Kacha and Devayani

The pupil who learned the art of raising the dead from inside his teacher's belly — and the teacher's daughter who begged him not to go

Kacha and Devayani is chapter 3 of Matsya Purana. Source: Matsya Purana, chapters 25–26. It is told in 6 scenes — Two Teachers, One War; Kacha Goes; Twice; The Impossible Choice; Devayani's Request; Two Curses — followed by 10 quiz questions.

Two Teachers, One War

Suta told the sages that King Shatanika had once put this story to Shaunaka. Shatanika wanted to know about his forefather Yayati, and how he came to marry Shukra's daughter. "First," said Shaunaka, "hear what came before."

The gods and the Asuras had fallen out over the kingdom of the three worlds. The gods made Brihaspati their priest, and the Asuras made Shukra theirs. The two teachers could not bear each other.

But Shukra possessed something Brihaspati lacked: Sanjivani, the power to restore the dead to life. Whatever Asuras the gods killed, Shukra raised again, and they came back to fight. When the Asuras killed gods, Brihaspati could do nothing of the kind. The gods were badly frightened.

Kacha Goes

So the gods went to Brihaspati's son Kacha. "Kacha," they said, "we have come to you for shelter. Somehow bring us the Sanjivani from Shukra. In return you will share the sacrifices with us."

They told him that Shukra lived at the court of Vrishaparva, who protects the Asuras and not the gods, and that Shukra's daughter was Devayani. "Win her favour, with tact and sweet manners, and the matter will be done. No one else can do it."

Kacha, honoured by the gods, went straight to Shukra. He bowed and said, "Master, I am Kacha, grandson of Angiras and son of Brihaspati. Accept me as your pupil. I will live the life of an ideal student and stay with you for thousands of years."

"Welcome, Kacha," said Shukra. "You have spoken well, and both you and your father Brihaspati deserve my respect."

Kacha obeyed every order of Shukra, kept his fasts on time, and served the master and Devayani. Devayani was a young woman by now. Kacha pleased her with song, dance, music, flowers and gifts, and she for her part took full care of that pure young Brahmin.

Five hundred years passed like this.

Twice

The Asuras discovered who Kacha was. They hated Brihaspati. One day, while Kacha was grazing the cows in the forest, they seized him in a lonely place, killed him and threw his body to the wild animals. The cows came home without their herdsman.

Devayani saw them return alone. "Father," she said, "your evening rite is finished, the sun has set, the cows have come back without their herdsman, and Kacha is nowhere. Either he has been killed or taken. Truly, I cannot live without him."

"I will call him now," said Shukra, and with his Sanjivani he brought Kacha back to life. Kacha came running, bowed to his teacher from a distance, and told him everything.

Another day Kacha went to the forest, reciting the Veda as he walked, to fetch flowers for Devayani. The Asuras saw him again. This time they ground him to powder, mixed what was left into wine, and gave it to Shukra to drink.

Devayani said to her father again, "I sent him for flowers, and he has not come back."

Shukra thought, "These Asuras are jealous of me. That is why they keep killing my pupils. Do they want to destroy Brahmins?" And once more he called Kacha with Sanjivani. This time Kacha's voice came slowly from inside Shukra's belly.

"How are you in my belly?" Shukra asked. "Who killed you?"

"The Asuras killed me," said Kacha. "They mixed me into the wine and gave it to you. But by your grace I remember everything, and by the power of your penance I feel no pain."

The Impossible Choice

Devayani said, weeping, "Two griefs burn me like fire, Kacha's death and yours. I cannot live without Kacha, and I cannot live without you."

Shukra suddenly found himself facing an impossible choice. He said to Kacha, "I am sure you are not Indra but a Brahmin, because no one but a Brahmin could stay in my belly. Had it been Indra, a Kshatriya, I would have digested him. So learn the Sanjivani from me. Then split my belly and come out, bring me back to life, and fulfil the hope of this daughter of mine."

Kacha learned the art inside his teacher's belly. Then he tore it open and came out, like the full moon splitting the eastern sky at nightfall. Seeing his teacher lying dead, he brought him back with the same Sanjivani. He bowed and said, "Those who do not honour a teacher who is deep as an ocean and generous with boons are sinners."

The wine had clouded Shukra's mind too. So he made a rule: "From today, any foolish Brahmin who drinks wine will fall from dharma, will incur the sin of killing a Brahmin, and will be despised in this world and the next. I make this law for all Brahmins, and let the gods and Daityas hear it too."

Then Shukra called the Asuras and said, "Fools, listen. My pupil Kacha has received the Sanjivani from me. He is now as powerful as I am, a true Brahmin."

Kacha stayed with his teacher another hundred years. Then he asked leave and prepared to go to heaven.

Devayani's Request

As Kacha was about to leave, Devayani said to him, "Grandson of Angiras, you shine with your wealth, your family, your learning, your conduct, your penance and your self-control. As my father honours Angiras, so I honour Brihaspati. You know how I treated you during your vow. Your learning is now complete. Do not leave me, who am devoted to you. Take my hand with rites and mantras."

"Your father is my teacher," Kacha replied, "so he is like a father to me, and you, my teacher's daughter, deserve my reverence. You should not make me this proposal. To me you are like a teacher."

"You are Brihaspati's son, not my father's," said Devayani. "I honour you. Remember that when the Asuras killed you again and again, my affection never wavered. Is that not proof of my love? Do not cast away one who is devoted to you."

"You are asking for something that is not right," said Kacha. "You deserve even greater respect than a teacher. I too lived within your father's body, just as you once did. By the rules of dharma, that makes you like a sister to me. I have lived peacefully under your father's care, and I have done nothing to dishonour him. Nor am I angry with you for this request. Now give me leave, and wish me a good journey. Remember me when it is right to do so, and continue to serve my teacher faithfully."

Two Curses

Devayani was angry at Kacha's refusal. "I tried to save you only so that you would be my husband," she said. "Since you reject my lawful request, this Sanjivani of yours will not work for you."

"Why do you curse me?" said Kacha. "I am going with my teacher's leave. I did not accept you only because you are my teacher's daughter. There is no fault in you. I only told you the law of the sages. Since you have cursed me, I say in return: your wish will never be fulfilled, and no sage's son will marry you. My Sanjivani will not work for me, but it will work for the one I teach."

Saying this, Kacha went straight to heaven. Indra and the gods saw him and said, "Kacha, you have done a great deed for us. Your fame will never lessen. It will spread on every side."

And it was this Devayani, whom no sage's son accepted, who in time married Yayati.

Note: This chapter follows chapters 25 and 26 of the Matsya Purana. The original has more detail on how the Asuras killed Kacha; here it is kept short. Devayani's curse and Kacha's counter-curse are both in the original.

Source: The Matsya Purana — the English translation by a Taluqdar of Oudh, Sacred Books of the Hindus, vol. 17 (1916–17), Kacha and Devayani