असुरास्तत्र मां दृष्ट्वा कस्त्वमित्यभ्यचोदयन्। बृहस्पतिसुतश्चाहं कच इत्यभिविश्रुतः
There, seeing me, the Asuras questioned, 'Who are you?' I am the son of Brihaspati, known as Kacha, I replied.
इत्युक्तमात्रे मां हत्वा पेषीकृत्वा तु दानवाः। दत्त्वा शालावृकेभ्यस्तु सुखं जग्मुः स्वमालयं
As soon as I had spoken thus, the Danavas killed me, crushed me to pieces, and, giving my remains to the jackals and wolves, returned happily to their own abode.
आहूतो विद्यया भद्रे भार्गवेण महात्मना। त्वत्समीपमिहायातः कथंचित्प्राप्तजीवितः
Then, called back by the great-souled Bhargava with his knowledge, O gentle one, I came to your side, somehow regaining my life.
हतोऽहमिति चाचख्यौ पृष्टो ब्राह्मणकन्यया। स पुनर्देवयान्योक्तः पुष्पाण्याहर मे द्विज
When asked by the Brahmin maiden, he declared, 'I was killed.' Again, Devayani said to him, 'Bring me flowers, O Brahmin.'
वनं ययौ कचो विप्रो ददृशुर्दानवाश्च तम्। पुनस्तं पेषयित्वा तु समुद्राम्भस्यमिश्रयन्
The Brahmin Kacha went to the forest, and the Danavas saw him there; once more, after killing and crushing him, they scattered him in the waters of the ocean.
चिरं गतं पुनः कन्या पित्रे तं संन्यवेदयत्। विप्रेण पुनराहूतो विद्यया गुरुदेहजः। पुनरावृत्य तद्वृत्तं न्यवेदयत तद्यथा
When he was gone for a long time, the maiden again informed her father; the Brahmin was again called back by the knowledge born of the teacher's body, and returning, he related all that had happened, just as it was.
ततस्तृतीयं हत्वा तं दग्ध्वा कृत्वा च चूर्णशः। प्रायच्छन्ब्राह्मणायैव सुरायामसुरास्तथा
Then, for the third time, after killing him, burning him, and reducing him to ashes, the Asuras gave those ashes to the Brahmin to drink, as well as to themselves.
अपिबत्सुरया सार्धं कचभस्म भृगूद्वहः। सा सायन्तनवेलायामगोपा गाः समागताः
The illustrious descendant of Bhrigu drank Kacha's ashes mixed in wine together with the Asuras; at sunset, the cowherds brought the cows back.
देवयानी शङ्कमाना दृष्ट्वा पितरमब्रवीत्।' पुष्पाहारः प्रेषणकृत्कचस्तात न दृश्यते
Devayani, suspecting something, said to her father, 'Father, Kacha, whom you sent to gather flowers, is not to be seen.'
व्यक्तं हतो मृतो वापि कचस्तात भविष्यति। तं विना न च जीवेयं कचं सत्यं ब्रवीमि ते
'Surely, father, Kacha has been killed or has died; without him, I cannot live. I speak the truth to you.'
श्रुत्वा पुत्रीवचः काव्यो मन्त्रेणाहूतवान्कचम्। ज्ञात्वा बहिष्ठमज्ञात्वा स्वकुक्षिस्थं कचं नृप
Hearing his daughter's words, Kavya summoned Kacha with a mantra, not knowing he was outside, nor that Kacha was within his own belly, O King.
बृहस्पतेः सुतः पुत्रि कचः प्रेतगतिं गतः। विद्यया जीवितोऽप्येवं हन्यते करवाम किम्
'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?'
मैवं शुचो मा रुद देवयानि न त्वादृशी मर्त्यमनुप्रशोचते। यस्यास्तव ब्रह्म च ब्राह्मणाश्च सेन्द्रा देवा वसवोऽथाश्विनौ च
'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.'
सुरद्विषश्चैव जगच्च सर्व- मुपस्थाने सन्नमन्ति प्रभावात्। अशक्योऽसौ जीवयितुं द्विजातिः संजीवितो वध्यते चैव भूयः
'Even the enemies of the gods and all the world bow before you in attendance, out of respect. That twice-born one cannot be revived; though restored to life, he is killed again.'
यस्याङ्गिरा वृद्धतमः पितामहो बृहस्पतिश्चापि पिता तपोनिधिः। ऋषेः पुत्रं तमथो वापि पौत्रं कथं न शोचेयमहं न रुद्याम्
'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?'
स ब्रह्मचारी च तपोधनश्च सदोत्थितः कर्मसु चैव दक्षः। कचस्य मार्गं प्रतिपत्स्ये न भोक्ष्ये प्रियो हि मे तात कचोऽभिरूपः
'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.'
कं ब्रह्महत्या न दहेदपीन्द्रम्
What sin, even the slaying of a Brahmin, would not burn Indra?
संचोदितो देवयान्या महर्षिः पुनराह्वयत्। संरम्भेणैव काव्यो हि बृहस्पतिसुतं कचम्
Urged by Devayani, the great sage again summoned Kacha, the son of Brihaspati, with fierce intent.
कचोऽपि राजन्स महानुभावो विद्याबलाल्लब्धमतिर्महात्मा।' गुरोर्हि भीतो विद्यया चोपहूतः। शनैर्वाक्यं जठरे व्याजहार
Kacha too, O King, a man of great power, wise through the strength of his knowledge, and fearful of his teacher, when called by the power of knowledge, slowly spoke from within the belly.
प्रसीद भगवन्मह्यं कचोऽहमभिवादये। यथा बहुमतः पुत्रस्तथा मन्यतु मां भवान्
"Be gracious, O venerable one, I am Kacha, I salute you; may you regard me as you would a beloved son."
तमब्रवीत्केन पथोपनीत- स्त्वं चोदरे तिष्ठसि ब्रूहि विप्र। अस्मिन्मुहूर्ते ह्यसुरान्विनाश्य गच्छामि देवानहमद्य विप्र
He said to him, "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, O Brahmin."
तव प्रसादान्न जहाति मां स्मृतिः स्मरामि सर्वं यच्च यथा च वृत्तम्। नत्वेवं स्यात्तपसः संक्षयो मे ततः क्लेशं घोरमिमं सहामि
"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."
असुरैः सुरायां भवतोऽस्मि दत्तो हत्वा दग्ध्वा चूर्णयित्वा च काव्य। ब्राह्मीं मायां चासुरीं विप्र मायां त्वयि स्थिते कथमेवातिवर्तेत्
"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, O Brahmin, how could they surpass you while you remain?"
किं ते प्रियं करवाण्यद्य वत्से वधेन मे जीवितं स्यात्कचस्य। नान्यत्र कुक्षेर्मम भेदनेन दृश्येत्कचो मद्गतो देवयानि
"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."
द्वौ मां शोकावग्निकल्पौ दहेतां कचस्य नाशस्तव चैवोपघातः। कचस्य नाशे मम शर्म नास्ति तवोपघाते जीवितुं नास्मि शक्ता
"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."
संसिद्धरूपोऽसि बृहस्पतेः सुत यत्त्वां भक्तं भजते देवयानी। विद्यामिमां प्राप्नुहि जीवनीं त्वं न चेदिन्द्रः कचरूपी त्वमद्य
"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."
न निवर्तेत्पुनर्जीवन्कश्चिदन्यो ममोदरात्। ब्राह्मणं वर्जयित्वैकं तस्माद्विद्यामवाप्नुहि
"No one else, once alive, has ever returned from my belly except a Brahmin; therefore, obtain this knowledge."
पुत्रो भूत्वा भावय भावितो मा- मस्मद्देहादुपनिष्क्रम्य तात। समीक्षेथा धर्मवतीमवेक्षां गुरोः सकाशात्प्राप्य विद्यां सविद्यः
"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."
गुरोः सकाशात्समवाप्य विद्यां भित्त्वा कुक्षिं निर्विचक्राम विप्रः। कचोऽभिरूपस्तत्क्षणाद्ब्राह्मणस्य शुक्लात्यये पौर्णमास्यामिवेन्दुः
Having obtained knowledge from his teacher, the Brahmin split open the belly and emerged; Kacha, handsome, appeared at that moment from the Brahmin's body like the full moon at the end of the bright fortnight.
दृष्ट्वा च तं पतितं ब्रह्मराशि- मुत्थापयामास मृतं कचोऽपि। विद्यां सिद्धां तामवाप्याभिवाद्य ततः कचस्तं गुरुमित्युवाच
Seeing him fallen, a mass of Brahmanic energy, Kacha revived the dead and, having attained the perfected knowledge, saluted and then spoke to his teacher.