A sage who was the foster father of Shakuntala. Among the rishikulas, Kanva’s kula was a very important one as per Rigveda. Born in the dynasty of Brahma’s son Kashyapa, Kanva is also known as Kaashyapa. As per Mahabharata Shantiparva Chapter 208 verse 27, Kanva’s father was Medhadhiti. Kanva built a hermitage on the banks of Malini and lived there with many students.

Kanva’s hermitage was to the north of the river Praveni, on the banks of the Malini as per Mahabharata Vanaparva. It is believed that it was located on the banks of the Chambal, 4 miles south of Kota in Rajasthan. The hermitage has been described by Kalidasa in Shakuntalam.

Once Indra sent Menaka to disrupt Vishwamitra’s meditation. They had a daughter who was left in the forest to fend for itself. The child was Shakuntala and was called so because of the Shakunta birds who fed her for a while. As per Mahabharata Adiparva Chapter 70, Kanva happened to see her in the forest and began raising her.

As per Mahabharata Adiparva Chapter 74 verse 130, Bharata, son of Dushyanta, conducted a yajna called Govitata with Kanva as the chief sage.

Once Kanva narrated to Duryodhana, the story of Matali and his wife Sudharma hunting for a groom for their daughter Gunakeshi as per Mahabharata Udyogaparva Chapter 97.

Kanva was among the sages who arrived from the east to visit Rama after his return from Lanka. Vasishta, Atri, Vishwamitra, Gautama, Jamadagni, Bharadwaja, Sanakas, Sharabhanga, Durvasa, Matanga, Vibhandaka, Tumburu were the others in this group.

The Rigveda has 10 mandalas. Mandalas 2-7 have been created in separate rishikulas, as 2 – Bhargava, 3 – Vishwamitra, 4 – Vamadeva, 5- Atri, 6 – Bharadwaja, 7 – Vasishta. The eighth mandala and 50 suktas of the 1st mandala have been made by Kanva’s kula.

Rigveda Mandala 1 Anuvaka 4 Sukta 12, Kanva is about Kanva’s son Medhathithi becoming a rishi.

As per the Kathasaritasagara, Kanva had a daughter with Menaka called Indivaraprabhu. See Chandravaloka, Kaashyapa.