Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c7.2189

c7.2189

Medhātithi was Kaṇva's father. (Śānti Parva, Chapter 208, Verse 27). According to the Agni Purāṇa a son called Kaṇva was born (Kāśyapa) to Medhātithi, son of King Pratiratha of the Puru dynasty. But, nothing about the family matters of Kaṇva is mentioned therein. In the Mahābhārata itself the name Kāśyapa is often used instead of Kaṇva. From the above facts it may be understood that Kaṇva was born as a prince, and that later on, he became a sage. Moreover, the Agni Purāṇa says that Santurodha, the brother of Kaṇva's father, was the father of Duṣyanta. According to that Kāśyapa and Duṣyanta were the sons of brothers, Kāśyapa being that of the elder one. For the time being the above are the only reasonable inferences, and the truth has to be found out by further researches. But, one thing is certain according to the genealogy, that Kāśyapa was born twenty generations after Kaśyapa.