The story of Maharshi Kardam, Devhuti,Sri Kapil Bhagwan

In the beginning of creation of the universe,Lord Brahma has ordered his sons to increase the population of the world through marriage. One of his sons was Kardam who was unable to find a suitable girl for himself to marry. He asked his father for solutions. Brahma advised him to go for penance to please Lord Narayan. So he went to the bank of the holy river Saraswati and started meditating on Lord Narayan. After ten thousand years of his penance The Lord appeared before him and asked him to ask for a boon. Kardam prayed to him for a suitable girl to marry to fulfill the wish of his father. As such the Lord was very much pleased with the sacrifice of Kardam and his wish for a noble cause, so he told him that on a certain day, the king of the world Swayambhuv Manu would come to meet him along with his wife Satarupa and daughter Devhuti and the king would select him as the bridegroom for his daughter. In addition to that boon, the Lord informed Kardam that he would take birth as his son to explain Sankhya Yoga to the world. Afterer granting the boon the Lord vanished from there. Now Kardam stayed there waiting for the king and as per the boon, King Manu along with Satarupa & Devhuti came to meet Kardam rishi. Kardam greeted them traditionally and asked the reason for their visit. In reply the king told him that Devarshi Narad had narrated about his personality and penance to Devhuti. Also the king informed Kardam that Devhuti had already decided to marry him and offered the hand of his daughter as bridegroom for Kardam. Kardam happily accepted the proposal on the condition that he would sacrifice the duty of a husband and maintain celibacy after the birth of their children and go to the forest renouncing the  social life.Devhuti agreed to his condition. Then the marriage took place on the bank of river Saraswati. After the marriage Manu and Satarupa left the ashram for their palace with tears in their eyes. Although already married, Kardam didn't consummate with Devhuti and got busy with his meditation, austerity and oblations. Still Devhuti didn't complain and tirelessly served the needs of her husband. Also she was keeping brat(ब्रत), fasting religiously for a long time. She was so sincere in her duty to her husband that she was careless about her own health which made her weak and thin. Seeing her poor health, Kardam realized her sacrifices and became overwhelmed with kindness. He lovingly embraced her and wanted to know her wishes. She told him that since their marriage she was wanting him and expressed her desire to copulate with him for the production of children. For their consummation she wanted to have a beautiful house. Kardam agreed to fulfill her wish and granted her divine eyes (दिव्यचक्षु) to show his yogshakti (power of penance) to convince her that he had the power to fulfill all her wishes. He prompted her to tell him all her other wishes. She described all the luxurious things to facilitate their married life and for the production of children. So Kardam closed his eyes and created a jet aircraft which could go any as per their wish by his penance power(योगशक्ति). It was looking too attractive. Its pillars were fitted with very beautiful gems. Colorful silk flags were flying on its terrace and the interior was decorated with fresh and everlasting exotic flowers. It had several floors having beautiful rooms, luxurious beds, sofas chairs, tables, swings etc. The whole aircraft was naturally air-conditioned. Its floors, corridors,verandas were of emerald,ruby, coral etc and its doors were fitted with rare diamonds. Curtains were made of very soft and shining clothes with beautiful artwork. Walls were made of rare stones and statues of birds were placed in corners which appeared to be real. There were attractive dining rooms, playing rooms, drawing rooms,playground, swimming pools etc on every floor. Overall the aircraft was looking like a luxurious palace with all the luxuries. It was created in such a way that every wish of a lady could be fulfilled. Devhuti was astonished by the beauty and luxury of the aircraft although she knew the miraculous power of her husband. Now Kardam asked her to take a bath in river Saraswati. When Devhuti entered, she found many young ladies at her service inside the river. They washed her body and hair slowly using soft natural sweet smelling beauty products. Each and every point of her body was cleaned so nicely that her body and hair shined like a mirror. After the bath the ladies then adorned her with beautiful clothes and jewelleries. Her hair was decorated beautifully with fragrant flowers. The design of her clothes made her look seductive and stunning. When she was finally ready, Kardam asked her to board the aircraft. There they made love and consummated their marriage. The miraculous aircraft was taking them to various beautiful places all over the universe as desired by them. Hundreds of beautiful maids were at their service. They enjoyed their married life for hundreds of years. To Devhuti years seemed like minutes. But Kardam was conscious about the time and his purpose of marriage. So one day Kardam with his penance power placed his semen inside the womb of Devhuti dividing it in nine parts for the birth of nine girl children. From that Devhuti gave birth to nine beautiful girls. After  the birth of their daughters Devhuti remembered the condition of Kardam before their marriage which made her sad. She realised that her rishi husband would renounce the social life after the marriage of their daughters. This thought disturbed her because after the marriage of their daughters she will be all alone. Although feeling guilty, she expressed her feelings to her husband and prayed to him to bless her with a son with whom she would live after the renouncement of Kardam. Hearing the request of his wife, Kardam remembered the boon of Lord Narayan. The omnipresent Lord had promised him to take birth as his son for imparting the knowledge of Sankhya Yoga to the world. He felt elated on the thought of becoming the father of the Lord and agreed to the request of Devhuti. He explained to her that she would bear the Lord in her womb and for that she must maintain austerity to purify herself. In due course the Lord took birth. In due course of time Devhuti gave birth to a son which was none other than the partial incarnation of Lord Narayan who became renowned in the name of Kapil Muni. He taught the world the deep knowledge of Sankhya Yoga, knowledge of liberation from the cycle of birth and death. In due time Kardam got his nine daughters married to nine renowned Maharishis. Their daughter Kala married to Marichi, Anusuya married to Atri, Shraddha married to Angira, Habirbhu married to Pulastya, Gati married to Pulah, Kriya married to Kratu, Khyati married to Bhrigu, Arundhati married to Vashist and Shanti married to Atharba. After the marriage of his daughters Kardam renounced the worldly life and left for the forest on the instruction of his son Bhagwan Kapil and there he liberated himself through severe penance. Bhagwan Kapil also imparted the knowledge of the soul to his mother Devhuti through which she liberated herself from the cycle of birth and death.

Shrimad Bhagwat Mahapuran