Kashyapa, Kāśyapa, Kaśyapa, Kashya-pa, Kashyapanamdana: 35 definitions

Introduction:

Kashyapa means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Marathi. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.

The Sanskrit terms Kāśyapa and Kaśyapa can be transliterated into English as Kasyapa or Kashyapa, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

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In Hinduism

Vaishnavism (Vaishava dharma)

Source: ISKCON Press: Glossary

Kaśyapa (कश्यप).—A great saint who was the father of many demigods and also of the Supreme Lord’s incarnation Vāmanadeva; one of the seven mental sons of Lord Brahmā.

Vaishnavism book cover
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Vaishnava (वैष्णव, vaiṣṇava) or vaishnavism (vaiṣṇavism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshipping Vishnu as the supreme Lord. Similar to the Shaktism and Shaivism traditions, Vaishnavism also developed as an individual movement, famous for its exposition of the dashavatara (‘ten avatars of Vishnu’).

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Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

[«previous next»] — Kashyapa in Purana glossary
Source: archive.org: Puranic Encyclopedia

1) Kaśyapa (कश्यप).—Chief among the Prajāpatis. Kaśyapa—Son or Grandson of Brahmā? It is impossible to give a definite answer to this question. In Mahābhārata, Ādi Parva, Chapter 65, we see that six spiritual sons—Marīci, Aṅgiras, Atri, Pulastya, Pul{??}aha and Kratu—were born to Brahmā. Kaśyapa was born as the son of Marīci and that all living beings in the world took their origin from Kaśyapa. According to this statement, Kaśyapa is the grandson of Brahmā. But in the 14th Sarga of Araṇyakāṇḍa in Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 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 Kaśyapa was the youngest brother of Marīci, Atri, Pulastya and others. This means that Kaśyapa was the son of Brahmā. Therefore there is nothing wrong in regarding him either as the son or as the grandson of Brahmā. In the Purāṇas we find references to him in both ways. (See full article at Story of Kaśyapa from the Puranic encyclopaedia by Vettam Mani)

2) Kaśyapa (कश्यप).—A serpent. In Mahābhārata, Ādi Parva, Chapter 122, we read that this serpent was present at the time of Arjuna’s birth.

3) Kāśyapa (काश्यप).—(KAṆVA). General. Two sages Kaśyapa and Kāśyapa are mentioned in the Purāṇas, and due to the close similarity in the names in some Purāṇas the two names are used one for the other. There is, therefore, considerable difficulty in distinguishing the one from the other and unerringly hitting upon the right person in certain contexts.

4) Kāśyapa (काश्यप).—Priest of Vasudeva; this Kāśyapa lived for years as a good friend of the Pāṇḍavas. He is considered to be a very distinguished ascetic. (Aśvamedha Parva, Chapter 16).

5) Kāśyapa (काश्यप).—Son of Sage Kaśyapa. This Kāśyapa was member of Indra’s assembly. (Sabhā Parva, Chapter 7). He was present at the Yajña conducted by emperor Pṛthu.

6) Kāśyapa (काश्यप).—An Agni, the son of Kaśyapa. Pāñcajaṇya was born from the five Agnis, Kāśyapa, Vasiṣṭha, Prāṇa, Aṅgiras and Cyavana, all of whom were sons of Kaśyapa. (Vana Parva, Chapter 220).

7) Kāśyapa (काश्यप).—A haughty Vaiśya once felled to the ground a brahmin youth called Kāśyapa by hitting him with his chariot. (See under Indra, Para 38).

8) Kāśyapa (काश्यप).—Sons of Kaśyapa like Vibhāṇḍaka. Rājadharman, Viśvāvasu, Indra, Āditya and Vasu, other Devas and other living beings born in Kaśyapa’s dynasty—all these are also called Kāśyapas.

Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English Translation

Kaśyapa (कश्यप) is the name of a Sage (Muni) who once attended a great sacrifice by Dakṣa, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.2.27. Accordingly as Brahmā narrated to Nārada:—“[...] once a great sacrifice was started by Dakṣa, O sage. To partake in that sacrifice, the celestial and terrestrial sages and devas were invited by Śiva and they reached the place being deluded by Śiva’s Māyā. [Kaśyapa, ...] and many others along with their sons and wives arrived at the sacrifice of Dakṣa—my son”.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index

1a) Kaśyapa (कश्यप).—(savituḥ vidvān, Mārīci) son of Marīci and Kalā, and husband of Diti.1 Married twelve (thirteen matsya p.) daughters of Dakṣa, who were brahmavādinīs and loka-mātas. Married also Pulomā and Kālakā on the advice of Brahmā. Their sons were Dānavas distinguished for warlike qualities. 60,000 of these were killed by Arjuna while in Heaven to please Indra.2 Aditi was another wife of Kaśyapa, and was the mother of Vāmana-Hari. On an appeal from her on behalf of gods exiled from Amarāvatī, Kaśyapa taught her the payovrata to please Hari.3 Pleased with the anointing of Vāmana.4 His tejas.5 Pleased with Diti's madanadvādaśivrata but did not relish her request for a son to slay Indra but granted it under certain conditions.6 A sage of the Vaivasvata epoch. His descendants.7 Father of Vivasvat.8 Awarded Madhyadeśā by Paraśurāma.9 Visited with pupils Bhīṣma on his death-bed;10 goes round Dhruva.11 See diti, indra. A Brahmavādin and a Prajāpati. A Devaṛṣi. His sons were Nārada and Parvata, as also Ādityas, Maruts and Rudras.12 An aṃśa of Brahmā.13 When Dakṣa grew angry on account of his daughter Kaśyapa drank kaśya, a kind of wine;14 hence his name; hid yoga in a cave;15 āśrama of;16 a sage by jñāna;17 place in the viśvacakra dāna.18 With the sun during the months saha and sahasya,19 a sage of Cākṣuṣa epoch.20

  • 1) Bhāgavata-purāṇa III. 14. 7; IV. 1. 13; Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa II. 37. 44; III. 2. 31; 3. 55; IV. 1. 20; 2. 33. 47; Matsya-purāṇa 146. 16 & 25; 171. 30; 199. 1, 14, 19; Vāyu-purāṇa 63. 41.
  • 2) Bhāgavata-purāṇa VI. 6. 2, 25, 34-36; Matsya-purāṇa 4. 55; 5. 13; 6. 1-2, 44; Vāyu-purāṇa 65. 115-116, 157-158.
  • 3) Bhāgavata-purāṇa VIII. 13. 6; 16. 2-25; 17. 22-3: X. 3. 42; Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa II. 13. 79.
  • 4) Bhāgavata-purāṇa VIII. 23. 21; Matsya-purāṇa 244. 41; 245. 82.
  • 5) Bhāgavata-purāṇa III. 16. 35-36; 17. 2.
  • 6) Bhāgavata-purāṇa VI. 18. 44-54: III. chap. 14 (whole); Matsya-purāṇa 7. 30-49.
  • 7) Bhāgavata-purāṇa VIII. 8. 31; 13. 5; Matsya-purāṇa 9. 27.
  • 8) Bhāgavata-purāṇa IX. 1. 10; Matsya-purāṇa 11. 2.
  • 9) Bhāgavata-purāṇa IX. 16. 22.
  • 10) Ib. I. 9. 8.
  • 11) Bhāgavata-purāṇa IV. 9. 21; Matsya-purāṇa 127. 24;
  • 12) Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa II. 27. 104; 32. 98, 112; 35. 92-95: 38. 3; III. 1. 53; 4. 34; 8. 1 and 27; Matsya-purāṇa 145. 92; Vāyu-purāṇa 1. 138; 3. 2: 65. 53; 84. 26 and 31.
  • 13) Matsya-purāṇa 47. 9; Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa III. 2. 105; 71. 238; Vāyu-purāṇa 1. 138; 3. 2; 65. 114.
  • 14) Vāyu-purāṇa 65. 115-17.
  • 15) Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa I. 1. 117; Vāyu-purāṇa 83. 83; Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa III. 19. 53.
  • 16) Vāyu-purāṇa 37. 22.
  • 17) Ib. 59. 90.
  • 18) Matsya-purāṇa 285. 6.
  • 19) Ib. 127. 17.
  • 20) Vāyu-purāṇa 62. 66.

1b) A sage and contemporary of Kṛṣṇa. Invited for Yudhiṣṭhira's rājasūya.1 Came to Syamantapañcaka to see Kṛṣṇa;2 one of the sages who left for Piṇḍāraka;3 met by Takṣaka on his way to Parīkṣit.4

  • 1) Bhāgavata-purāṇa X. 74. 9.
  • 2) Ib. X. 84. 4.
  • 3) Ib. XI. 1. 12.
  • 4) Ib. XII. 6. 11.

1c) A Paurāṇika who learnt mūlasaṃhitā from the disciple of Vyāsa.*

  • * Bhāgavata-purāṇa XII. 7. 5 and 7.

1d) The sage presiding over the month of saha;1 with the sun in hemantaka.2

  • 1) Bhāgavata-purāṇa XII. 11. 41.
  • 2) Vāyu-purāṇa 52. 16.

1e) (Ṛṣyaśṛṇga) a sage of the first epoch of Sāvarṇi Manu.*

  • * Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa IV. 1. 11.

1f) A sage of the Svārociṣa epoch.*

  • * Matsya-purāṇa 9. 8.

1g) A sage resorting to Śuklatīrtha.*

  • * Matsya-purāṇa 192. 10.

2a) Kāśyapa (काश्यप).—A saṃhitā-kartā officiated as adhvaryu at Paraśurāma's sacrifice and got the whole earth as fee;1 a mantrakṛt and a Brahmavādin.2

  • 1) Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa II. 35. 63 and 66; III. 8. 86; 47. 47 and 60; IV. 9. 3.
  • 2) Matsya-purāṇa 145. 98 and 106; Vāyu-purāṇa 59. 102.

2b) A sage of Sāvarṇi epoch; a pravara.*

  • * Matsya-purāṇa 9. 32: 199. 16.

2c) A son of Vāli, the avatar of the lord.*

  • * Vāyu-purāṇa 23. 160.

2d) A son of Gokarṇa, the avatār of the 16th dvāpara.*

  • * Vāyu-purāṇa 23. 173.

2e) (Kāśyapa Haviṣmān); a son of Bhautya Manu;1 of Vatsa gotra;2 a pupil of Sūta;3 had three Ādityas as wives, and out of kāma for Devakī took human birth as Kṛṣṇa;4 one of the seven sages; a tapasvī.5

  • 1) Vāyu-purāṇa 100. 107, 116; 106. 34.
  • 2) Ib. 62. 16; 64. 28.
  • 3) Ib. 61. 55.
  • 4) Ib. 96. 230.
  • 5) Ib. 100. 82. 100. 96.

2f) (see Kaśyapa) married thirteen daughters of Dakṣa;1 blessed Ditī with a son capable of vanquishing Indra;2 a householder to perform rites in honour of him;3 resides in the sun's chariot in the month of mārgaśīrṣa.4

  • 1) Viṣṇu-purāṇa I. 15. 77 and 103.
  • 2) Ib. I. 21. 30-2.
  • 3) Ib. III. 1. 32; 11. 43.
  • 4) Ib. II. 10. 13.

2g) A son of Suhotra.*

  • * Viṣṇu-purāṇa IV. 8. 5.

2h) A son of Parvasa.*

  • * Vāyu-purāṇa 28. 13.

2i) (Kāśapas)—the lines of kings commencing with Sannuhotra Kāśa, ruled at Kāśī. Six of them were brahmavādins. Among them were Brāhmaṇas and Kṣatriyas whose sons were righteous, powerful and strong.*

  • * Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa II. 32. 112; III. 67. 79; Vāyu-purāṇa 92. 74.
Source: JatLand: List of Mahabharata people and places

Kaśyapa (कश्यप) refers to the name of a Lady mentioned in the Mahābhārata (cf. I.29, I.59.11, I.65, I.60.12). Note: The Mahābhārata (mentioning Kaśyapa) is a Sanskrit epic poem consisting of 100,000 ślokas (metrical verses) and is over 2000 years old.

Source: Shodhganga: The saurapurana - a critical study

1) Kaśyapa (कश्यप) obtained thirteen daughters from Dakṣa, according to the Vaṃśa (‘genealogical description’) of the 10th century Saurapurāṇa: one of the various Upapurāṇas depicting Śaivism.—Accordingly, Dakṣa is spoken of as busy in creation. Ordered by Brahmā he creates the Sages, gods, demons etc. In order to have maithuni sṛṣṭi Dakṣa gets married to Asikni, the daughter of Prajāpati Viraṇa and begot sixty daughters. [He gave thirteen daughters to Kaśyapa].

Kaśyapa’s thirteen wives are Aditi, Diti, Danu, Ariṣṭā, Surasā, Svadhā, Surabhi, Vinatā, Tamrā, Krodhavasā, Irā and Muni. [...] Then Kaśyapa created the animals, animates and inanimates and again for the growth of progeny he underwent austere penance. By the power of penance two sons namely Vatsara and Asita were born .

2) Kaśyapa (कश्यप) is the name of one of the seven sages (saptarṣi) in the Vaivasvatamanvantara: one of the fourteen Manvantaras.—Accordingly, “The present, the seventh manvantara is Vaivasvata [viz., vaivasvatamanvantara]. In this manvantara, Purandara is the Indra who is the Subduer of the pride of the Asuras; The gods are the Ādityas, the Rudras, the Vasus and the Maruts. The seven seers are Vasiṣṭha, Kaśyapa, Atri, Jamadagni, Gautama, Viśvāmitra and Bharadvāja”.

Purana book cover
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The Purana (पुराण, purāṇas) refers to Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India’s vast cultural history, including historical legends, religious ceremonies, various arts and sciences. The eighteen mahapuranas total over 400,000 shlokas (metrical couplets) and date to at least several centuries BCE.

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Vyakarana (Sanskrit grammar)

Source: Wikisource: A dictionary of Sanskrit grammar

Kaśyapa (कश्यप).—Name of a writer on the Cāndra Vyākaraṇa.

--- OR ---

Kāśyapa (काश्यप).—Name of an ancient grammarian quoted by Pāṇini, possibly an author of some Prātiśākhya work now lost.

Vyakarana book cover
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Vyakarana (व्याकरण, vyākaraṇa) refers to Sanskrit grammar and represents one of the six additional sciences (vedanga) to be studied along with the Vedas. Vyakarana concerns itself with the rules of Sanskrit grammar and linguistic analysis in order to establish the correct context of words and sentences.

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Chandas (prosody, study of Sanskrit metres)

Source: Shodhganga: a concise history of Sanskrit Chanda literature

Kāśyapa (काश्यप) is the name of a pre-Piṅgalan author on the science of Sanskrit metrics (chandaśāstra): Piṅgala also mentions him as the originator of the metre siṃhonnatā.

Chandas book cover
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Chandas (छन्दस्) refers to Sanskrit prosody and represents one of the six Vedangas (auxiliary disciplines belonging to the study of the Vedas). The science of prosody (chandas-shastra) focusses on the study of the poetic meters such as the commonly known twenty-six metres mentioned by Pingalas.

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Natyashastra (theatrics and dramaturgy)

Source: Wisdom Library: Nāṭya-śāstra

Kāśyapa (काश्यप) is the name of a sage who was in the company of Bharata when he recited the Nāṭyaveda them, according to the Nāṭyaśāstra chapter 35. Accordingly, they asked the following questions, “O the best Brahmin (lit. the bull of the twice-born), tell us about the character of the god who appears in the Preliminaries (pūrvaraṅga). Why is the sound [of musical instruments] applied there? What purpose does it serve when applied? What god is pleased with this, and what does he do on being pleased? Why does the Director being himself clean, perform ablution again on the stage? How, O sir, the drama has come (lit. dropped) down to the earth from heaven? Why have your descendants come to be known as Śūdras?”.

Natyashastra book cover
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Natyashastra (नाट्यशास्त्र, nāṭyaśāstra) refers to both the ancient Indian tradition (shastra) of performing arts, (natya—theatrics, drama, dance, music), as well as the name of a Sanskrit work dealing with these subjects. It also teaches the rules for composing Dramatic plays (nataka), construction and performance of Theater, and Poetic works (kavya).

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Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)

Source: Shodhganga: Iconographical representations of Śiva

Kāśyapa (काश्यप) or Kāśyapāgama refers to one of upāgamas (supplementary scriptures) of the Aṃśumāgama which is one of the twenty-eight Siddhāntāgama: a classification of the Śaiva division of Śaivāgamas. The Śaivāgamas represent the wisdom that has come down from lord Śiva, received by Pārvatī and accepted by Viṣṇu. The purpose of revealing upāgamas (e.g., Kāśyapa Āgama) is to explain more elaborately than that of mūlāgamas (e.g., Aṃśumān-āgama) and to include any new idea if not dealt in mūlāgamas.

Shaivism book cover
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Shaiva (शैव, śaiva) or Shaivism (śaivism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshiping Shiva as the supreme being. Closely related to Shaktism, Shaiva literature includes a range of scriptures, including Tantras, while the root of this tradition may be traced back to the ancient Vedas.

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Pancaratra (worship of Nārāyaṇa)

Source: Shodhganga: Iconographical representations of Śiva (pancaratra)

Kāśyapa (काश्यप) or Kāśyapasaṃhitā is the name of a Vaiṣṇava Āgama scripture, classified as a rājasa type of the Muniprokta group of Pāñcarātra Āgamas. The vaiṣṇavāgamas represent one of the three classes of āgamas (traditionally communicated wisdom).—Texts of the Pāñcara Āgamas are divided in to two sects. It is believed that Lord Vāsudeva revealed the first group of texts which are called Divya and the next group is called Muniprokta which are further divided in to three viz. a. Sāttvika. b. Rājasa (e.g., Kāśyapa-saṃhitā). c. Tāmasa.

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Pancaratra (पाञ्चरात्र, pāñcarātra) represents a tradition of Hinduism where Narayana is revered and worshipped. Closeley related to Vaishnavism, the Pancaratra literature includes various Agamas and tantras incorporating many Vaishnava philosophies.

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Ayurveda (science of life)

Toxicology (Study and Treatment of poison)

Source: Shodhganga: Kasyapa Samhita—Text on Visha Chikitsa

Kāśyapa (काश्यप) is the author of the Kāśyapasaṃhitā: a text belongs to the Pāñcarātra group of Vaiṣṇava Āgamas and is listed among the one hundred and eight Āgamas mentioned in the Padmasaṃhitā. The Kāśyapasaṃhitā also named Garuḍapañcākṣarīkalpa (which expounds the Garuḍa mantra), is a unique Āgama in the sense it does not deal with any of the four sections common to Āgamas. [...] Sage Kaśyapa is said to be the author of the Kāśyapasaṃhitā. He is listed in the Bṛhadāranyaka Upaniṣad (6.5.3) as the earliest of the seven ṛṣis.  Tradition has it that Kaśyapa was the son of Brahmā. His name also appears in the Patañjali's Mahābhāṣya on Pāṇini’s Āṣṭādhyāyī (1.2.64). The author of this Kāśyapasaṃhitā displays his encyclopaedic knowledge on a battery of topics like Toxicology, Medicine, Botany, Zoology, Astronomy, Astrology, Yoga, Svarodaya, Pharmacology, Herpetology, Opiliatry, Occultism, Mantra Śāstra, Śakuna Śāstra and General Hygiene.

Ayurveda book cover
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Āyurveda (आयुर्वेद, ayurveda) is a branch of Indian science dealing with medicine, herbalism, taxology, anatomy, surgery, alchemy and related topics. Traditional practice of Āyurveda in ancient India dates back to at least the first millenium BC. Literature is commonly written in Sanskrit using various poetic metres.

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General definition (in Hinduism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Hinduism

1) Kaśyapa (कश्यप) appeared from the semen of Marīci (mind-born from Brahmā) and from the womb of one of the daughters of Dakṣa. From Kaśyapa, by the womb of Aditi, Vivasvān took birth. (Bhāgavata-pūraṇa 9.1.10)

2) The Vāyu-purāṇa derives the origin of the name Kaśyapa from his habit of drinking Kaśya—a kind of spirituous liquor.

Source: Apam Napat: Indian Mythology

Kashyapa is a manasaputra (wish-born-son) of Lord Brahma. However, according to [Rama:1.70.20], he is the grand son of Lord Brahma, being the son of Marichi, a wish-born son of Lord Brahma. Kashyapa had many wives, most of them the daughters of Daksha prajapathi.

His wives (who are daughters of Daksha) are :

  1. Aditi mother of the Devas,
  2. Diti the mother of the Asuras,
  3. Arishta, the mother of the Gandharvas,
  4. Kadru, the mother of the Nagas (snakes),
  5. Vinata the mother of Varuna and Garuda,
  6. Danu the mother of the Danavas (who are generally considered part of the Asuras),
  7. Kalaka the mother of the monster Kalkanja,
  8. Khasa, the mother of the Yakshas,
  9. Krodhavasa the mother of the Pishachas (flesh eating monsters),
  10. Muni the mother of Maumeya,
  11. Puloma the mother of the monster Pauloma,
  12. Somathi the mother of Sumathi (who married Sagara, the sea).
Source: WikiPedia: Hinduism

Kashyapa (कश्यप kaśyapa) was an ancient sage (ṛṣi), who is one of the Saptarishis in the present Manvantara. According to the Vedic knowledge, he is the son of Marichi (one of the ten sons (Manasaputras) of the Creator Brahma).

He was also the author of the treatise Kashyapa Samhita, or Jivakiya Tantra, which is considered a classical reference book on Ayurveda especially in the fields of Ayurvedic pediatrics, gynecology and obstetrics.

Kashyapa was the father of the devas, asuras, nāgas and all of humanity. He married Aditi, with whom he fathered Agni, the Adityas, and most importantly Lord Vishnu took his fifth Avatar as Vamana, the son of Aditi, in the seventh Manvantara. With his second wife, Diti, he begot the Daityas. Diti and Aditi were daughters of King Daksha Prajapati and sisters to Sati, Shiva's consort. Kashapa received the earth, obtained by Parashurama's conquest of King Kartavirya Arjuna and henceforth, earth came to be known as "Kashapai".

It can be safely assumed that there were many Kashyapas and the name indicates a status and not just one individual.

Source: Sri Kamakoti Mandali: Hinduism

Kashyapa is said to have authored three samhitās consisting of sixty-four thousand verses:

  1. satyakāṇḍa,
  2. tarkakāṇḍa,
  3. jnānakāṇḍa.

The Ānanda saṃhitā lists the following works attributed to kaśyapa:

  1. satyakāṇḍa,
  2. karmakāṇḍa,
  3. jnānakāṇḍa.

The Samūrtārcanādhikaraṇa (of Atri) lists the following works attributed to kaśyapa:

  1. santānakāṇḍa,
  2. kāśyapakāṇḍa,
  3. satyakāṇḍa,
  4. tarkakāṇḍa,
  5. jnānakāṇḍa.

In Buddhism

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra

1) Kāśyapa (काश्यप) is the name of a Buddha whose “assistant” (upasthāyaka) was named Sarvamitra, according to the Mahāvadānasūtra, as mentioned in an appendix of the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra chapter XLI. Each Buddha had his assistant (upasthāyaka), a monk specially attached to his person, entrusted with fanning him, carrying his robe and bowl for alms-round, introducing visitors. The Sanskrit Mahāvadānasūtra has drawn up a list of the assistants who served the last seven Buddhas: Aśoka for Vipaśyin, Kṣemakāra for Śikhin, Upaśanta for Viśvabhuj, Bhadrika for Krakasunda (or Krakucchanda), Svastika for Kanakamuni, Sarvamitra for Kāśyapa, and finally Ānanda for Śākyamuni.

2) Kāśyapa (काश्यप) is also mentioned as a disciple of the Buddha, according to the the Vinayamātṛkā of the Haimavatas.—The Vinayamātṛkā of the Haimavatas knows of eight disciples who, “fan in hand, fanned the Buddha”. These were [viz., Kāśyapa].

Mahayana book cover
context information

Mahayana (महायान, mahāyāna) is a major branch of Buddhism focusing on the path of a Bodhisattva (spiritual aspirants/ enlightened beings). Extant literature is vast and primarely composed in the Sanskrit language. There are many sūtras of which some of the earliest are the various Prajñāpāramitā sūtras.

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Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Tibetan Buddhism

1) Kāśyapa (काश्यप) is the name of a Tathāgata (Buddha) mentioned as attending the teachings in the 6th century Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa: one of the largest Kriyā Tantras devoted to Mañjuśrī (the Bodhisattva of wisdom) representing an encyclopedia of knowledge primarily concerned with ritualistic elements in Buddhism. The teachings in this text originate from Mañjuśrī and were taught to and by Buddha Śākyamuni in the presence of a large audience (including Kāśyapa).

2) Kāśyapa (काश्यप) is also the name of a Śrāvaka mentioned as attending the teachings in the 6th century Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa.

Source: archive.org: The Indian Buddhist Iconography

Kaśyapa (कश्यप) refers to one of the seven mortal Buddhas (mānuṣī) whose names appear last in the list of thirty-two Buddhas in Mahāyāna Buddhism.—The last seven Tathāgatas are well-known, and are designated by the Mahāyānist as Mānuṣī or “Mortal Buddhas”. When represented, the last seven Mortal Buddhas appear all alike; they are of one colour and one form, usually sitting cross-legged,with the right hand disposed in the Bhūmisparśa-mudrā (earth-touching attitute), which is the mudrā peculiar to Akṣobhya. [...] In paintings, the Mortal Buddhas [viz., Kaśyapa] have usually a yellow or golden complexion. [...] Sometimes they are represented as standing, in which case the appear under a distinguishing Bodhi Tree and with a distinguishing mudrā.

Kaśyapa is associated with the (Mortal) Buddhaśakti named Mahīdharā, and together they bring into existence the (Mortal) Bodhisattva named Dharmadhara.

Tibetan Buddhism book cover
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Tibetan Buddhism includes schools such as Nyingma, Kadampa, Kagyu and Gelug. Their primary canon of literature is divided in two broad categories: The Kangyur, which consists of Buddha’s words, and the Tengyur, which includes commentaries from various sources. Esotericism and tantra techniques (vajrayāna) are collected indepently.

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General definition (in Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Dharma-samgraha

Kāśyapa (काश्यप) refers to the sixth of the “seven Buddhas” (saptatathāgata) as defined in the Dharma-saṃgraha (section 6). The Dharma-samgraha (Dharmasangraha) is an extensive glossary of Buddhist technical terms in Sanskrit (e.g., saptatathāgata and Kāśyapa). The work is attributed to Nagarguna who lived around the 2nd century A.D.

Source: China Buddhism Encyclopedia: Buddhism

(1) Kāśyapa (काश्यप), (Pali: Kassapa). Sanskrit proper name of one of the seven buddhas of antiquity (Saptatathāgata) who preceded the current buddha Śākyamuni and, by some accounts, the buddha who predicted Śākyamuni’s own eventual enlightenment. He is also sometimes mentioned in a list of three past buddhas, along with Krakucchanda and Kanakamuni.

(2) Kāśyapa is also the name of one of the Buddha’s ten main disciples, who is usually known to the tradition as “Kāśyapa the Great”; see Mahākāśyapa.

(3) Kashyapa is a manasaputra (wish-born-son) of Lord Brahma. However, according to [Rama:1.70.20], he is the grand son of Lord Brahma, being the son of Marichi, a wish-born son of Lord Brahma. Kashyapa had many wives, most of them the daughters of Daksha prajapathi.

(4) A bodhisattva who appears in the Mahaparinirvana Sutra to whom Shakyamuni Buddha addresses the "Bodhisattva Kashyapa" chapter of that sutra and who, in the sutra, asks Shakyamuni thirty-six questions.

(5) Kaśyapa (कश्‍यप): An ancient sage, father of the Devas, Asuras, Nagas and all of humanity. He is married to Aditi, with whom he is the father of Agni and the Savitrs. His second wife, Diti, begot the Daityas. Diti and Aditi were daughters of King Daksha and sisters to Sati, Shiva's consort. One of Dashratha's counsellors also.

Source: academia.edu: The Chronological History of Buddhism

Kashyapa II (1350-1270 BCE) (Mahakashyapa, the disciple of Buddha was Kashyapa I) lived 500 years after Buddha nirvana. He was born in Gandhara. It appears that he was the founder of Kashyapiya school of Buddhism. He went to Mathura and lived there. Arya Mahaloma and Arya Nandin were his disciples.

Languages of India and abroad

Marathi-English dictionary

Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionary

kāśyapa (काश्यप).—m A tribe of Brahmans or an individual of it.

context information

Marathi is an Indo-European language having over 70 million native speakers people in (predominantly) Maharashtra India. Marathi, like many other Indo-Aryan languages, evolved from early forms of Prakrit, which itself is a subset of Sanskrit, one of the most ancient languages of the world.

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Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Kaśyapa (कश्यप).—a. Having black teeth.

-paḥ 1 A tortoise.

2) A sort of fish.

3) A kind of deer.

4) Name of a Ṛiṣi, the husband of Aditi and Diti, and thus the father both of gods and demons, (so called because he drank kaśya 'liquor'; cf. kaśyapastasya putro'bhūta kaśyapānāt sa kaśyapaḥ | Mārk. P.) [He was the son of Marīchi, the son of Brahmā. He bears a very important share in the work of creation. According to Māhabhārata and other accounts, he married Aditi and 12 other daughters of Dakṣa, and begot on Aditi the twelve Ādityas. By his other twelve wives he had a numerous and very diversified progeny : serpents, reptiles, birds, demons, nymphs of the lunar constellation. He was thus the father of gods, demons, men, beasts, birds and reptiles-in fact of all living beings. He is therefore often called Prajāpati].

Derivable forms: kaśyapaḥ (कश्यपः).

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Kāśyapa (काश्यप).—

1) Name of a celebrated sage.

2) Name of Kaṇāda.

3) An epithet of Aruṇa.

-pī The earth; Mahābhārata (Bombay) 13.62.62. तानपि दधासि मातः काश्यपि यातस्तवापि च विवेकः (tānapi dadhāsi mātaḥ kāśyapi yātastavāpi ca vivekaḥ) Bv.1.68.

-pam Flesh.

Derivable forms: kāśyapaḥ (काश्यपः).

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Kāśyapa (काश्यप).—flesh.

Derivable forms: kāśyapam (काश्यपम्).

Kāśyapa is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms kāśya and pa (प).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Dictionary

Kāśyapa (काश्यप).—(= Pali Kassapa; Tibetan ḥod sruṅs, light- guard, e.g. on Mahāvyutpatti 93), (1) name of a former Buddha, the one immediately preceding Śākyamuni: often mentioned as having predicted the latter, and especially as one of a group of three, the others being Krakucchanda and Kanaka- muni, or equivalents; see the former for list of such re- ferences; also alone (it being not always certain that this particular Buddha is meant, compare Mahāvastu i.58.8, reference(s) to 90,000 Buddhas of this name), Mahāvastu i.307.4 ff.; 312.2; 318.7 ff.; [Page182-a+ 71] iii.249.8; Divyāvadāna 22.4 ff.; 54.12, 25; 76.26 ff.; 192.25 ff.; 233.21 ff.; 336.21; 337.17; 344.4 ff.; 347.1 ff.; 465.25 ff.; 504.26; Avadāna-śataka i.237.11; 247.15, et alibi; Karmavibhaṅga (and Karmavibhaṅgopadeśa) 159.7; Lalitavistara 172.9; 260.10; (Ārya-)Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa 104.17 ff.; (2) name of one of Buddha's leading disciples, also called Mahā-k° (= Pali Kassapa or Mahā-k°), q.v.; there is no doubt that the same person is, as a rule at least, meant by the two forms, notably Kā° in Mahāvyutpatti 1031; Mahāvastu iii.48.2; Saddharmapuṇḍarīka 116.4; 121.3 ff.; 144.2 ff.; 206.8 ff.; Divyāvadāna 83.10 ff.; 396.1; K. is given the title dhutaguṇāgrapāraga Mahāvastu i.64.14 (ff.), where he is involved as an interlocutor at the First Council, perhaps its pre- siding officer (as in Pali, Malalasekara (Dictionary of Pali Proper Names)); he then and there causes Kātyāyana to discourse on the 10 bhūmi; similarly Divyāvadāna 61.28 calls him dhūtaguṇa-vādinām agro, and compare Pali Aṅguttaranikāya (Pali) i.23.19 where Mahākassapa is dhutavādānaṃ (v.l. dhū- taṅgadharānaṃ) agga; mentioned in Candropama Sūtra, Hoernle [Manuscript Remains of Buddhist literature found in Eastern Turkestan] 40 ff., = Pali SN ii.197 ff. where (Mahā) Kassapa corresponds; among mahāśrāvakas, Divyāvadāna 182.22; 268.6; in Divyāvadāna 573.8 it appears, strangely, that ārya- kāśyapasya is an epithet of (the next word) Kātyāyanasya (pañcaśataparivārasya; in the story which follows only Mahākātyāyana appears!); it is not clear whether the same person is meant by āyuṣmān daśabalaḥ Kāśyapaḥ Divyāvadāna 275.5, and 7 daśabala-Kāś°;* no monk of this title is re- corded in Pali; in Vimānavatthu (Pali) commentary 148.24 Kassapassa dasaba- lassa kāle refers to the Buddha Kāś°, tho I find no evidence to support [Pali Text Society’s Pali-English Dictionary] and Malalasekara (Dictionary of Pali Proper Names) in stating that dasabala was ‘especially’ an epithet of his, ‘to distinguish him from other Kassapas’ as Malalasekara (Dictionary of Pali Proper Names) says; dasabala ([Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit] daśa°) of course usually refers to a Buddha, and in Pali generally to the B. Gotama; there are at least four other disciples of his having this name, see Uruvilvā-k°, Kumāra-k°, Gayā-k°, Nadī-k°; (3) name of an ascetic (ṛṣi) who once lived in the Himālaya: Mahāvastu ii.106.16, a previous birth of Mahākāśyapa, q.v., 114.12; (4) name of another (?) ascetic (ṛṣi) who lived in the hermitage sāhaṃjanī (q.v.; this is not mentioned in connection with the prec. Kā°, and the stories told of them are different): Mahāvastu iii.143.13 ff. (in story of Ekaśṛṅga and Nalinī; = Pali Kassapa 9 in Malalasekara (Dictionary of Pali Proper Names)); probably the same (at least also living in Sāhaṃjanī) Mahāvastu iii.362.14; 363.19. See also Pūraṇa Kāśyapa; Jaṅghā-k°; Vṛddha-k°.—*Correction in proof: MPS 49.16 names four mahāsthavirāḥ in the world (pṛthivyāṃ) at the time of Buddha's death; two of them were Daśabala-Kāśyapa (one word) and Mahā-Kāśyapa. This settles the above question; D.K. is a separate person.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Kaśyapa (कश्यप).—m.

(-paḥ) 1. The name of a Muni or deified sage, the son of Marichi, and father of the gods, demons, animals, fishes, reptiles, &c. by the seventeen daughters of Daksha. 2. A kind of deer. 3. A sort of fish.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Kaśyapa (कश्यप).—m. The name of a Muni, or sage, [Mānavadharmaśāstra] 9, 129.

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Kāśyapa (काश्यप).—i. e. kaśyapa + a, f. . I. adj. Belonging to Kaśyapa, Mahābhārata 13, 7237. Ii. patron. m. A descendant of Kaśyapa, [Rāmāyaṇa] 1, 9, 28.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Kaśyapa (कश्यप).—[adjective] black toothed. [masculine] tortoise; a class of divine beings; [Name] of [several] Ṛṣis.

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Kāśyapa (काश्यप).—[feminine] ī patron. to Kaśyapa; [Name] of [several] persons.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Aufrecht Catalogus Catalogorum

1) Kaśyapa (कश्यप) as mentioned in Aufrecht’s Catalogus Catalogorum:—astronomer. Quoted by Nṛsiṃha. Cambr. 43.

2) Kāśyapa (काश्यप):—Quoted in Brahmasūtra Oxf. 228^b, by Pāṇini 8, 4, 67.
—grammarian. Quoted in Mādhavīyadhātuvṛtti (mentions the Sammatā).
—on architecture. Used by Rāmrāj.
—author of Mūlaśānti. Kāśīn. 26.

3) Kāśyapa (काश्यप):—Kāmyapaśusūtra. Oppert. Ii, 7178. See Kāśyapasūtra.

4) Kāśyapa (काश्यप):—read in Śāṇḍilyasūtra. He is also quoted in Vājasaneyiprātiśākhya 4, 4.

5) Kāśyapa (काश्यप):—Quoted in Baudhāyanadharmasūtra 1, 21, 2.
—On metres. Quoted by Piṅgala. Indische Studien 8, 387.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary

1) Kaśyapa (कश्यप):—mfn. ([from] kaśya + 2. pa) having black teeth [commentator or commentary] on [Kātyāyana-śrauta-sūtra x, 2, 35]

2) m. a tortoise (kacchapa), [Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā xxiv, 37; Aitareya-brāhmaṇa; Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa]

3) a sort of fish, [Horace H. Wilson]

4) a kind of deer (cf. kāśyapa), [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

5) a class of divine beings associated with Prajāpati, [Atharva-veda; Taittirīya-saṃhitā; Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā]

6) m. [plural] a class of semidivine genii connected with or regulating the course of the sun, [Atharva-veda xiii, 1, 23; Taittirīya-āraṇyaka i, 8; Pāraskara-gṛhya-sūtra ii, 9, 13]

7) m. Name of a mythical Ṛṣi, [Aitareya-brāhmaṇa; Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa]

8) of an ancient sage, [Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā; Atharva-veda] etc., (a descendant of Marīci and author of several hymns of the Ṛg-veda, [Ṛg-veda; Atharva-veda; Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa]; he was husband of Aditi and twelve other daughters of Dakṣa, [Mahābhārata i, 2598; Manu-smṛti ix, 129]; by Aditi he was father of the Ādityas cf. kāśyapeya [Taittirīya-saṃhitā; Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa]; and of Vivasvat, [Rāmāyaṇa]; and of Viṣṇu in his vāmana avatāra, [Rāmāyaṇa; Bhāgavata-purāṇa; Viṣṇu-purāṇa]; by his other twelve wives he was father of demons, nāgas, reptiles, birds, and all kinds of living things; from the prominent part ascribed to him in creation he is sometimes called Prajā-pati; he is one of the seven great Ṛṣis and priest of Paraśu-rāma and Rāma-candra; he is supposed by some to be a personification of races inhabiting the Caucasus, the Caspian, Kaśmīr, etc.)

9) a patronymic from Kaśyapa, [Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa]

10) the author of a Dharmaśāstra called Kaśyahôllara-saṃhitā; the constellation Cancer (cf. [Persian] kashaf), [Viṣṇu-purāṇa]

11) m. [plural] the descendants of Kaśyapa, [Aitareya-brāhmaṇa; Āśvalāyana-śrauta-sūtra]

12) Kaśyapā (कश्यपा):—[from kaśyapa] f. a female Ṛṣi (authoress of a verse in the White Yajur-veda).

13) Kāśyapa (काश्यप):—mf(ī)n. belonging to Kaśyapa, relating to or connected with him (e.g. kāśyapī devī, the earth, [Harivaṃśa 10645]; See kāśyapī below), [Mahābhārata] etc.

14) ([gana] bidādi) a [patronymic] [from] Kaśyapa (designating an old grammarian [Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā-prātiśākhya; Pāṇini 8-4, 67] and many other persons, including some, whose family-name was unknown [Comm. on [Kātyāyana-śrauta-sūtra]]; many subdivisions of Kāśyapa families are known e.g. urubilvā-k, gayā-k, daśabala-k, nadī-k, mahā-k hasti-k)

15) Name of Aruṇa (the sun), [Viṣṇu-purāṇa iii, 12, 41]

16) of Viṣṇu, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

17) a sort of deer, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

18) a fish, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

19) Name of a Buddha, [Inscriptions]

20) n. Name of different Sāmans, [Ārṣeya-brāhmaṇa]

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary

1) Kaśyapa (कश्यप):—(paḥ) 1. m. The name of a sage; a kind of deer or fish.

2) Kāśyapa (काश्यप):—(paḥ) 1. m. The sage Kashyapa; a deer; Arjuna. n. Flesh.

Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)

Kaśyapa (कश्यप) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Kāsava.

[Sanskrit to German]

Kashyapa in German

context information

Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.

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Kannada-English dictionary

Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Kaśyapa (ಕಶ್ಯಪ):—

1) [noun] any of a large and widely distributed order (Testudines) of terrestrial or aquatic reptiles having a toothless beak and a soft body encased in a tough shell into which the head, tail, and four legs may be withdrawn; a turtle; a tortoise.

2) [noun] a sort of fish.

3) [noun] a kind of deer.

4) [noun] name of a celebrated sage, who is the father of gods and demons.

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Kaśyapanaṃdana (ಕಶ್ಯಪನಂದನ):—[noun] (myth.) an eithet of a) Garuḍa, the bird-vehicle of Viṣṇu; b) Aruṇa, the chariot of the Sun-God.

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Kāśyapa (ಕಾಶ್ಯಪ):—[adjective] belonging to the sage Kaśyapa, his school or lineage.

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Kāśyapa (ಕಾಶ್ಯಪ):—

1) [noun] any sage belonging to the lineage of a Vedic sage Kaśyapa.

2) [noun] Kaṇāda, the founder of Vaiśeṣika school of philosophy.

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Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.

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