Word

Kashyapa

Sanskrit

काश्यप

IAST

kāśyapa

In General

This Vedic rishi whose mantras are available in 9th Mandala of Rigveda. He was not born in Kashmir but the word Kashmir derived from his name.

Purana consider him as one of the Saptharshi and Prajapati. Like many other sages all these Kashyapa may not be a single person, but many from one Guruparambara. He was the son of Kardama Prajapathi and Devahuti and is considered an Avatar of Vishnu. But according to some other version on his birth, he is the son of Saptharshi Marichi. He composed the book ‘Kashyap Samhita’, an early book on Ayurveda and was an expert surgeon. Mahabharata give a reference on a text called ‘Nigandu’, an earliest dictionary on difficult words in Sanskrit, written by Kashyapa. This was the basic book upon which Yaska wrote Nirukta, a Vedanga.

Purana

Prajapati Daksha gave his thirteen daughters, Aditi, Diti, Kadru, Danu, Arishta, Surasa, Surabhi, Vinata, Tamra, Krodhavasa, Ida, Khasa and Muni in marriage to Kashyap. He is the father of major part human race, Devas by his first wife Aditi and Asura by his second wife Diti. Garuda, Sarpa and many other species are also born with his parentage. He was father of Vivaswat. The seers Avatsara and Asita are also his sons.