Kaśyap

Role: saint · First appears: Book I, Canto 9 · Rishyasring

In Book I, Canto 11, Kaśyap was among the holy guides summoned by Daśaratha to counsel him about the sacrifice. In Canto 46, he promised Diti a son who would kill Indra if she remained pure for a thousand years. The account also names him as the father of Vibháṇdak, Jáváli, Aditi and Diti, and says Márícha was his father.

In Book I, Canto 76, Ráma With The Axe said that he had given the whole broad land to Kaśyap. Book III, Canto 14, recounts Kaśyap’s marriage to eight daughters of Daksha: Aditi, Diti, Kálaká, Támrá, Danú, Analá, Krodhavasá and Manu. He foretold that Aditi, Diti, Danú and Kálaká would bear sons to rule the three worlds; Manu gave life to the human races.