The sons born of the womb of Danu, daughter of Dakṣa (Daksha), and sired by Prajāpati(Prajapati;  Ruler of the people) Kaśyapa (kasyapa), are known as Dānava (Danava; a type of demons). Iṣupāda(Ishupada was one of them. From the Aṁśāvataraṇa-parva (Amsavatarana-parva) of Mahābhārata (Mahabharata), it is known that he was born as king Nagnajit in Dvāpara-yuga (Dvapara-yuga; the Dvapara epoch). However, in the reading maintained by Haridāsa Siddhāntavāgīśa (Haridasa Siddhantavagisa), the name is mentioned as Ekapāda (Ekapada) instead of Iṣupāda.