Kapila () (7th-6th-century BCE), also referred to as Cakradhanus, was a Vedic sage in Hindu tradition, regarded the founder of the Samkhya school of Hindu philosophy., Quote:"Kapila (fl. 550 BC), Vedic sage and founder of the system of Samkhya, one of the six schools of Vedic philosophy."
His influence on Buddha and Buddhism has long been the subject of scholarly studies. There have been accusations by orthodox Buddhists that Sarvastivadins are heavily influenced by Samkhya school of philosophy.W. Woodhill Rockhill (2000 Reprint), The Life of the Buddha and the Early History of His Order, Routledge, , pages 11–19
According to the Brahmanda Purana, Kapila is described as an incarnation of Vishnu: "Bhagavān Nārāyaṇa will protect us all. The Lord of the universe has now been born in the world as Kapilācārya."
Many historic personalities in Hinduism and Jainism, mythical figures, pilgrimage sites in Indian religion, as well as an ancient variety of cow, are named after Kapila, or share his name.
Biography The name Kapila appears in many texts, and likely refers to different people. The most famous reference is to the sage Kapila with his student Āsuri, who in the Indian tradition are considered the first masters of Samkhya school of Hindu philosophy. While he pre-dates Buddha, it is unclear which century he lived in, with some suggesting 6th century BCE.Kapila Encyclopædia Britannica (2014) Others place him in the 7th century BCE.PT Raju (1985), Structural Depths of Indian Thought, State University of New York Press, , page 304 This places him in the late Vedic period (1500 BCE to 500 BCE), and he has been called a Vedic sage., Quote: "Kapila was a Vedic sage (ca. 550 B.C.) and founder of the Samkhya school of Vedic philosophy.";
Kapila is credited with authoring an influential sutra, called Samkhya-sutra (also called Kapila-sutra), which aphoristically presents the dualistic philosophy of Samkhya.Kapila (James Robert Ballantyne, Translator, 1865), , pages 156–157Max Muller et al. (1999 Reprint), Studies in Buddhism, Asian Educational Services, , page 10 with footnote These sutras were explained in another well studied text of Hinduism called the Samkhyakarika. Beyond his Samkhya philosophy, he appears in many dialogues of Hindu texts, such as in explaining and defending the principle of ahimsa (non-violence) in the Mahabharata.
Hinduism Hindu texts give different accounts of Kapila. In the Bhagavata Purana, Kapila is described as an avatara of Bhagavan, born into the house of Kardama and as the teacher of Samkhya to his mother Devahūti.
Vedic texts The Rigveda X.27.16 mentions Kapila (daśānām ekam kapilam) which the 14th-century Vedic commentator Sayana thought refers to a sage; a view that Chakravarti in 1951 and Larson in 1987 consider unreliable. Chakravarti suggests that the word refers to one of the Maruts, while Larson and Bhattacharya state that kapilam in that verse means "tawny" or "reddish-brown"; as it is also translated by Griffith.
The Śata-piṭaka Series on the Śākhās of the Yajurveda mentions a Kapila Śākhā situated in Āryāvarta, which implies a Yajurveda school was named after Kapila. The term Kapileya, meaning "clans of Kapila", occurs in the Aitareya Brahmana VII.17 but provides no information on the original Kapila. The pariśiṣṭa (addenda) of the Atharvaveda (at XI.III.3.4) mentions Kapila, Āsuri and Pañcaśikha in connection with a libation ritual for whom tarpana is to be offered. According to Larson, In verse 5.2 of Shvetashvatara Upanishad contains both the terms Samkhya and Kapila appear, with Kapila meaning colour as well as a "seer" (Rishi) with the phrase "ṛṣiṃ prasūtaṃ kapilam ... tam agre.."; which when compared to other verses of the Shvetashvatara Upanishad Kapila likely construes to Rudra and Hiranyagarbha. However, Max Muller is of the view that Hiranyagarbha, namely Kapila in this context is distinct and is later used to link Kapila and assign the authorship of Samkya system to Hiranyagarbha in reverence for the philosophical system.
Dharmasutras and other texts As son of Prahlada: The Baudhayana Dharmasutra mentions the Asura Kapila is the son of Prahlada in the chapter laying rules for the Vaikhanasas. The section IV.16 of Baudhāyana Gṛhyasūtra mentions Kapila as the one who set up rules for ascetic life. Kapila is credited, in the Baudhayana Dharmasutra, with creating the four Ashrama orders: Brahmachārya, Grihastha, Vānaprastha and Sanyāsa, and suggesting that renouncer should never injure any living being in word, thought or deed. He is said to have made rules for renouncement of the sacrifices and rituals in the Vedas, and an ascetic's attachment instead to the Brahman / ब्रह्मन् (not to be confused with Brāhmin). In other Hindu texts such as the Mahabharata, Kapila is again the sage who argues against sacrifices, and for non-violence and an end to cruelty to animals, with the argument that if sacrifices benefited the animal, then logically the family who sacrifices would benefit by a similar death. According to Chaturvedi, in a study of inscriptions of Khajuraho temples, the early Samkhya philosophers were possibly disciples of female teachers.
Puranas Kapila, states George Williams, lived long before the composition of the Epics and the Puranas, and his name is coopted in various later composed mythologies.
As an ascetic and as Vishnu: In the Brahma Purana, when the king Vena abandoned the Vedas, declared that he is the only creator of dharma, and broke all limits of righteousness and was killed, Kapila advises hermits to churn Vena's thigh from which emerged Nishadas, and his right hand from which Prthu originated who made earth productive again. Kapila and hermits then went to Kapilasangama, a holy place where rivers meet. The Brahma Purana also mentions Kapila in the context of Sagara's 60,000 sons who looking for their Ashvamedha horse, disturbed Vishnu who is sleeping in the shape of Kapila. He woke up, the brilliance in his eyes burnt all but four of Sagara's sons to ashes, leaving few survivors carrying on the family lineage. Sagara's son is King Dilipa and his grandson is Bhagiratha. On the advice of his guru Trithala, Bhagiratha did penance for a thousand years (according to god timeline) to please Ganga, to gain the release his 60,000 great-uncles from the curse of saint Kapila. As Vishnu's incarnation: The Narada Purana enumerates two Kapilas, one as the incarnation of Brahma and another as the incarnation of Vishnu. The Bhagavata, Brahmanda, Vishnu, Padma, Skanda, Narada Puranas; and the Valmiki Ramayana mentions Kapila as an incarnation of Vishnu. The Padma Purana and Skanda Purana identify him as Vishnu himself. Bhagavata Purana identify him as Vedagarbha Vishnu. The Vishnusahasranama mentions Kapila as a name of Vishnu. Vijnanabhikshu, in his commentary on Samkhya sutras, mentions Kapila, the founder of Samkhya, as Vishnu. Jacobsen suggests that Kapila of the Veda, Śramaṇa tradition, and the Mahabharata is the same person as Kapila the founder of Samkhya; and this individual is considered as an incarnation of Vishnu in the Hindu texts. As son of Kardama muni: Book 3 of the Bhagavata Purana, states that Kapila is the son of Kardama Prajapati and his wife Devahuti. Kardama is born from Chaya, the reflection of Brahma. Brahma asks Kardama to procreate upon which Kardama goes to the banks of Sarasvati river, practices penance, sees Vishnu and is told by Vishnu that Manu, the son of Brahma will arrive there with his wife Shatarupa in search of a groom for their daughter Devahuti. Vishnu advises Kardama to marry Devahuti, and blesses Kardama that he himself will be born as his son. Besides Kapila as their only son, Kardama and Devahuti had nine daughters, namely Kala, Anusuya, Sraddha, Havirbhu, Gati, Kriya, Khyati, Arundhati and Shanti who were married to Marici, Atri, Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Bhrigu, Vashistha, and Atharvan respectively. H.H.Wilson notes that the Bhagavata adds a third daughter Devahuti to introduce the long legend of Kardama, and of their son Kapila, an account not found elsewhere. Kapila is described, states Daniel Sheridan, by the redactor of the Purana, as an incarnation of the supreme being Vishnu, in order to reinforce the Purana teaching by linking it to the traditional respect to Kapila's Samkhya in Hinduism. In the Bhagavata Purana, Kapila presents to his mother Devahuti, the philosophy of yoga and theistic dualism. Kapila's Samkhya is also described through Krishna to Uddhava in Book 11 of the Bhagavata Purana, a passage also known as the "Uddhava Gita". As son of Kashyapa: The Matsya Purana mentions Kapila as the son of Kashyapa and his wife Danu, daughter of Daksha Prajapati. Kapila is one among Danu's 100 sons, and her other sons (Kapila's brothers) mentioned in the Vishnu Purana include Dvimurddha, Shankara, Ayomukha, Shankhushiras, Samvara, Ekachakra, Taraka, Vrishaparvan, Svarbhanu, Puloman, Viprachitti and other Danavas. As son of Vitatha or Bharadwaja: In the Brahma Purana and in the Harivamsa Kapila is the son of Vitatha. Daniélou translates Vitatha to inaccuracy; and Wilson notes that Bharadwaja is also named Vitatha (unprofitable); while he is given in adoption to Bharata. Vishnu Purana notes Bhavanmanyu is the son of Vitatha but Brahma Purana and Harivamsa omit this and make Suhotra, Anuhotra, Gaya, Garga, and Kapila the sons of Vitatha. The Brahma Purana differs from other Puranas in saying that Vitatha is the son of Bharadwaja; upon the death of Bharata, Bharadwaja installed Vitatha as the king, before leaving for the forest.
Kapila Devahuti Samvada
The Kapila-Devahuti Samvada, detailed in the Third Canto of the Bhagavat Purana, serves as a foundational dialogue for the theological presentation of Samkhya philosophy. Krishna also mentioned this concept briefly to Arjun amidst their conversation during the Mahabharata war, which has been mentioned in the Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 2, called Samkhya Yoga.Easy Bhagavada Gita Chapter Two. Retrieved on 18 January 2024.
The narrative begins with Devahuti approaching her son Kapila, identified as the Supreme Lord, and expressing distress over a life spent in sense enjoyment, which she regards as wasted. She seeks fearlessness and liberation from suffering. She attributes her condition to bodily identification, articulated as aham mama iti ("I and mine"), and asks Kapila to remove her attachment to the physical body and its sense of ownership. Kapila responds by teaching Samkhya, described as a system of discriminative knowledge. By analyzing the constituents of material reality (tattvas), he distinguishes matter (prakriti) from spirit (purusa).
The dialogue aims to dispel identification with the body and mind, reduce attachment to material existence, and ground yoga, meditation on God, devotion, and intellectual stability in systematic knowledge of nature.
Imagery in the Agamas Kapila's imagery is depicted with a beard, seated in Padmāsana with closed eyes indicating Dhyāna, with a Jaṭā-maṇḍala around the head, showing high shoulders indicating he is greatly adept in controlling breath, draped in deer skin, wearing the Yagñopavīta, with a Kamaṇḍalu near him, with one hand placed in front of the crossed legs, and feet marked with lines resembling outline of a lotus. This Kapila is identified with Kapila the founder of Sāṅkhya system; while the Vaikhānasasāgama gives somewhat varying description. The Vaikhānasasāgama places Kapila as an āvaraņadēvāta and allocates the south-east corner of the first āvaraņa. As the embodiment of the Vedas his image is seated facing east with eight arms; of which four on the right should be in abhaya mudra, the other three should carry the Chakra, Khaḍga, Hala; one left hand is to rest on the hip in the kațyavarlambita pose and other three should carry the Ṡaṅkha, Pāśa and Daṇḍa.
Other descriptions