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?
स तेनापृष्टो विद्यया चोपहूतः शनैर्वाचं जठरे व्याजहार तमब्रवीत्केन चेहोपनीतो ममोदरे तिष्ठसि ब्रूहि वत्स
Then, though unasked, and summoned by knowledge, he slowly spoke from within the belly; and he said to him, 'By whom have you been initiated, and why do you remain in my belly? Speak, my child.'
भवत्प्रसादान्न जहाति मां स्मृतिः सर्वं स्मरेयं यच्च यथा च वृत्तम् न त्व् एवं स्यात्तपसः क्षयो मे तत क्लेशं घोरतरं स्मरामि
By your grace, memory does not leave me; I remember everything, what happened and how. Yet, let not my ascetic merit be diminished in this way—therefore, I recall a greater suffering.
असुरैः सुरायां भवतो ऽस्मि दत्तो हत्वा दग्ध्वा चूर्णयित्वा च काव्य ब्राह्मीं मायां त्व् आसुरी त्व् अत्र माया त्वयि स्थिते कथम् एवाभिबाधते
By the Asuras, I was given to you in the drink, having been killed, burned, and crushed, O Kavya. The Brahmin's magic is in you, but here the Asuric magic prevails—how can it overpower you while you remain?
किं ते प्रियं करवाण्यद्य वत्से विनैव मे जीवितं स्यात्कचस्य नान्यत्र कुक्षेर्मम भेदनाच्च दृश्येत् कचो मद्गतो देवयानि
What dear thing shall I do for you today, child? Without you, my life would not remain; Kacha would be seen only by splitting open my belly, for he is within me, O Devayani.
द्वौ मां शोकाव् अग्निकल्पौ दहेतां कचस्य नाशस्तव चैवोपघातः कचस्य नाशे मम नास्ति शर्म तवोपघाते जीवितुं नास्मि शक्ता
Two griefs, like fire, would consume me: the loss of Kacha and your own harm. With Kacha's loss, I have no peace; with your harm, I am unable to live.
संसिद्धरूपो ऽसि बृहस्पतेः सुत यत्त्वां भक्तं भजते देवयानी विद्यामिमां प्राप्नुहि जीवनीं त्वं न चेदिन्द्रः कचरूपी त्वमद्य
You are perfected, O son of Brihaspati, since Devayani, devoted, cherishes you. Attain this knowledge that grants life; otherwise, today you will become Indra in Kacha's form.
न निवर्तेत्पुनर्जीवन् कश्चिदन्यो ममोदरात् ब्राह्मणं वर्जयित्वैकं तस्माद्विद्याम् अवाप्नुहि
No one else, except a Brahmin, can return to life from my belly; therefore, attain the knowledge.
पुत्रो भूत्वा निष्क्रमस्वोदरान्मे भित्त्वा कुक्षिं जीवय मां च तात अवेक्षेथा धर्मवतीमवेक्षां गुरोः सकाशात्प्राप्य विद्यां सविद्यः
Become my son and emerge from my belly, breaking it open; revive me, dear one, and observe proper conduct. Having obtained knowledge from the teacher, be learned.
गुरोः सकाशात्समवाप्य विद्यां भित्त्वा कुक्षिं निर्विचक्राम विप्रः प्रालेयाद्रेः शुक्लमुद्भिद्य शृङ्गं रात्र्यागमे पौर्णमास्यामिवेन्दुः
Having fully obtained knowledge from the teacher, the Brahmin broke open the belly and came forth, like the moon emerging from the peak of the snowy mountain at nightfall on the full moon.
दृष्ट्वा च तं पतितं वेदराशिम् उत्थापयामास ततः कचो ऽपि विद्यां सिद्धां तामवाप्याभिवाद्य ततः कचस्तं गुरुमित्युवाच
Seeing him fallen, the collection of Vedas was raised up; then Kacha, having attained that perfected knowledge, paid homage and spoke to his teacher.
निधिं निधीनां वरदं वराणां ये नाद्रियन्ते गुरुमर्चनीयम् प्रालेयाद्रिप्रोज्ज्वलद्भालसंस्थं पापांल्लोकांस्ते व्रजन्त्यप्रतिष्ठाः
Those who do not honor the guru, who is to be worshipped, the best among treasures and boons, whose forehead shines like the blazing Himalayan peak—such people, unstable, go to sinful worlds.
सुरापानाद् वञ्चनात् प्रापयित्वा संज्ञानाशं चेतसश्चापि घोरम् दृष्ट्वा कचं चापि तथाभिरूपं पीतं तथा सुरया मोहितेन
By making one drink liquor, by deception, and causing the loss of consciousness and reason, seeing the glass so attractive, one drinks, deluded by the liquor.
समन्युरुत्थाय महानुभावस् तदोशना विप्रहितं चिकीर्षुः काव्यः स्वयं वाक्यमिदं जगाद सुरापानं प्रत्यसौ जातशङ्कः
Then Kavya, of great power, rose up in anger, wishing to address the wrong done to Ushanas, and himself spoke these words, suspecting the act of drinking liquor.
यो ब्राह्मणो ऽद्यप्रभृतीह कश्चिन् मोहात्सुरां पास्यति मन्दबुद्धिः अपेतधर्मा ब्रह्महा चैव स स्यादस्मिंल्लोके गर्हितः स्यात्परे च
Any Brahmin from this day onward who, out of delusion, drinks liquor, being dull-witted and fallen from dharma, is indeed a slayer of Brahmins, condemned in this world and the next.
मया चेमां विप्रधर्मोक्तसीमां मर्यादां वै स्थापितां सर्वलोके सन्तो विप्राः शुश्रुवांसो गुरूणां देवा दैत्याश्चोपशृण्वन्तु सर्वे
And I have established this boundary of Brahmin conduct in all the worlds; let all the virtuous Brahmins, attentive to their teachers, and all gods and demons, listen.
इतीदमुक्त्वा स महाप्रभावस् तपोनिधीनां निधिर् अप्रमेयः तान्दानवांश्चैव निगूढबुद्धीन् इदं समाहूय वचो ऽभ्युवाच
Having thus spoken, that one of immeasurable brilliance, the treasure of ascetics, called together those Danavas of hidden intent and addressed them with these words.
आचक्षे वो दानवा बालिशाः स्थ शिष्यः कचो वत्स्यति मत्समीपे संजीवनीं प्राप्य विद्यां मयायं तुल्यप्रभावो ब्राह्मणो ब्रह्मभूतः
I declare to you, O Danavas, you are childish; Kacha, the disciple, will remain with me. Having obtained the Sanjivani knowledge from me, this Brahmin, equal in power, will become like Brahma.
गुरोरुष्य सकाशे च दश वर्षशतानि सः अनुज्ञातः कचो गन्तुम् इयेष त्रिदशालयम्
Having lived near his guru for a hundred years, and with permission, Kacha wished to go to the abode of the gods.
समापितव्रतं तं तु विसृष्टं गुरुणा तदा प्रस्थितं त्रिदशावासं देवयानीदमब्रवीत्
When he had completed his vow and was released by his teacher, as he set out for the dwelling of the gods, Devayani spoke to him these words.
ऋषेर् अङ्गिरसः पौत्र वृत्तेनाभिजनेन च भ्राजसे विद्यया चैव तपसा च दमेन च
Grandson of the sage Angiras, you shine by conduct, by birth, by knowledge, by austerity, and by self-restraint.