18 - Description of the race of Kashyapa

Puranas generally trace the parentage of all sentient beings to Kashyapa and the variety such as gods, demons, and other movable and immovable (sthanujangamah) beings (V. 16) are due to the different wives of the sage (cf. AP. 19-1-29, Bh.P. VI. 6.25ff, Mt. P. 6.1-47). Was it an attempt to emphasize a sort of universal brotherhood?

Suta said:

1. Bali had a hundred sons of great strength and exploits. The chief among them was one of great strength and brilliance named Bana.

2. That king was a great devotee of Shankara. He ruled over the kingdom. After subjugating the three worlds, he harassed Indra.

3. Then Indra and other Devas went to Kruttivasa (Elephant-hide-robed god Shiva) and said to him, “The great Asura named Bana who is your protege, is harassing us.”

4. Thus addressed by Devas, Lord Maheshvara, Lord of Devas, burned Bana’s city sportively with a single arrow.

5. When the city was being burned, Bana sought refuge in the Trident-bearing Lord Rudra, the Lord of the Bull, Ishana, Nilla-lohita (of blue-red complexion).

6. Bearing that Linga of Shambhu over his head, he came out of the city and devoid of passion (v.l. fear) eulogised the Supreme Ruler.

7. Lord Isha, Shankara, Nilalohita, on being eulogised, (and propitiated) lovingly engaged Bana in the chieftancy of the Ganas.1

1. It appears that with the exception of Prahlada, the Asuras were pro-Shiva & some of their chiefs were absorbed as chief attendants of Shiva.

8. Similarly, the terrible sons of Danu were Tara and others. Out of them Tara, Shambara, Kapila, Shankara (?) (a better v.l. Sanchara), Svarbhanu, and Vrushaparvan have been glorified as the prominent ones.

9. O Brahmanas, Surasa gave birth to a thousand serpents as well as to thousands of noble-souled, multi-headed, heaven-wanderers.

10. Arishta gave birth to a thousand Gandharvas. Ananta and other great serpents are glorified as the sons of Kadru.

11. O leading Brahmanas, Tamrua gave birth to six daughters Shuki, Shyeni, Bhasi, Sugriva, Granthika (v.l. Grudhrika) and Shuchi.

12. Surabhi gave birth to the cows and buffaloes. Ira gave birth to trees, creepers, vines and grasses of all kinds.

13. Similarly, Muni gave birth to Yakshas, Rakshasas, and Apsaras. O excellent saints, it was out of anger that she gave birth to the groups of Rakshasas.

14. The two famous sons of Vinata were Garuda and Aruna. Out of them, intelligent Garuda performed a very difficult penance. Thanks to the favour of the Trident-bearing deity, he attained the status of the vehicle of Hari.

15. Aruna propitiated Lord Mahadeva by means of penance. He was engaged in the charioteer-hood of the Sun-god by Shambhu who was pleased with him.

16. These mobile and immobile beings are the descendants of Kashyapa born in the Vaivasvata Manvantara which have been described to you. It destroys the sins of those who hear.

17. O man of holy vows, the twenty-seven daughters of Daksha are said to be the wives of the Moon. There were many (v.l. sixteen) children born to the wives of Arishtanemi.

18-19. The four lightnings were born of the scholar Bahuputra (of many sons). The excellent sages Angirasas were honoured due to their piety. Lord Praharana was the son of celestial sage Krushashva. All, these are born again at the end of a thousand Yugas during (different) Manvantaras with similar achievements and with their own designations.1

1. This is a Puranic paraphrase of dhata yathapurvam akalpayat. The idea that the same persons are born again with the same name and repeat the same pattern of life—nay all the acts—has been popular in the Puranic age and is still lingering in Indian masses. Some adjustment is supposed to have been made in the case of individuals who attain Moksha and who are never born again.