Kapila (son of Vitatha)

Kapila, “tawny”

Kapilā has other meanings too: see all meanings of Kapilā.

Kapila was one of the five sons of Vitatha, the son of King Bharata, in the line of Pūru. He is not Bhagavān Kapila, the teacher of Sāṅkhya, nor Kapila, son of Jyotishmān.

His family

Sūta tells the munis that Bharata, the son of Dushyanta and Śakuntalā, was a cakravartin after whom Bhārata-varsha is named. Bharadvāja, son of Bṛhaspati, had Bharata perform many yāgas for a son, but they proved vitatha (fruitless). Then, through Bharadvāja, a son was born to Bharata and was named Vitatha. As soon as Vitatha was born, Bharata went to svarga, and Bharadvāja crowned Vitatha and went to the forest.

Vitatha had five sons: Suhotra, Suhota, Gaya, Garga and Kapila. From Suhotra came the kings of Kāśī.

Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Chapter 13

Sources

• Brahma Purāṇa, Chapter 13