Who was sage Kapila?

Answer 1

Maharishi Kapila is a Vedic sage traditionally considered to be the original proponent of the Samkhya system of philosophy but there are no known writings by him that deal with the Samkhya system as it is understood today. He is desribed as an incarnation of Vishnu within the Puranas, famous for teaching a process of liberation known as bhakti yoga.

Very little historical data is known for sure regarding Maharishi Kapila's life. He is said to have lived in the Indian subcontinent, some say around 500 BC, other accounts give much earlier dates. Tradition has it that Shakyamuni Buddha studied the Samkhya system before his "awakening," putting Kapila's birth at least before that time. He is also mentioned by Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita as the greatest of all perfected beings which could possibly move the date back further still:

Of all trees I am the banyan tree, and of the sages among the demigods I am Narada. Of the Gandharvas I am Citraratha, and among perfected beings I am the sage Kapila. (Bhagavad Gita 10.26)

His parents are given in the Bhagavata Purana as Kardama Muni and Devahuti. After his father left home, Kapila instructed his mother Devahuti in the philosophy of yoga and worship of Lord Vishnu, enabling her to achieve both liberation (moksha), and pure love of God.

Answer 2

The great sage Kapila had chosen the netherworld to perform a terrible penance. At this time, the king Sagara had been performing the Ashwamedha (horse) sacrifice, but the sacrifical horse had wandered away. As the horse had strayed near the hermitage of sage Kapila, the 60,000 sons of Sagara came there in search of it. The din caused by the arrival disturbed the sage, but he still did not open his eyes. When the sons of Sagara saw that the horse was there, they mistakenly assumed that Kapila was responsible for its theft. They started insulting the sage. At last, the sage could not bear it any longer. He opened his in wrath. Such was the potency of his gaze, that all the sons of Sagara were burned to ashes on the spot. (Some accounts say that a few of them escaped.)

Since they had died in sin, and in an inaccesible place, the funeral rites were not performed for them. This meant that they could not attain salvation. Much later, Bhageeratha, their descendant liberated their souls by bringing the heavenly Ganga from the heaven to the earth, to wash away their sins.

Answer 3

Maharishi Kapila is a Vedic sage traditionally considered to be the original proponent of the Samkhya system of philosophy but there are no known writings by him that deal with the Samkhya system as it is understood today. He is desribed as an incarnation of Vishnu within the Puranas, famous for teaching a process of liberation known as bhakti yoga.

Answer 4

Maharishi Kapila is a Vedic sage traditionally considered to be the original proponent of the Samkhya system of philosophy but there are no known writings by him that deal with the Samkhya system as it is understood today. He is desribed as an incarnation of Vishnu within the Puranas, famous for teaching a process of liberation known as bhakti yoga.

1 History
2 Teachings
3 Birth of the Ganges


1 History
Very little historical data is known for sure regarding Maharishi Kapila's life. He is said to have lived in the Indian subcontinent, some say around 500 BC, other accounts give much earlier dates. Tradition has it that Shakyamuni Buddha studied the Samkhya system before his "awakening," putting Kapila's birth at least before that time. He is also mentioned by Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita as the greatest of all perfected beings which could possibly move the date back further still:

Of all trees I am the banyan tree, and of the sages among the demigods I am Narada. Of the Gandharvas I am Citraratha, and among perfected beings I am the sage Kapila. (Bhagavad Gita 10.26)
His parents are given in the Bhagavata Purana as Kardama Muni and Devahuti. After his father left home, Kapila instructed his mother Devahuti in the philosophy of yoga and worship of Lord Vishnu, enabling her to achieve both liberation (moksha), and pure love of God.


2 Teachings
Kapiladev's teachings are quoted exstensively within the Srimad Bhagavatam especially:

"My appearance in this world is especially to explain the philosophy of Sankhya, which is highly esteemed for self-realization by those desiring freedom from the entanglement of unnecessary material desires. This path of self-realization, which is difficult to understand, has now been lost in the course of time. Please know that I have assumed this body of Kapila to introduce and explain this philosophy to human society again." (3.24.36-37)
"When one is completely cleansed of the impurities of lust and greed produced from the false identification of the body as "I" and bodily possessions as "mine," one's mind becomes purified. In that pure state he transcends the stage of so-called material happiness and distress."(3.25.16)
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the Supreme Soul, and He has no beginning. He is transcendental to the material modes of nature and beyond the existence of this material world. He is perceivable everywhere because He is self-effulgent, and by His self-effulgent luster the entire creation is maintained." (3.26.3)
"The glory of the Lord is always worth singing, for His glories enhance the glories of His devotees. One should therefore meditate upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead and upon His devotees. One should meditate on the eternal form of the Lord until the mind becomes fixed." (3.28.18)

3 Birth of the Ganges
Maharshi Kapila is a major figure in the story associated with the Hindu holiday of Makar Sankranti, about bringing down Ganga Ganges River from heaven, which involves King Sagar of Ayodhya, an ancestor of Rama. King Sagara had performed the Aswamedha sacrifice ninety-nine times. Each time a horse was sent around the earth Indra the King of the Heaven grew jealous and kidnapped the horse, hiding it in the hermitage of Kapila Muni during the hundredth sacrifice.

The 60 000 sons of Sagara found the horse, and believing Kapila to be the abductor assaulted him. Kapila turned the assailants to ashes. Anshuman, a grandson of King Sagara (Son of Asamanjas the Wicked son of King Sagara), came to Kapila begging him to redeem the souls of the 60 000. Kapila replied that only if the Ganges descended from heaven and touched the ashes of the 60 000 would they be redeemed.

Answer 5

Kapil muni is the greatest of the rishis of India. He for the first time wrote the philosophy of Sankhya, which is a basis for all the religions

In Sankhya Kapil refused to accept presence of a personal God, hence many call him an atheist too..but this is not true

He simply wrote ईश्वर असिद्ध which means God cant be proved

Answer 6

sage Kapila was the son of Kardama rishi and devahooti. he was the first incarnation (avtar) of vishnu. He preached the sankhya satra and gave Upadesa to his mother as directed by his father Kardama. Sankhya is one of the six main shastras namely Sankhya, yoga, Nyaya , vaishesika, poorva meemamsa and uttara meemamsa. each one by adifferent rishi

Answer 7

VISHNOH KRISHNA JANARDNACHYUT HARE NARAYAN SHRIPATE , VAIKUNTHAMRATRAMKESHAVMUKUNDANAND DAMODRAH // SHAUREMADHAVPADMANABHA BHAGAVAN GOVIND DHANAVANTARE, ROGAN ME NITRAM NIVARYATU TE NAMAMRATAM SAMPRATAM