There, as I entered, the Asuras confronted me and demanded, “Who are you?” I answered, “I am Kacha, son of Brihaspati.” No sooner had I spoken than the Danavas seized me, killed me, crushed my body to pieces, and, offering my remains to jackals and wolves, returned to their abode, satisfied. But the great-souled Bhargava, using his profound knowledge, called me back to life, O gentle one, and I returned to your side, somehow restored. When the Brahmin maiden asked what had happened, I told her, “I was killed.” Yet again, Devayani requested, “Bring me flowers, O Brahmin.” Obediently, I went into the forest. The Danavas saw me once more, and again they killed and crushed me, scattering my remains in the waters of the ocean. When I did not return for a long time, the maiden informed her father. Again, by the power of the teacher’s knowledge, I was called back, and, upon returning, I recounted all that had happened. For the third time, the Asuras killed me, burned my body, reduced me to ashes, and this time mixed my ashes with wine, which they gave to the Brahmin to drink, as well as to themselves. The illustrious Kavya, descendant of Bhrigu, drank the wine containing my ashes along with the Asuras. As evening fell, the cowherds brought the cows home. Devayani, sensing something amiss, spoke to her father, “Father, Kacha, whom you sent to gather flowers, is nowhere to be seen. Surely, he has been killed or has died; without him, I cannot live. I speak the truth to you.” Hearing his daughter's words, Kavya, not knowing that I was now within his own belly, summoned me with a mantra, thinking I was outside. He said to her, “O daughter, Kacha, son of Brihaspati, has gone to the realm of the dead; though revived by knowledge, he is killed again and again—what should we do?” He tried to comfort her, “Do not grieve so, do not weep, Devayani. No mortal like you grieves thus, for you are cherished by Brahma, the Brahmins, Indra, the Vasus, and the Ashvins. Even the enemies of the gods and all the world bow before you out of respect. That twice-born one cannot be revived; though restored to life, he is killed again.” Yet Devayani was inconsolable. “Angiras, the eldest, is his great-grandfather, and Brihaspati, the treasure of austerity, is his father. How could I not grieve or weep for the son or even the grandson of such a sage? He is a celibate, rich in austerity, ever diligent and skilled in his duties. I will follow the path of Kacha and will not eat, for Kacha, handsome and dear to me, is gone, father. What sin, even the slaying of a Brahmin, would not burn Indra?” Urged on by his daughter’s sorrow, the great sage again summoned me, the son of Brihaspati, with intense resolve. I, Kacha, powerful and wise, though fearful of my teacher, when called by the power of knowledge, slowly spoke from within his belly. “Be gracious, venerable one, I am Kacha. I salute you; may you regard me as you would a beloved son.” He asked, “By what means have you come here, and why do you dwell in my belly? Speak, O Brahmin! For at this very moment, having destroyed the Asuras, I am going to the gods.” I replied, “By your grace, memory does not abandon me; I remember everything as it happened. Otherwise, my austerities would be diminished, and so I endure this terrible suffering. By the Asuras, I was given to you in the drink of the gods, having been killed, burned, and ground, O Kavya. The Brahmin’s magic and the Asura’s magic—how could they surpass you while you remain?” Kavya then said, “What favor shall I do for you today, my child? By my death, Kacha would live; but in no other way than by splitting my belly would Kacha, who is within me, be seen by Devayani. Two griefs, like fires, would consume me: the loss of Kacha and your own destruction. If Kacha perishes, I have no happiness; if you are harmed, I cannot live. You are accomplished, O son of Brihaspati, since Devayani, devoted, seeks you. Obtain this knowledge that gives life; otherwise, today you will become Indra in Kacha’s form. No one else, once alive, has ever returned from my belly except a Brahmin; therefore, obtain this knowledge. Having become my son, honor me as one who is honored; after emerging from my body, my child, observe proper conduct, and, having obtained knowledge from your teacher, be learned.” Having received this supreme knowledge from my teacher, I split open his belly and emerged, radiant and handsome, like the full moon rising at the end of the bright fortnight. Seeing his fallen teacher, a mass of Brahmanic energy, I revived him with the life-giving knowledge I had attained. Then, having completed my learning, I bowed and spoke to my teacher. “He who pours the nectar of knowledge into the ears of one ignorant, as you, noble one, have done, I regard as both father and mother; to such a one, knowing his deed, one should never act with hostility. He who gives the supreme truth, the best of treasures, is the treasure among treasures for those who have gained knowledge; those who do not honor the venerable teacher go to worlds of sinners, unstable and without foundation.” Having committed the act of drinking wine, and suffering the terrible loss of consciousness, Kavya saw me, Kacha, restored—even though I had been swallowed due to intoxication with wine. Rising in anger, the great-souled Kavya, incensed at the drinking of wine, spoke these words: “Any Brahmin from today onward who, out of delusion and dullness of mind, drinks liquor here, having abandoned righteousness and Brahmanhood, will be condemned in this world and by others. I have established this boundary of Brahmin duty for all the worlds; let virtuous Brahmins, attentive to their teachers, and all the gods and beings listen to it.” Having thus spoken, the unfathomable treasure of ascetics summoned the Danavas, whose minds were bewildered by the gods, and addressed them: “I declare to you, O Danavas, you are childish; the accomplished Kacha will remain with me. Having obtained the Sanjivani knowledge, that great-souled Brahmin, equal in brilliance and become Brahman, will stay. Kacha performed this difficult deed for the sake of the gods; his fame will not fade with age, and he will be worthy of sacrifice.” Having spoken thus, the descendant of Bhrigu fell silent; the Danavas, struck with wonder, returned to their own abode.