth the demons
like--Makar, Hayagreeva, Mahabali, Hiranyaksha,
Hiranyakashipu Jambha, Maya etc. Makar was a
mighty demon, who after deceitfully acquiring
the Vedas from Lord Brahma had hidden himself
inside an ocean. Lord Brahma requested Vishnu to
liberate the sacred Vedas from the possession of
Makar.
- Danu, Kashyap's third wife had a hundred sons known as Danavas. This was another clan of demons. Chief among the hundred sons was Viprachitti. Maya, the architect of the demons was descended from this line.
- Kadru produced snakes. She gave birth
to a thousand snakes who are considered to be
ancestors of all snakes. Thus snakes are
semi-divine beings.
- Vinta was the mother of mighty Garuda
(vehicle of Vishnu & king of birds) and the
sun-god Surya. (Kadru once won a bet with Vinta.
As a result, Vinata had to serve Kadru as a
maid. Garuda relieved his mother from Kadru's
bondage by getting Amrit (nectar) from the
heavens. However, in the process, Nagas became
his permanent enemies of Garuda.)
- Surabhi was the mothers of Cows &
buffalos.
- Sarmas produced dogs etc.
- Muni is said to be the mother of the Apsaras or divine maidens (as per Bhagavata Purana). In the
Mahabharata the mother of Apsaras is stated as Pradha.
- Khasa or Vishva was the mother of the Yakshas, a clan of the demi-Gods
- Khrodha or Khrodhvasha was the mother of another set of demons called the Rakshasas
- Aristha mothered the Gangharvas who were the custodians of music and dancing.
- Era or Ila was the mother of trees.
- Tamra had six daughters who began the lines of various animals and birds.
As per Vayu & Varun Puran his wives were Aditi, Diti, Danu, Kashtha, Arishtha, Sursha, Ila, Muni, Krodhvasha, Tamra, Surbhi, Sarma, & Timi.
As stated in Bhagvat
Aditi Diti Danu Vishwa, Aristha, Sursa, Surbhi,
Vinta, Tamra, Krodhvash, Era, Kadru & Muni
were wives of Sage Kashyap.
Kashyap Samhita, also known as Braddha pr Viiddha Jivakiya Tantra, is an important treatise on Ayurveda medicine written in ancient India by the sage Kashyap, probably one of the first compilers of the ancient knowledge. Today, Kashyap Samhita is considered, a classical reference book on Ayurveda especially in the fields of Ayuvedic Pediatrics, Gynecology & Obstetrics. It is also part of the Ayurveda teaching syllabus especially in Kaumarbhrityal Balroga (Pediatrics). In the Kashyapa Samhita, the Ayurveda is taught using question-and-answer style: The questions relate to the commencement of diseases, diagnosis, treatment, and management, rose by the pupils and answered by the Sage Kashyapa himself.
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As per Bhagvat (9.16.22) Parashuram had given the middle region of his province to Kashyap Rishi.
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He had met to Bhismapitamah when he was lying on arrow bed. (Bhagvat 1.9.8)
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Narad, Parvat, Aaditya, Marudgarh & Rudras were Kashyap's son. (Brhamapuran: 2.27.104; 32.98, 112; 35.92.95; 38.3; 3.1.53; 4.34; 8.1.27; Mathsyapurana: 145, 92; Vayupurana: 1.138; 3.2; 65.53; 84.26.31)
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In Vayupurana (65.115-17) it is said that once, when Daksh was angry because of his daughter, Kashyap had drunk the "Kashy" (a wine) & got the name Kashyap.
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He was invited in Yudhishtir's Yaghya. (Bhagvat 10.74.9)
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He had gone to Symantpanchak to meet lord Krishna. (Bhagvat 10.84.4)
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Kashyap Rishi was expert in treating the snake bite. When Takshak was going to bite the King Pariskhit, he met him on the way. Takshak convinced Kashyap Rishi to go back. (Bhagavat 12.6.11)
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He had learned Moolsanhita from Romharshan, pupil of Vedvayasa.
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Kashyap is one of seven sage of svarochish Era. (Mathsyapurana 9.8)
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Kashyap Rishi had visited a great holy place Shuklthirth situated at bank of Narmada. (Mathsyapurana 192.10)
In his holy book Shatpath Brahmin Granth Muni Yaskacharya has quoted that there was a Kashyap Rishi who studied Vedas deeply. In Vedas there is a rule that a man or woman can only extend their life up to 400 years and not more. In this connection Yajurveda mantra 3/62 refers. So when Kashyap Rishi became of hundred years he prayed God that he is busy in study of Vedas therefore his age may be extended up to two hundred years. But reaching on two hundred years he again requested to extend further hundred years because the Rishi had been experiencing unlimited peace and merriment while studying Vedas and going the deepest in every mantra. And O! When he reached at the age of three hundred years he prayed God that he (Rishi) is leaving Body. Because the knowledge of the Vedas are eternal and unlimited.
It is said that King Dhushyanth was refused to accept Shakuntla, as the curse of Sage Durvasa had obliterated all memories of her in his mind and she had no ring to remind him of their wedding. Seeing her daughter filled with anguish, Menaka took her to sage Kashyap's ashram and left her in his care. Shakunthala gave birth to a son in the ashram and named him Sarvathamanan. King Dhushyanth, who on request from Indra, had engaged himself in a battle against the Asuras, visited the sage Kashyap's ashram on his return. He was ecstatic to see Shakunthala and his son (due to resurgence of memory about his lady love), and took them back with him to his palace. Sarvathamanan later on ruled the kingdom as the popular emperor Bharatha.
Yet in another legend, Vayupuran (52.16) & Srimad Bhagvat (Skandh 12:11.41) Soot Jee told to Saunak Jee; "to regulate the behavior of people, Bhagvaan Soorya, in the form of Kaal, go around with His 6 Gan all round the 12 months (Chaitra, Vaishaakh, Jyestha, Aashad etc. 12 months). Among them Rishi pray Soorya with Soorya-related Ved Mantra, Gandharv sing praise, Apsaraa dance, Naag act as rope for His chariot, Yaksh decorate chariot, and powerful Raakshas push it forward from back. Anshu Soorya, Kashyap Rishi, Taarkshya Yaksh, Vidyuchchhatru Raakshas, Mahaashankh Naag, Urvashee Apsaraa, Ritsen Gandharv are accompany Soorya Bhagvaan in Agahan Maas."
As per legends & also according to the Kalhana's (contemporary of King Jayasimha of Kashmir of the 12th century) Rajtarangini, regarded as one of the most ancient and famous historical texts of the sub-continent, The whole of the valley (Kashmir valley of today) was under water, It was a big lake "Satisar" named after Shiva's consort Sati. The people living on the banks of the lake were threatened by an invincible monster - Jalodbhave. . It was on the Kashyap rishi's pleading with Vishnu that gods and goddess came to help to kill the monster. Goddess Sharika who is revered in Kashmir, assumed the form of a dove and brought a small 'hill' (The Hari Parbat or Sharika Devi's Parbat) in its beak and crushed the monster with that 'hill'. It was after that, Kashyap Rishi drained the water through number of rivers and rivulets and what emerged was a valley of enchanting beauty, whom the saint named "Kashyap Murh" or Kashyap Mar. As time passed, the nomenclature changed and finally the `Paradise on Earth' came to be known as Kashmir. All Kashmiries are believed to be the descendants of Rishis and Munis, such as Dattatreya, Bhardwaj and Kashyap
In those days when Kashyap Rishi drained the Kashmir valley of water, Bhrigu Rishi came that way on a visit to The Himalayas & the Holy Amarnath cave and lingam were discovered by him. The ice Lingam of Amarnath Cave was first discovered before the 12th century by a Muslim shepherd named Buta Malik, while looking for a missing goat. Later it became Shiva's abode and a center of pilgrimage.
.... Last updated on 01/11/2008
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