Maharshi Kapila's incarnation took place during Swayambhuva, Manu's time. He was the son of the sage Kardama and Devhuti. Since, Kapila's incarnation took place for the benefit of mankind by preaching the essence of self-knowledge or the real knowledge, hence he first chose his own mother to give that knowledge. She attained divinity because of that knowledge.

While listening to the preaching of Kapila, Devhuti's soul liberated from the mortal body. Her physical body then melted into a river which is still a sacred pilgrimage place called 'Matri Teertha' which is located at Siddhapur in the state of Gujarat.

The divine knowledge which Maharshi Kapila gave to his mother has been described very beautifully in the third section of Srimad Bhagwat that is - detachment form all the sensual pleasures of the world is a must to achieve self-knowledge. Because what else our body consists of, if not the impurities like flesh, skin, bones etc. An ignorant man makes his life miserable being attached with his body. He has to face torture for his crimes and sins in hell after he dies and has to remain there for thousands of years until by the grace of the Almighty, he again takes birth as a human being. He is not spared even after his rebirth as the life in the mother's womb is full of miseries and hardships. Even the childhood is miserable due to the dependency, helplessness and the youth is miserable due to the desires for lust and the defects like anger, tensions etc. The old age is naturally the most miserable phase in man's life.

To escape from all these miseries, meditating on the feet of Shri Vishnu, chanting His holy name, remembering His divine activities and singing hymns and Keertan in His praise are some of the activities which help us in the direction of making our heart pure.

With the help of desireless devotion (Nishkaam bhakti), a man becomes free from all the illusions and bondage of this world. After giving this sermon to his mother, Maharshi Kapila went to a place which is known as Ganga Sagar nowadays. The ocean had itself given him a place and Kapil started his penance in the depth of the ocean. He is still continuing his penance there. Maharshi Kapila is one of those twelve revered teachers of Srimad Bhagwat.