Story of Lord Kapil Muni : The Fifth Incarnation of Lord Vishnu

The operator of the World, Lord Vishnu is committed to protect the World. From time to time, Lord Vishnu has protected religion on the Earth by incarnating many times and giving proper direction for the establishment of religion.

Lord Vishnu

In Satyuga, Lord Vishnu had incarnated as Lord Kapil and removed the doubts of his mother and delivered the great Samkhya Gyan (The knowledge of philosophy) to the World. The twenty-fourth chapter of the third wing of the holy book Shrimadh Bhagwat describes the divine story of Lord Kapil, the fifth incarnation of Lord Vishnu.

The Story Of The Birth Of Lord Kapil

The Supreme Father Lord Brahma had created the Universe and to run the work of his creation he produced many Sons from his mind but all of them went on the path of penance through the teachings of Sage Narad and attained salvation. Then Lord Brahma produced Sage Kardam from his mind and ordered him to increase his descent on the Earth.

Lord Brahma

Penance Of Lord Vishnu By Sage Kardam

Sage Kardam came on the Earth with many questions arising in his mind and started thinking about how he will get married and who will give him his daughter? Thinking this, he decided to do the penance of Lord Vishnu on the bank of the river Saraswati.

Sage Kardam

He performed the harsh penance of Lord Vishnu for ten thousand years. Pleased with his penance, Lord Vishnu gave him visions of his divine quadrilateral form and said, O Brahmin, knowing your mind, I have already arranged it, after two days from today, Swayambhuv Manu will come to your ashram with his wife Shatrupa and propose the marriage of his daughter Devahuti to you. You accept this invitation.

First, nine divine daughters will be born from the womb of your wife Devahuti, which will be helpful in the expansion of the creation and after that, I will manifest myself from the womb of your wife and reveal Samkhya Gyan in the World.

Wedding Of Sage Kardam And Goddess Devahuti

After two days, Swayambhuv Manu along with his wife and daughter visited the ashram. He proposed the marriage of his daughter Devahuti to Sage Kardam, which he gladly accepted. The marriage of the Sage Kardam and the Goddess Devahuti took place with great pomp.

Marriage of Sage Kardam and Devi Devahuti

Goddess Devahuti was a husband-like woman, she served Sage Kardam for many years with full devotion and did not express any desire for herself. Sage Kardam was extremely pleased with the conduct of Goddess Devahuti.

Sage Kardam and Devi Devahuti

Creation Of The Divine Plane By Sage Kardam

Sage Kardam knew already the feelings of Goddess Devahuti. He created a divine plane for her by the power of his penance.

A divine plane

Thereafter, he asked Goddess Devahuti to bathe in Bindu lake. When Goddess Devahuti went to the Bindu Lake for a bath, many beautiful ladies appeared there in her service and they bathed her with clean and fragrant water and provided divine clothes to her. Those beauties adorned the Goddess Devahuti beautifully from fingernail to crest and brought her out of the lake.

Beauties adorning Devi Devahuti

Sage Kardam fascinated after watching the divine looks of Devi Devahuti. He requested her to sit on the plane. Sage Kardam and Devi Devahuti travelled in many folks and places in that divine plane for many years.

Birth Of Nine Divine Daughters

At that time he fulfilled every wish of Goddess Devahuti. While travelling around the Universe on that plane, Goddess Devahuti delivered nine daughters together. After that, the couple returned to the ashram.

In the ashram, Sage Kardam told to Devahuti, now the purpose of having a child is fulfilled, so he wants to go for long-term penance. Goddess Devahuti pleaded and said, once these daughters get married, you can go for penance. Knowing the will of God, Sage Kardam accepted his prayer.

Sage Kardam started following the Ghrastha Dharma in the ashram. In due course, Goddess Devahuti became pregnant again. The whole Universe delighted when the Lord of the World came into the womb. Auspicious omen began to appear in the Universe. Lord Brahma along with Sage Narad and others Sages appeared in the ashram to bless them.

Lord Brahma and other Sages blessing Sage Kardam and Devi Devahuti

Lord Brahma suggested the names of his nine Sons to Sage Kardam for the wedding of his daughters. Sage Kardam was very pleased with his suggestion and he praised Lord Brahma in many ways. Lord Brahma went to Brahmlok after giving many blessings to both of them.

Wedding Of Nine Daughter Of Sage Kardam

As per Lord Brahma command Sage Kardam married his daughter, Goddess Kalah to Sage Marich, Goddess Anusuya married to Sage Atri, Goddess Shraddha married to Sage Angira, Goddess Havirbhu married to Sage Pulastya, Goddess Gati to Sage Pulah, Goddess Kriya to Sage Kritu, Goddess Khyati to Sage Bhrigu, Goddess Arundhati to Sage Vasistha, and Goddess Shanti got married to Sage Atharva. Sage Kardam and Goddess Devahuti bid farewell to their daughters with many blessings.

Birth Of Lord Kapil

In due course, Goddess Devahuti gave birth to Lord Kapil, the incarnation of Lord Vishnu, the Lord of the World. The whole creation rejoiced with the birth of God. Deities showered flowers from the sky. All the Deities came for the vision of God.

After their departure, in solitude, Sage Kardam worshipped the Lord and praised him in many ways. Sage Kardam took renunciation by revolving around Lord Kapil and went for the austerity in the forest.

Knowledge of Samkhya Gyan

Child Kapil was brought up at the Ashram. He was absorbed in penance since childhood. Gradually time passed, when Lord Kapil was in his teens, his mother Devi Devahuti said, My husband told me that you are an incarnation of Lord Vishnu and you are born for the welfare of the World. O Son Kapil, my mind is bored with worldly illusions and I want to go on the path of salvation, so please guide me?

Lord Kapil said, O mother, I was born to guide those who want to go on the path of enlightenment. O, mother, human birth is extremely rare and its main purpose is to attain God. Therefore, one should meditate on the Lord by keeping his mind restrained.

Lord Kapil describing Samkhya Gyan to his mother Devahuti

Mother, this mind is the factor of salvation and bondage of the living being. When the mind is controlled by the senses it remains bound and when it becomes absorbed in the Supreme Soul it attains salvation. Mother, Lord Vishnu is the originator, guardian and destroyer of the World, therefore a person should meditate on him only.

Lord Kapil gave his mother many teachings to attain the Supreme Soul through Ashtanga Yoga. He described the form of Lord Vishnu and also clarified the relationship between nature and living being to his mother.

Goddess Devahuti asked Lord Kapil many questions about the soul, the divine and the World. Lord Kapil answered all those questions logically and pacified her curiosity. The logical sermons given by Lord Kapil to his mother Devahuti is called Samkhya Yoga Darshan.

The divine teachings of Lord Kapil removed the illusions occurring in the mind of the Goddess Devahuti, she realized the mortalness of the World. By giving divine knowledge to Goddess Devahuti and bowing to her, Lord Kapil went further in the east direction for the welfare of the people.

In the ashram, by practising Ashtanga Yoga on the banks of river Sarasvati, Devi Devahuti went into a state of trance and then meditating on Lord Vishnu, she gave up her body and attained salvation.

After leaving Bindu Sarovar, Lord Kapil continued to propagate the Samkhya knowledge in Aryavrat. He visited many places in Aryavrat and performed penance in many places. He preached religion in society for many years.

Lord Kapil, preaching religion in the society

Thereafter, he moved to the eastern part of Aryavrata and built his ashram near Sea. He stayed in that ashram for many years.

Consuming king Sagars Sons

Once King Sagar performed the Ashwamedha Yagna and the horse of his yagna was stolen by Lord Indra and left in the ashram of Sage Kapil. On finding the horse, 60, 000 Sons of King Sagar reached Sage's ashram. They assumed that Sage Kapil has stolen the yagna horse and kept it in his ashram. When they reached his ashram, Sage Kapil was absorbed in penance.

They extremely scorned Sage Kapil and dissolved his austerity. Enraged by this, Sage Kapil consumed sixty thousand Sons of King Sagar with his anger.

Lord Kapil,consuming king Sagars Son

When another Son of King Sagar, Asmanjas reached into the ashram of Sage Kapil looking for his brothers, he became very worried to see them consumed. Asmanjas asked for the remedy for their liberation. Lord Kapil said, 60,000 Sons of King Sagar have been devoured by my anger and have received the life of the spirit, so if Goddess Ganga arrives on the Earth from Brahmaloka, then only they can be freed.

Divine Pilgrimage Ganga Sagar

The untiring efforts of King Sagar, his Son Asmanjas, his Son Dilip, and especially his Son Bhagiratha, brought Goddess Ganga to the Earth and the Sons of King Sagar were freed from the life of spirit with its divine touch. Sage Kapil delighted to see Goddess Ganga, he praised King Bhagirath and gave him many blessings.

King Bhagirath, getting blessings from Lord Kapil

The pure water of the river Ganges getting merged into an ocean in such a large amount, Lord Kapil named the place Ganga Sagar. Ganga Sagar pilgrimage is of paramount importance and known as the biggest pilgrimage of Hindus.

It is believed that a person who visits once in Ganga Sagar gets as many blessings as he does not get, even after visiting other pilgrimages many times. Here grand statues of Goddess Ganga, Lord Kapil and King Bhagirath are established.

Goddess Ganga,Lord Kapil,and king Bhagirath

Sage Kapil lived in Ganga Sagar for many years, thereafter, he moved to divine place Uttarakhand and remained absorbed in penance there. Then he built his permanent residence at a place called Bashona in district Kullu.

Kolayat a district of Bikaner in Rajasthan is known as the birthplace of Sage Kapil. There are many grand temples and devotees come from far and wide to visit these temples. The divine idols of Lord Kapil, Sage Vasistha and Goddess Arundhati is established here. Kapil kund is the centre of attraction of this place, which is also known as the divine Bindu lake.

Divine idols of Lord Kapil, Sage Vasistha and Devi Arundhati, Kolayat, Bikaner

Apart from this, the holy pilgrimage Kalayat located in the Kaithal district of Haryana is also an important place of Sage Kapil. It is believed that bathing in the divine pool here relieves skin diseases.

Divine statue of Lord Kapil, Kalayat, Kaithal, Haryana

Wherever the divine steps of Sage Kapil laid. the new pilgrimage appeared. Grand fairs are organized at all his pilgrimage places in the month of Kartik and the festival of Makar Sakranti.

Samkhya Yoga Darshana, composed by Sage Kapil, is one of the oldest texts in the World. Just as Lord Krishna had overcome Arjuna's fascination in the Bhagavad Gita, in the same way, Sage Kapil had removed the attachment of his mother Devahuti and imparted spiritual knowledge to her.

The context of Sage Kapil mentioned in the Shrimadh Bhagwat Purana is spiritually perfect. The person who constantly recites and listens to his stories attains the divine Vaikunth folk of Lord Vishnu.