Devi Bhagavata – Devi:4.3.3-4.7.23

Kashyapa – Father of the Devas and Asuras and His Divine Cow

The sage Kashyapa, known as the grandson or wish-born son of Lord Brahma, plays a significant role in this myth. Kashyapa sought to perform a great Yagna (sacrifice) and borrowed a divine cow from Varuna, the god of water, to assist in the ceremony. After the Yagna was completed, however, Kashyapa refused to return the cow despite Varuna’s repeated requests.

Connection to Other Entities:

• Varuna, growing angry, approached Brahma to seek justice. However, Brahma claimed he could not control Kashyapa.
• Varuna then cursed Kashyapa, condemning him to be born in the cowherd caste among humans. His wives, Diti and Surasa, were also cursed to share his fate. This connects to the broader Yadava lineage (cowherds) in Indian mythology, which is detailed in narratives linked to the Devi Bhagavata Purana, especially where ancestral curses and divine incarnations shape dynastic destinies.

Entity	Role/Action	Consequence
Kashyapa	Borrows and refuses to return Varuna’s divine cow	Cursed to be born as Vasudeva – The Father of Krishna in the Yadava clan
Varuna	God of water, whose cow was taken	Issues a curse against Kashyapa and his wives
Brahma	Creator deity, unable to intervene	Affirms the curse
Diti & Surasa	Present during the Yagna	Born as Kashyapa’s wives in the Yadava clan (as Devaki, etc.)

Incarnation as Vasudeva and Devaki

According to the curse, Kashyapa was reincarnated as Vasudeva, a member of the Yadava clan, and married Devaki, the sister of the tyrant Kamsa. Devaki was the incarnation of Aditi, who bore the sorrow of seeing her children killed, thus fulfilling the curse given to her by Diti, her co-wife in a previous life. This introduces a key connection to the Mahabharata – The Great Epic and Bhagavata Purana narratives, where Vasudeva and Devaki play significant roles as the parents of Lord Krishna, an incarnation of Vishnu.

Connection to the Story of Indra and Aditi:

• Aditi, as the mother of the Devas, had been previously cursed by Diti, after Indra split Diti’s fetus into seven pieces. This curse led to the death of seven of Aditi’s sons, aligning with the birth and deaths of Devaki’s first seven children at the hands of Kamsa.

Entity	Role/Action	Consequence
Aditi	Reincarnated as Devaki	Suffered the curse of seeing her children die
Indra	Son of Aditi, who played a role in Diti’s curse	Indirectly causes the curse to manifest in Devaki’s life
Kamsa	Tyrant who killed Devaki’s children	Fulfilled the curse by killing Devaki’s seven sons

Nara and Narayana – The Lord Himself’s Penance and Conflict with Indra

Meanwhile, another facet of the narrative concerns Nara and Narayana, the twin sage incarnations of Vishnu. They were born to Kashyapa and his wife Moorthy. Both sages, from a young age, displayed immense dedication to Tapas (penance) on the banks of the Ganga, where they meditated upon the supreme Brahman.

Connection to Indra’s Fear of Losing Power:

• The intensity of their penance alarmed Indra, the king of the gods, who feared losing his throne due to the spiritual power of Nara and Narayana. This fear echoes similar celestial anxieties in other mythological tales, such as the slaying of Vritra by Indra, which showcases Indra’s struggle to preserve his dominance against emerging threats.

Entity	Role/Action	Consequence
Nara-Narayana	Perform severe austerities on the banks of Ganga	Threaten the power of Indra, who tries to disrupt their penance
Indra	King of gods, fearful of losing his throne	Fails to disrupt their penance through illusions and seduction

Indra’s Failed Attempts to Distract Nara and Narayana

Indra’s attempts to thwart their penance involve calling upon Kama (the god of love) and the Apsaras (celestial nymphs) to seduce the ascetic brothers. However, Nara and Narayana remain unaffected by their beauty and charm, much like other stories where ascetics resist divine temptations. This theme reflects the supreme power of Tapas, which, when properly channeled, cannot be overcome by material temptations.

Connection to the Creation of Urvashi:

• In response to the Apsaras’ attempts, Narayana creates Urvashi, a nymph more beautiful than any of the celestial dancers. Urvashi, a figure who appears in many stories within Indian mythology, was gifted to Indra by Narayana. This highlights Narayana’s power over creation, which transcends even the beauty of the heavens.

Entity	Role/Action	Consequence
Kama	God of love, attempts to disrupt Nara and Narayana	Fails to distract the sages with arrows of love
Apsaras	Celestial nymphs sent to seduce the sages	Creation of Urvashi, surpassing their beauty
Urvashi	Nymph created from Narayana’s thigh	Becomes the most beautiful celestial, gifted to Indra

Reincarnation as Krishna and Arjuna

Nara and Narayana, as foretold, reincarnate in the Mahabharata era as Arjuna and Krishna, respectively. Krishna’s vow of celibacy in this incarnation, despite his many consorts, and Arjuna’s role as a key warrior in the Kurukshetra War, fulfill the earlier prophecy of their union in divine purpose. The nymphs, who had asked to become their wives, were reincarnated to be Krishna’s consorts and companions.

Entity	Role/Action	Consequence
Krishna	Reincarnation of Narayana	Fulfills the prophecy of the nymphs becoming his consorts
Arjuna	Reincarnation of Nara	Plays the role of the great warrior in the Mahabharata
Apsaras	Reincarnated as consorts of Krishna	Fulfill their wish to be united with Nara-Narayana

Conclusion

This story beautifully connects several key themes and characters from Hindu mythology. It links the Mahabharata and Bhagavata Purana through the figures of Vasudeva, Devaki, Krishna, and Arjuna, while also illustrating recurring motifs such as penance vs. celestial power, the consequences of curses, and the ultimate triumph of spiritual discipline over temptation. These motifs are intricately explored in expanded interpretations within the Devi Bhagavata Purana and related analytical commentaries.

Sources & further reading

These themes are explored in greater depth across the following authoritative resources:

• Internet Sacred Text Archive, Rig Veda (Griffith translation)
• Internet Sacred Text Archive, Upanishads
• Britannica, Veda
• Britannica, Upanishad
• Patrick Olivelle, The Early Upanishads (Oxford University Press, 1998)

External resources for further reading. Apam Napat is not affiliated with these publishers; citation does not imply endorsement.