Kāśyapa

Kāśyapa was born in the lineage of Kaśyapa Prajāpati. He was a dharma-niṣṭha sage, deeply immersed in tapas and endowed with great compassion for all beings. During his time, serpents were abundant. The serpents roamed freely and caused harm to many with their venom. The suffered greatly due to the menace of these serpents.

Kāśyapa performed tapas invoking Brahmā Deva with the desire to reduce the serpent population. He wished to eradicate the serpents that were tormenting the world. As the saying goes, “udāra caritānāṁ tu vasudhaiva kuṭumbakam”—the earth is the family of noble beings. Kāśyapa performed tapas not for selfish gain but for the welfare of the world. He was a great soul and a tyāgadhani who dedicated himself to the loka-hita (welfare of the world). In this way, Kāśyapa became the cause for the decline of the serpent race.

Not only did he diminish the serpent species, but he also wrote and propagated the necessary procedures to revive a person affected by snakebite, effectively restoring life where possible.

The Encounter with Takṣaka

While Kāśyapa was immersed in his tapas, he learned that Parīkṣit Mahārāja had been cursed by Ṛṣi Śṛṅgi and had only seven days left to live. Kāśyapa thought, “Alas! Should a dharmic king like Parīkṣit Mahārāja die from a serpent’s bite? Since I have already reduced the serpent race through tapas, if I wish, the poison of Takṣaka will not harm him. I will protect him.”

With this thought, Kāśyapa set out for Hastināpura.

On his way, Takṣaka appeared in the guise of an old brāhmaṇa and greeted Kāśyapa, “O Brāhmaṇa! Who are you? Where are you going?”

Kāśyapa replied, “I am Kāśyapa, born in the Kaśyapa’s lineage. I am the one who diminished the fearful serpent race through my tapas. I have heard that Takṣaka will bite Parīkṣit Mahārāja in a few days and kill him. I am on my way to save him. Parīkṣit is a mahātmā, a noble ruler, an ajāta-śatru (one without enemies). I will revive him after the bite.”

In response, the disguised Takṣaka said, “I am that very Takṣaka! You do not know the potency of my venom. After I bite, even Brahmā cannot bring back to life those consumed by my venom. Are you unaware of this?”

Kāśyapa replied, “Is that what you think? Is your venom so powerful? I know well the nature of serpents, their history, the power of their venom, and its effects.”

Takṣaka challenged Kāśyapa, “Then I will test your strength.” He pointed to a nearby banyan tree, lush and full of branches, with thousands of birds nesting upon it. “I will bite this tree and burn it to ashes with my poison. Show me your power!”

Takṣaka bit the tree, and instantly, the entire tree, along with all the birds inhabiting it, was reduced to ashes.

Kāśyapa calmly said, “Is this all you can do?” With his mantra śakti, he sprinkled water upon the ashes. Immediately, the banyan tree and all the birds were revived before Takṣaka’s eyes, restored to their original state.

Takṣaka was struck with fear. He asked Kāśyapa, “What do you seek by going to save Parīkṣit? Is it for wealth or for some other gain?”

Kāśyapa replied, “Of course, he will give me wealth, and I will accept it. But beyond that, since he will remain alive, the protection of dharma will continue. That is my true purpose.”

Takṣaka then said, “The curse of Ṛṣi Śṛṅgi is an unfailing Brahmarṣi’s curse. No one can reverse it. This is destiny. Destiny cannot be avoided. Do not interfere in this matter. Both you and I are merely instruments. Even I, as Takṣaka, am just a nimitta. Yama has already taken away his lifespan. His life ends this evening. In this universe, dharma proceeds as destined. Let things happen as they must. Do not attempt to stop it with your mantra śakti.”

Takṣaka spoke to Kāśyapa for a long time, convincing him not to interfere. Kāśyapa meditated for a while and learned that it is the destiny that Parīkṣit is at the end of his life’s journey and this destinay cannot be altered. Takṣaka also gave Kāśyapa wealth and sent him back. Thus, the curse of Ṛṣi Śṛṅgi came to pass, and Parīkṣit attained his destined end.

The Siddha Darśana

After this event, Kāśyapa performed extensive tapas while also engaging in gṛhastha dharma. One day, a siddha appeared before him. This siddha was a trikalavedī, a master of knowledge, well-versed in the mysteries of the world, in pleasures and sorrows, karma, and puṇya. He was accompanied by many disciples.

While speaking to his disciples, the siddha suddenly vanished before Kāśyapa’s eyes and began to ascend the sky along with his followers. Observing their brilliance, Kāśyapa decided to follow them to test their power. He bowed to the siddha and said, “I consider you my guru. Who are you? Please show me the way.”

The siddha replied, “What is it you seek?”

Kāśyapa said, “I do not know who you are. But I have come to bow to you.”

The siddha responded, “Dear one! Without fatigue, I have performed countless puṇyakarmas and enjoyed both worldly and otherworldly pleasures. Yet, despite the supreme pleasures attained through intense effort, I have fallen again and again into birth due to desires and anger. After experiencing both happiness and sorrow in various births, I finally realized the nature of this world. I performed tapas, attained self-realization, and became a siddha. Now, neither happiness nor sorrow touches me. I see nothing. I remain in my own bliss. For me, the entire Brahmāṇḍa is like an āmalaka fruit in the palm of my hand.”

Kāśyapa requested the siddha to teach him the path. The siddha instructed:

Teachings of the Siddha

“This body is born for dharma-śāsana. Through knowledge of dharma, one knows what is right in the world. One should protect the body for the sake of pursuing dharma but must not be attached to it.”

The siddha explained the balance of food and fasting, detailing the proper limits of both.

He said, “Those who perform dharma and accumulate puṇya attain svarga. But after enjoying the pleasures of svarga, they fall back to the earth to be born again. For the embodied soul, happiness and sorrow are inevitable. Therefore, our true duty is to seek mokṣa, which is beyond both pleasure and pain. For that, yoga is the only way. One must give up both happiness and sorrow simultaneously.”

The siddha elaborated on sankalpa (resolve) and instructed, “Dharma should be followed as a way of life, but mokṣa should be the ultimate goal. Dharma is a means, mokṣa is the end. Dharma is not the ultimate aim. Mokṣa is the supreme puruṣārtha. Adharma causes defects and disrupts tapas. Therefore, live according to dharma but understand that mokṣa is the goal.”

The Method of Yoga

Kāśyapa asked, “Mahātmā, teach me the method of yoga for attaining ātmadarśana.”

The siddha replied, “The tongue, palate, throat, and heart—wherever the mind rests, stabilize it there. For example, if your mind rests upon your teeth, let it stay there without moving it elsewhere. Wherever it stabilizes naturally, let it remain. After fixing the mind in such a way, direct it toward the search for the ātmā. In seeking the ātmā, the mind itself will dissolve.”

This teaching is profoundly subtle.

The siddha continued with a parable:

The Parable of the Brahma-rākṣasa

A brahma-rākṣasa once captured a man and said, “Give me endless work! If you stop giving me tasks, I will devour you.”

The man asked him to fetch the Gaṅgā from Kāśī—he did it in a moment. He asked for grand yajña arrangements—done in a flash. Whatever task was given, the brahma-rākṣasa completed instantly.

Terrified, the man kept running away, unable to think of more tasks. He met a wise person who advised him, “Give him an endless task.”

So, the man said to the brahma-rākṣasa, “Climb this palm tree up and down continuously until I ask you to stop.”

The rākṣasa obeyed, and after some time, exhausted, he pleaded, “Please release me! I will not trouble you anymore. I will come only when called.”

This allegory represents the mind. The mind, like the brahma-rākṣasa, accomplishes all tasks given to it, but if assigned an impossible task—such as realizing the ātmā—it will dissolve.

The Dissolution of the Mind and the Vision of Brahman

Once the mind dissolves, the yogi becomes brahmān-mukha (facing Brahman). The infinite light of Brahman alone remains. Within that tejas, all things—self, world, relatives, trees, senses, past, present, and future—are perceived as part of that single, resplendent reality. Ultimately, all dualities vanish, and only the supreme, infinite satya remains.

The siddha concluded, “The one who sees this is a brahmavettā.” With this, he taught Kāśyapa the secrets of brahmavidyā and yoga.

The Attainment of Brahmarṣihood

After receiving this samyak-jñāna through the darśana of the siddha, Kāśyapa became a brahmarṣi.

Kāśyapa is also known as a sṛtikartā (composer of sṛti). However, unlike the mantradraṣṭā Kāśyapa of ancient times, this Kāśyapa was a later yogi and ṛṣi in the Kāśyapa lineage.

Of the texts attributed to him, only the Prāyaścitta-varṇana chapter has survived. This includes descriptions of the ahitāgni’s characteristics, the sins and atonements for killing cows, birds like the haṁsa, the pañca-mahāpātakas, and other detailed expiations. Many teachers have written commentaries on this single chapter.

Thus, Kāśyapa Maharṣi’s teachings are preserved in these traditions, and he remains revered as a yogi, ṛṣi, and guide on the path of liberation.