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.
यः श्रोत्रयोरमृतं सन्निषिञ्चे- द्विद्यामविद्यस्य यथा त्वमार्यः। तं मन्येऽहं पितरं मातरं च तस्मै न द्रुह्येत्कृतमस्य जानन्
"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."
ऋतस्य दातारमनुत्तमस्य निधिं निधीनामपि लब्धविद्याः। ये नाद्रियन्ते गुरुमर्चनीयं पापाँल्लोकांस्ते व्रजन्त्यप्रतिष्ठाः
"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, they go to worlds of sinners, unstable and without foundation."
सुरापानाद्वञ्चनां प्राप्य विद्वा- न्संज्ञानाशं चैव महातिघोरम्। दृष्ट्वा कचं चापि तथाभिरूपं पीतं तदा सुरया मोहितेन
Having committed the deception of drinking wine, and the terrible loss of consciousness, seeing Kacha thus restored, who had been swallowed due to intoxication with wine,
समन्युरुत्थाय महानुभाव- स्तदोशना विप्रहितं चिकीर्षुः। सुरापानं प्रति संजातमन्युः काव्यः स्वयं वाक्यमिदं जगाद
Rising up in anger, the great-souled Kavya, wishing to act against the Brahmin, became enraged at the drinking of wine and himself spoke these words.
यो ब्राह्मणोऽद्यप्रभृतीह कश्चि- न्मोहात्सुरां पास्यति मन्दबुद्धिः। अपेतधर्मा ब्र्हमहा चैव स स्या- दस्मिंल्लोके गर्हितः स्यात्परे च
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.
मया चैतां विप्रधर्मोक्तिसीमां मर्यादां वै स्थापितां सर्वलोके। सन्तो विप्राः शुश्रुवांसो गुरूणां देवा लोकाश्चोपशृण्वन्तु सर्वे
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.
इतीदमुक्त्वा स महानुभाव- स्तपोनिधीनां निधिरप्रमेयः। तान्दानवान्दैवविमूढबुद्धी- निदं समाहूय वचोऽभ्युवाच
Having spoken thus, that great-souled one, the unfathomable treasure of ascetics, summoned those Danavas whose minds were bewildered by the gods, and addressed them with these words.
आचक्षे वो दानवा बालिशाः स्थ सिद्धः कचो वत्स्यति मत्सकाशे। सञ्जीविनीं प्राप्य विद्यां महात्मा तुल्यप्रभावो ब्राह्मणो ब्रह्मभूतः
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.
योऽकार्षीद्दुष्करं कर्म देवानां कारणात्कचः। न तत्किर्तिर्जरां गच्छेद्याज्ञीयश्च भविष्यति
Kacha performed the difficult deed for the sake of the gods; his fame will not fade with age, and he will be worthy of sacrifice.
एतावदुक्त्वा वचनं विरराम स भार्गवः। दानवा विस्मयाविष्टाः प्रययुः स्वं निवेशनम्
Having spoken thus, the descendant of Bhrigu ceased his speech; the Danavas, struck with wonder, returned to their own abode.