Kashyapa

Kashyapa, as per the Puranic descriptions, is the father of the Devas, Asuras, Nagas and all of humanity. As per the description of the Mahabharata, he was the son of Marichi, one of the six mind-born sons (Maanasa-putras) of the Creator Brahma. Ramayana, on the other hand states that he was the youngest brother of Marichi. However, we can regard him either as the son or grandson of Brahma. In the later Puranas we find references to him in both ways.
The Indian valley of Kashmir in the himalayas is named after him. Legend states that the vale of Kashmir was a vast high altitude lake which was drained by Kashyap rishi, out of which the beautiful valley of Kashmir emerged, hence the name Kashyapmira which corrupted over time to become Kashmir.
The major contribution of Rishi Kashyapa in the field of knowledge is his treatise on Ayurveda called Kashyap Samhita, or Briddha Jivakiya Tantra, which is considered, a classical reference book in the fields of Ayuvedic Pediatrics, Gynecology & Obstetrics. It describes all the rituals to be followed from the birth of the baby and details the pre-natal, peri-natal and post-natal care or education. The traditional cure of snake bite is accredited to Kashyapa.
However, it is his family tree which is most interesting for it produced some of the most inspiring and powerful personalities of Indian mythology and history. The King Daksha Prajapati gave his thirteen daughters (Aditi, Diti, Kalaka, Danayus, Danu, Simhika, Khasa, Pradha, Vishva, Vinata, Kapila, Muni and Kadru) in marriage to Kashyapa. Apart from these thirteen, Kashypa had eight more wives (Puloma, Arishta, Surasa, Surabhi, Tamra, Krodhavasa, Ida and Nata). It is said that Lord Vishnu took his fifth incarnation in the form of Vamana or dwarf-shape, as the son of Kashyapa and Aditi, in the seventh Manvantara. With his second wife, Diti, Kashyapa begot the Daityas like Hiranyakashipu, Hiranaksha etc.

• His sons from Aditi or Adityas (Sons of Aditi) were, Amsha, Aryaman, Bhaga, Dhuti, Mitra, Pushan, Shakra, Savitri, Tvashtri, Varuna, Vishnu and Vivasvan, who went on to start the Solar Dynasty (Suryavansha), which later came to be known as Ikshvaku dynasty, after his great grandson, King Ikshvaku. The subsequent kings were Kukshi, Vikukshi, Bana, Anaranya, Prithu, Trishanku, and finally King Raghu, who gave it the name, Raghuvansha (Dynasty of Raghu), and then further leading up to Lord Rama, the son of Dashratha.
• His sons from Diti were, Hiranyakashipu and Hiranyaksha and a daughter Simhika, who later became the wife of Viprachitti. Hiranyakashipu had four sons, Anuhlada, Hlada, Prahlada, and Sanhlada, who further extended the Daityas.
• Garuda and Aruna are the sons of Kashyapa from his wife, Vinata
• The Nagas (serpents) are his sons from Kadru.
• The Danavas like Shambara, Ayomukha, Vipracitti, Taraka, Mahabala etc. are his sons from Danu, who later extended the Danavakula or the families of the Danavas.
• The Bhagavata Purana states that the Apsaras were born from Kashyap and Muni.
• Eleven Rudras were born from Kashyapa’s wife Surabhi.
  It is said in the Puranas (the ancient lores of India) that all living beings that we see in the world today, sprang from Kashyapa’s offsprings by his different wives. In this way Kashypa is the progenitor of all living beings.