शीलदाक्षिण्यमाधुर्यैर् आचारेण दमेन च देवयान्यां तु तुष्टायां विद्यां तां प्राप्स्यसि ध्रुवम्
"By virtue, generosity, sweetness, good conduct, and self-control, when Devayānī is pleased, you will surely obtain that knowledge."
तदा हि प्रेषितो देवैः समीपे वृषपर्वणः तथेत्युक्त्वा तु स प्रायाद् बृहस्पतिसुतः कचः
Then, sent by the gods, Kaca, son of Bṛhaspati, said, 'So be it,' and set out to the presence of Vṛṣaparvan.
स गत्वा त्वरितो राजन् देवैः सम्पूजितः कचः असुरेन्द्रपुरे शुक्रं प्रणम्येदमुवाच ह
Having gone swiftly, honored by the gods, Kaca bowed to Śukra in the city of the lord of the asuras and spoke these words.
ऋषेर् अङ्गिरसः पौत्रं पुत्रं साक्षाद्बृहस्पतेः नाम्ना कचेति विख्यातं शिष्यं गृह्णातु मां भवान्
"O revered one, I am the grandson of the sage Aṅgiras, the direct son of Bṛhaspati, and known by the name Kaca. Please accept me as your disciple."
ब्रह्मचर्यं चरिष्यामि त्वय्यहं परमं गुरो अनुमन्यस्व मां ब्रह्मन् सहस्रपरिवत्सरान्
O supreme teacher, I wish to practice the highest celibacy under you; please permit me, O Brahman, for a thousand years.
कच सुस्वागतं ते ऽस्तु प्रतिगृह्णामि ते वचः अर्चयिष्ये ऽहमर्च्यं त्वाम् अर्चितो ऽस्तु बृहस्पतिः
Kaca, you are most welcome; I accept your words. I shall honor you, the worthy one, and may Bṛhaspati be honored as well.
कचस्तु तं तथेत्युक्त्वा प्रतिजग्राह तद्व्रतम् आदिष्टं कविपुत्रेण शुक्रेणोशनसा स्वयम्
Kaca, having replied, 'So be it,' accepted that vow, as instructed by Śukra, son of Kavi, himself.
व्रतं च व्रतकालं च यथोक्तं प्रत्यगृह्णत आराधयन्नुपाध्यायं देवयानीं च भारत
He accepted the vow and its period as stated, and served his preceptor and Devayānī, O Bhārata.
नित्यमाराधयिष्यंस्तां युवा यौवनगोचराम् गायन्नृत्यन्वादयंश्च देवयानीमतोषयत्
He constantly served her, a young woman in the bloom of youth, by singing, dancing, and playing music, thus pleasing Devayānī.
संशीलयन्देवयानीं कन्यां सम्प्राप्तयौवनाम् पुष्पैः फलैः प्रेषणैश्च तोषयामास भार्गवीम्
Attending to Devayānī, the maiden who had reached youth, he pleased the Bhārgava girl with flowers, fruits, and errands.
देवयान्यपि तं विप्रं नियमव्रतचारिणम् अनुगायन्ती ललना रहः पर्यचरत्तदा
Devayānī too, pleased with the self-restrained and vow-observing Brahmin, sang along and attended to him in private.
पञ्च वर्षशतान्येवं कचस्य चरतो भृशम् तत्तत्तीव्रं व्रतं बुद्ध्वा दानवास्तं ततः कचम्
Thus, as Kaca diligently observed his vow for five hundred years, the Dānavas, perceiving his severe austerity, then targeted him.
गा रक्षन्तं वने दृष्ट्वा रहस्येनममर्षिताः जघ्नुर् बृहस्पतेर् द्वेषान् निजरक्षार्थम् एव च
Seeing him guarding the cows in the forest, the Dānavas, enraged and secretly, killed him out of hatred for Bṛhaspati and for their own protection.
हत्वा सालावृकेभ्यश्च प्रायच्छंस्तिलशः कृतम् ततो गावो निवृत्तास्ता अगोपाः स्वनिवेशनम्
Having killed him, they fed his remains, ground to bits, to the wolves and jackals; then the cowherds returned home without the cows.
ता दृष्ट्वा रहिता गास्तु कचेनाभ्यागता वनात् उवाच वचनं काले देवयान्यथ भार्गवम्
When the cows returned from the forest without Kaca, Devayānī spoke at the proper time to Bhārgava.
हुतं चैवाग्निहोत्रं ते सूर्यश्चास्तं गतः प्रभो अगोपाश्चागता गावः कचस्तात न दृश्यते
Your fire-offering has been made, the sun has set, master; the cowherds have returned, but Kaca, father, is not to be seen.
व्यक्तं हतो धृतो वापि कचस्तात भविष्यति तं विना नैव जीवामि वचः सत्यं ब्रवीम्यहम्
Surely, father, Kaca has either been killed or captured; without him, I cannot live—I speak the truth.
अथेह्येहीति शब्देन मृतं संजीवयाम्यहम् ततः संजीवनीं विद्यां प्रयुक्त्वा कचमाह्वयत्
Then, with the words 'Come, come,' I shall revive the dead; thus, applying the knowledge of resurrection, he called for Kaca.
आहूतः प्रादुरभवत् कचः शुक्रं ननाम स हतो ऽहमिति चाचख्यौ राक्षसैर् धिषणात्मजः
Summoned, Kaca appeared and bowed to Śukra, saying, 'I was killed by the Rākṣasas, O son of Dhiṣaṇa.'
स पुनर्देवयान्युक्तः पुष्पाहारे यदृच्छया वनं ययौ कचो विप्रः पठन्ब्रह्म च शाश्वतम्
Again, at Devayānī's request to gather flowers, Kaca, the Brahmin, went to the forest, reciting the eternal Veda.
वने पुष्पाणि चिन्वन्तं ददृशुर् दानवाश्च तम् ततो ऽद्वितीयं तं हत्वा दग्धं कृत्वा च चूर्णवत् प्रायच्छन् ब्राह्मणायैव सुरायामसुरास्तदा
While he was gathering flowers in the forest, the Dānavas saw him; then, killing him again, they burned him to ashes, ground him to powder, and mixed him into the drink of the Brāhmaṇa for the gods.
देवयान्यथ भूयो ऽपि पितरं वाक्यमब्रवीत् पुष्पाहारप्रेषणकृत् कचस्तात न दृश्यते
Then Devayānī again spoke to her father: 'Kaca, who was sent to gather flowers, father, is not to be seen.'
व्यक्तं हतो मृतो वापि कचस्तात भविष्यति तं विना नैव जीवामि वचः सत्यं ब्रवीमि ते
Surely, father, whether Kacha is slain or dead, he will be so; without him, I cannot live—this is the truth I tell you.
बृहस्पतेः सुतः पुत्रि कचः प्रेतगतिं गतः विद्यया जीवितो ऽप्येवं हन्यते करवाणि किम्
O daughter, Kacha, the son of Brihaspati, has gone to the realm of the dead; even if revived by knowledge, he is thus slain—what can I do?
मैनं शुचो मा रुद देवयानि न त्वादृशी मर्त्यमनु प्रशोचेत् यस्यास्तव ब्रह्म च ब्राह्मणाश्च सेन्द्राश्च देवा वसवो ऽश्विनौ च
Do not grieve for him, do not weep, Devayani; one such as you should not mourn a mortal, for whom Brahma, the Brahmins, Indra, the gods, the Vasus, and the Ashvins all exist.
सुरद्विषश्चैव जगच्च सर्वम् उपस्थितं मत्तपसः प्रभावात् अशक्यो ऽयं जीवयितुं द्विजातिः संजीवितो यो वध्यते चैव भूयः
The enemies of the gods, and indeed the whole world, are present because of my ascetic power; this twice-born cannot be revived—one who has been restored to life and then killed again.
यस्याङ्गिरा वृद्धतमः पितामहो बृहस्पतिश्चापि पिता तपोनिधिः ऋषेः सुपुत्रं तमथापि पौत्रं कथं न शोचे यमहं न रुद्याम्
His great-grandfather is Angiras, the eldest; his father is Brihaspati, a treasury of austerity—how could I not grieve or weep for such a sage's excellent son and grandson?
स ब्रह्मचारी च तपोधनश्च सदोत्थितः कर्मसु चैव दक्षः कचस्य मार्गं प्रतिपत्स्ये न भोक्ष्ये प्रियो हि मे तात कचो ऽभिरूपः
He is a celibate, rich in austerity, ever diligent, and skilled in duties; I shall follow Kacha's path and will not eat, for dear Kacha, handsome and beloved, is gone.
स त्व् एवमुक्तो देवयान्या महर्षिः संरम्भेण व्याजहाराथ काव्यः असंशयं मामसुरा द्विषन्ति ये मे शिष्यानागतान्सूदयन्ति
Thus addressed by Devayani, the great sage Kavya spoke with anger: 'Without doubt, the Asuras hate me, for they slay my disciples who come to me.'
अब्राह्मणं कर्तुमिच्छन्ति रौद्रा एभिर् व्यर्थं प्रस्तुतो दानवैर्हि तत्कर्मणाप्यस्य भवेदिहान्तः कं ब्रह्महत्या न दहेदपीन्द्रम्
These fierce Danavas wish to make me unbrahminical; this act of theirs is in vain. Even by such a deed, there would be an end here—whom would the sin of Brahmin-murder not burn, even Indra?