In ancient times, amidst the celestial abodes and earthly realms, there lived the revered sage named Kashyapa. Known for his wisdom and devotion, Kashyapa's life took an unexpected turn when he became entangled in the cosmic dramas of gods and their divine creatures.
Legend has it that Kashyapa, driven by a fervent desire to
perform a grand yajna (sacrificial ritual), sought to enhance its potency by
acquiring a special boon: Varuna's sacred cow. Ignoring the consequences,
Kashyapa stealthily seized Varuna's cherished bovine companion and incorporated
it into his sacred rites.
Enraged by this audacious act, Varuna, the god of the oceans
and celestial waters, stormed into Kashyapa's hermitage with thunderous fury.
In his wrath, he encountered Kashyapa's wives, Aditi and Surasa, who stood in
his path, their countenances filled with defiance.
Despite Varuna's divine presence, Aditi and Surasa remained
undaunted and failed to pay him the reverence befitting a deity of his stature.
Incensed by their insolence, Varuna, in a fit of divine anger, cursed the two
wives and their husband, Kashyapa, to be reincarnated in the land of cows—a
world where their worth would be tested amid the lowly beasts they once
scorned.
As fate would have it, Kashyapa was reborn as Vasudeva, a
noble and virtuous king of the Yadava dynasty. Meanwhile, Aditi and Surasa
found their new lives intertwined as Devaki and Rohini, respectively, two of
Vasudeva's esteemed wives.
Thus, the cosmic wheel turned, weaving together the
destinies of gods and mortals in a tapestry of divine intrigue and earthly
trials. And so, Kashyapa, once a revered sage, was reborn as Vasudeva, the
earthly father of the supreme deity, Sri Krishna, who would go on to illuminate
the world with his divine teachings and eternal love.