The Birth

When Devahūti feared that her husband would leave her, Kardama told her: The imperishable Lord will soon enter your womb. He will be born of your body and teach you what Brahman is, the one reality behind all things, and cut the knot in your heart. Devahūti trusted his word and worshipped the Lord. After a long time, the Lord was born of her, as fire comes out of wood. Thunderclouds sounded like music in the sky, the gandharvas, the musicians of heaven, sang and the apsarases, its dancers, danced, flowers fell from heaven, and the quarters and the waters and men's minds all grew clear.

Brahmā came to the hermitage with Marīci and the other sages, and said to Kardama: I know that the first Person has come down by his own māyā, his power, in the body called Kapila, the treasure house of all beings. By the yoga of knowledge he will pull up the roots of men's deeds. His hair is golden, his eyes are lotuses, and his feet bear the mark of the lotus. And to Devahūti he said: Daughter of Manu, the one who has entered your womb will cut the knot of ignorance and doubt and go about the earth. He will be the head of the perfected ones, honoured by the teachers of Sāṃkhya, and he will be called Kapila in the world, and he will spread your fame.