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Maharishi Kashyapa - Creator of various creatures

Updated: Mar 28, 2021


We have seen that Garud and Aruna were born to Rishi Kashyap through Vinata. We also saw that whole Serpent species originated from him through Kadru! But there were many more born to him. In Mahabharat, Kashyap is depicted to be the originator of all life-forms on Earth.

In Sambhava Parva (An subchapter of Adi Parva), When Janamaejaya asked "I desire to hear from the beginning of the births of the gods, the Danavas, the Gandharvas, the Apsaras, men, Yakshas and Rakshasas. Therefore, I request you to tell me about the births of all creatures.", Maharshi Vaishampayan started telling how Kashyap gave birth to all of them. The family tree that he describes is extensive and forms a complete chapter with 294 verses!

Here are a few of the names and lineages from that chapter that are important in Hindu Mythology and which are generally familiar due to their occurrence in other stories (Below list covers description of lineage given in MB 1.7.1-56)

  • Brahmadev (Creator of the universe) had six spiritual (born of his mind/imagination) sons, viz., Marichi, Atri, Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaha and Kratu.

  • Marichi's son is Kasyapa, and from Kasyapa have sprung these creatures.

  • To Daksha (one of the Prajapatis) thirteen daughters of great good fortune were born - Aditi, Diti, Danu, Kala, Danayu, Sinhika, Krodha, Pradha, Viswa, Vinata, Kapila, Muni, and Kadru. They were all married to Kashyap.

  • From Aditi have sprung the twelve Adityas who are the lords of the universe. They are Dhatri, Mitra, Aryaman, Sakra, Varuna, Ansa, Vaga, Vivaswat, Usha, Savitri, Tvashtri, and Vishnu. The youngest, however, is superior to them all in merit.

  • Diti had one son called Hiranyakasipu. And the illustrious Hiranyakasipu had five sons, all famous throughout the world. The eldest of them all was Prahlada (Prahlada's story is famous as he became the cause of Vishnu taking the Avatar of Narasimha.). Sons of Diti are called Daitya, also a term used for demons or wicked people. However Prahlada is not depicted to be quite the opposite). Prahlada had three sons. They were Virochana, Kumbha, and Nikumbha. And unto Virochana was born a son, Vali, of great prowess.

  • And Danu had forty sons, O Bharata! The eldest of them all was Viprachitti of great fame. (There are other names too, but not mentioning them here. But it is important to note that the children of Danu were called Danav, who are often considered analogous to demons).

  • Sinhika gave birth to Rahu, the persecutor of the Sun and the Moon (She had 3 more sons, not mentioned here)

  • And the countless progeny of Krura (Krodha) were as crooked and wicked as herself. (Krodha in sanskrit means anger)

  • Sheshnag, Anantnag, Vasuki, Takshak and other Serpents were born to Kadru (These all serpents are important in Hindu Mythology and they are not ) and Garud and Arun (and 4 more sons) were born to Vinata.

  • The Dev-Gandharvas were born to Muni & Pradha, the mentioned daughters of Daksha.

  • Apsaras were also born to Pradha, including Tilottama, Rambha, Manorama (They have played important role in some tales)

  • Amrit, Brahmin, Dhenu (Cow), Gandharva and Apsara were born to Kapila


The later verses in the chapter further expands the lineage and describes later generations. But the above list tells the origin of major types of creatures that were born directly from Kashyap Rishi from his 13 wives.


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