Mahabharata 1.71.40–51

Saṃbhava-parva (kaca-devayānī) (Kaca and Devayānī)1.71.40–51

435 / 15823

Mahabharata · 1.71.40–51

॥

Devanāgarī

वैशंपायन उवाच
संचोदितो देवयान्या महर्षिः पुनर् आह्वयत् ॥
संरम्भेणैव काव्यो हि बृहस्पतिसुतं कचम् ॥
गुरोर् भीतो विद्यया चोपहूतः ।
शनैर् वाचं जठरे व्याजहार ॥
तम् अब्रवीत् केन पथोपनीतो ।
ममोदरे तिष्ठसि ब्रूहि विप्र ॥
कच उवाच
भवत्प्रसादान् न जहाति मां स्मृतिः ।
स्मरे च सर्वं यच् च यथा च वृत्तम् ॥
न त्व् एवं स्यात् तपसो व्ययो मे ।
ततः क्लेशं घोरम् इमं सहामि ॥
असुरैः सुरायां भवतो ऽस्मि दत्तो ।
हत्वा दग्ध्वा चूर्णयित्वा च काव्य ॥
ब्राह्मीं मायाम् आसुरी चैव माया ।
त्वयि स्थिते कथम् एवातिवर्तेत् ॥
शुक्र उवाच
किं ते प्रियं करवाण्य् अद्य वत्से ।
वधेन मे जीवितं स्यात् कचस्य ॥
नान्यत्र कुक्षेर् मम भेदनेन ।
दृश्येत् कचो मद्गतो देवयानि ॥
देवयान्य् उवाच
द्वौ मां शोकाव् अग्निकल्पौ दहेतां ।
कचस्य नाशस् तव चैवोपघातः ॥
कचस्य नाशे मम नास्ति शर्म ।
तवोपघाते जीवितुं नास्मि शक्ता ॥
शुक्र उवाच
संसिद्धरूपो ऽसि बृहस्पतेः सुत ।
यत् त्वां भक्तं भजते देवयानी ॥
विद्याम् इमां प्राप्नुहि जीवनीं त्वं ।
न चेद् इन्द्रः कचरूपी त्वम् अद्य ॥
न निवर्तेत् पुनर् जीवन् कश् चिद् अन्यो ममोदरात् ॥
ब्राह्मणं वर्जयित्वैकं तस्माद् विद्याम् अवाप्नुहि ॥
पुत्रो भूत्वा भावय भावितो माम् ।
अस्माद् देहाद् उपनिष्क्रम्य तात ॥
समीक्षेथा धर्मवतीम् अवेक्षां ।
गुरोः सकाशात् प्राप्य विद्यां सविद्यः ॥
वैशंपायन उवाच
गुरोः सकाशात् समवाप्य विद्यां ।
भित्त्वा कुक्षिं निर्विचक्राम विप्रः ॥
कचो ऽभिरूपो दक्षिणं ब्राह्मणस्य ।
शुक्लात्यये पौर्णमास्याम् इवेन्दुः ॥
दृष्ट्वा च तं पतितं ब्रह्मराशिम् ।
उत्थापयाम् आस मृतं कचो ऽपि ॥
विद्यां सिद्धां ताम् अवाप्याभिवाद्य ।
ततः कचस् तं गुरुम् इत्य् उवाच ॥
ऋतस्य दातारम् अनुत्तमस्य ।
निधिं निधीनां चतुरन्वयानाम् ॥
ये नाद्रियन्ते गुरुम् अर्चनीयं ।
पापांल् लोकांस् ते व्रजन्त्य् अप्रतिष्ठान् ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca
saṃcodito devayānyā maharṣiḥ punar āhvayat ||
saṃrambheṇaiva kāvyo hi bṛhaspatisutaṃ kacam ||
guror bhīto vidyayā copahūtaḥ |
śanair vācaṃ jaṭhare vyājahāra ||
tam abravīt kena pathopanīto |
mamodare tiṣṭhasi brūhi vipra ||
kaca uvāca
bhavatprasādān na jahāti māṃ smṛtiḥ |
smare ca sarvaṃ yac ca yathā ca vṛttam ||
na tv evaṃ syāt tapaso vyayo me |
tataḥ kleśaṃ ghoram imaṃ sahāmi ||
asuraiḥ surāyāṃ bhavato 'smi datto |
hatvā dagdhvā cūrṇayitvā ca kāvya ||
brāhmīṃ māyām āsurī caiva māyā |
tvayi sthite katham evātivartet ||
śukra uvāca
kiṃ te priyaṃ karavāṇy adya vatse |
vadhena me jīvitaṃ syāt kacasya ||
nānyatra kukṣer mama bhedanena |
dṛśyet kaco madgato devayāni ||
devayāny uvāca
dvau māṃ śokāv agnikalpau dahetāṃ |
kacasya nāśas tava caivopaghātaḥ ||
kacasya nāśe mama nāsti śarma |
tavopaghāte jīvituṃ nāsmi śaktā ||
śukra uvāca
saṃsiddharūpo 'si bṛhaspateḥ suta |
yat tvāṃ bhaktaṃ bhajate devayānī ||
vidyām imāṃ prāpnuhi jīvanīṃ tvaṃ |
na ced indraḥ kacarūpī tvam adya ||
na nivartet punar jīvan kaś cid anyo mamodarāt ||
brāhmaṇaṃ varjayitvaikaṃ tasmād vidyām avāpnuhi ||
putro bhūtvā bhāvaya bhāvito mām |
asmād dehād upaniṣkramya tāta ||
samīkṣethā dharmavatīm avekṣāṃ |
guroḥ sakāśāt prāpya vidyāṃ savidyaḥ ||
vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca
guroḥ sakāśāt samavāpya vidyāṃ |
bhittvā kukṣiṃ nirvicakrāma vipraḥ ||
kaco 'bhirūpo dakṣiṇaṃ brāhmaṇasya |
śuklātyaye paurṇamāsyām ivenduḥ ||
dṛṣṭvā ca taṃ patitaṃ brahmarāśim |
utthāpayām āsa mṛtaṃ kaco 'pi ||
vidyāṃ siddhāṃ tām avāpyābhivādya |
tataḥ kacas taṃ gurum ity uvāca ||
ṛtasya dātāram anuttamasya |
nidhiṃ nidhīnāṃ caturanvayānām ||
ye nādriyante gurum arcanīyaṃ |
pāpāṃl lokāṃs te vrajanty apratiṣṭhān ||

Word-by-word

SanskritIASTMeaning

वैशंपायनः उवाच देवयान्या संचोदितः महर्षिः काव्यः संरम्भेण एव बृहस्पतिसुतं कचं पुनः आह्वयत्vaiśaṃpāyanaḥ uvāca devayānyā saṃcoditaḥ maharṣiḥ kāvyaḥ saṃrambheṇa eva bṛhaspatisutaṃ kacaṃ punaḥ āhvayatVaishampayana said: urged on by Devayani, the great sage Kavya (Shukra), in agitation, called out once more to Kacha, son of Brihaspati.

गुरोः भीतः विद्यया उपहूतः सः जठरे शनैः वाचं व्याजहार तं अब्रवीत् विप्र केन पथा उपनीतः मम उदरे तिष्ठसि ब्रूहिguroḥ bhītaḥ vidyayā upahūtaḥ saḥ jaṭhare śanaiḥ vācaṃ vyājahāra taṃ abravīt vipra kena pathā upanītaḥ mama udare tiṣṭhasi brūhi[Kacha], fearing his teacher, summoned by the science, softly raised his voice from within the belly; [Shukra] said to him: "O brahmin, by what path brought here, do you dwell in my belly? Speak."

कचः उवाच भवत्प्रसादात् स्मृतिः मां न जहाति यत् यथा च वृत्तं सर्वं स्मरे मे तपसः व्ययः न स्यात् ततः इमं घोरं क्लेशं सहामिkacaḥ uvāca bhavatprasādāt smṛtiḥ māṃ na jahāti yat yathā ca vṛttaṃ sarvaṃ smare me tapasaḥ vyayaḥ na syāt tataḥ imaṃ ghoraṃ kleśaṃ sahāmiKacha said: "By your grace, memory does not leave me; I remember everything, all that happened and how. Lest my austerity be spent in vain, I bear this terrible torment."

काव्य असुरैः हत्वा दग्ध्वा चूर्णयित्वा [अहं] सुरायां भवतः दत्तः अस्मि त्वयि स्थिते आसुरी माया ब्राह्मीं मायां कथं अतिवर्तेत्kāvya asuraiḥ hatvā dagdhvā cūrṇayitvā [ahaṃ] surāyāṃ bhavataḥ dattaḥ asmi tvayi sthite āsurī māyā brāhmīṃ māyāṃ kathaṃ ativartet"O Kavya, the asuras killed me, burned me, and ground me to powder, and I was mixed into your wine; but so long as you remain [alive, I am within you] -- how could demonic illusion overcome brahmanic illusion?"

शुक्रः उवाच वत्से अद्य किं ते प्रियं करवाणि कचस्य जीवितं मे वधेन स्यात् मम कुक्षेः भेदनम् अन्यत्र न कचः मद्गतः दृश्येत्śukraḥ uvāca vatse adya kiṃ te priyaṃ karavāṇi kacasya jīvitaṃ me vadhena syāt mama kukṣeḥ bhedanam anyatra na kacaḥ madgataḥ dṛśyetShukra said: "O child, what pleasing thing shall I do for you today? Kacha's life could come only at the cost of my own death; only by the rending of my belly could Kacha, now within me, appear."

देवयानी उवाच द्वौ शोकौ अग्निकल्पौ मां दहेतां कचस्य नाशः तव च उपघातः कचस्य नाशे मम शर्म न अस्ति तव उपघाते जीवितुं न शक्ताdevayānī uvāca dvau śokau agnikalpau māṃ dahetāṃ kacasya nāśaḥ tava ca upaghātaḥ kacasya nāśe mama śarma na asti tava upaghāte jīvituṃ na śaktāDevayani said: "Two griefs, like fire, are burning me -- the loss of Kacha and harm to you. In Kacha's loss there is no peace for me; if harm comes to you, I shall not be able to live."

शुक्रः उवाच बृहस्पतेः सुत त्वं संसिद्धरूपः असि यत् भक्तं त्वां देवयानी भजते इमां जीवनीं विद्यां प्राप्नुहि न चेत् त्वं अद्य कचरूपी इन्द्रः असिśukraḥ uvāca bṛhaspateḥ suta tvaṃ saṃsiddharūpaḥ asi yat bhaktaṃ tvāṃ devayānī bhajate imāṃ jīvanīṃ vidyāṃ prāpnuhi na cet tvaṃ adya kacarūpī indraḥ asiShukra said: "O son of Brihaspati, you are a man of perfect worth, since Devayani, devoted as you are, loves you. Receive this life-giving science -- unless you are Indra today in the form of Kacha."

मम उदरात् जीवन् पुनः न निवर्तेत् कः चित् अन्यः ब्राह्मणं एकं वर्जयित्वा तस्मात् विद्यां अवाप्नुहिmama udarāt jīvan punaḥ na nivartet kaḥ cit anyaḥ brāhmaṇaṃ ekaṃ varjayitvā tasmāt vidyāṃ avāpnuhi"From my belly no one else, living, shall ever come forth again, save one brahmin alone; therefore obtain the science."

तात पुत्रः भूत्वा माम् भावितः भावय अस्मात् देहात् उपनिष्क्रम्य गुरोः सकाशात् विद्यां प्राप्य सविद्यः धर्मवतीम् अवेक्षां समीक्षेथाःtāta putraḥ bhūtvā mām bhāvitaḥ bhāvaya asmāt dehāt upaniṣkramya guroḥ sakāśāt vidyāṃ prāpya savidyaḥ dharmavatīm avekṣāṃ samīkṣethāḥ"O son, having become as a son to me, and revived by me, revive me in turn; and having come forth from this body, having obtained the science from your teacher, and yourself possessed of it, hold fast to righteous vision."

वैशंपायनः उवाच गुरोः सकाशात् विद्यां समवाप्य कुक्षिं भित्त्वा अभिरूपः कचः विप्रः ब्राह्मणस्य दक्षिणं [पार्श्वं] शुक्लात्यये पौर्णमास्यां इन्दुः इव निर्विचक्रामvaiśaṃpāyanaḥ uvāca guroḥ sakāśāt vidyāṃ samavāpya kukṣiṃ bhittvā abhirūpaḥ kacaḥ vipraḥ brāhmaṇasya dakṣiṇaṃ [pārśvaṃ] śuklātyaye paurṇamāsyāṃ induḥ iva nirvicakrāmaVaishampayana said: having obtained the science from his teacher, the handsome brahmin Kacha, rending the belly, came forth from the right side of the brahmin, like the moon at the end of the dark fortnight on the night of the full moon.

कचः पतितं मृतं ब्रह्मराशिं तं दृष्ट्वा [तं] उत्थापयाम् आस तां सिद्धां विद्यां अवाप्य अभिवाद्य गुरुम् इति उवाचkacaḥ patitaṃ mṛtaṃ brahmarāśiṃ taṃ dṛṣṭvā [taṃ] utthāpayām āsa tāṃ siddhāṃ vidyāṃ avāpya abhivādya gurum iti uvācaKacha, seeing him fallen, dead, that heap of brahminical glory, raised him up; and having obtained that perfected science and bowed to his teacher, he said:

ये अनुत्तमस्य ऋतस्य दातारं चतुरन्वयानां निधीनां निधिं अर्चनीयं गुरुं न आद्रियन्ते ते अप्रतिष्ठान् पापान् लोकान् व्रजन्तिye anuttamasya ṛtasya dātāraṃ caturanvayānāṃ nidhīnāṃ nidhiṃ arcanīyaṃ guruṃ na ādriyante te apratiṣṭhān pāpān lokān vrajanti"Those who do not honor the teacher -- the giver of unsurpassed truth, the treasury of treasuries of the four kinds, worthy of reverence -- they go to base and sinful worlds."

वैशंपायनvaiśaṃpāyanaoriginal form "vaiśaṃpāyana", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

संचोदितोsaṃcoditooriginal form "saṃcodito", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

पुनर्punaroriginal form "punar", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

संरम्भेणैवsaṃrambheṇaivaoriginal form "saṃrambheṇaiva", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

काव्योkāvyooriginal form "kāvyo", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

हिhioriginal form "hi", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

कचम्kacamoriginal form "kacam", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

गुरोर्gurororiginal form "guror", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

भीतोbhītooriginal form "bhīto", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

चोपहूतःcopahūtaḥoriginal form "copahūtaḥ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

शनैर्śanairoriginal form "śanair", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

तम्tamoriginal form "tam", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

पथोपनीतोpathopanītooriginal form "pathopanīto", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

ममोदरेmamodareoriginal form "mamodare", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

कचkacaoriginal form "kaca", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

भवत्प्रसादान्bhavatprasādānoriginal form "bhavatprasādān", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

यच्yacoriginal form "yac", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

चcaoriginal form "ca", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

वृत्तम्vṛttamoriginal form "vṛttam", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

त्व्tvoriginal form "tv", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

एवंevaṃoriginal form "evaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

तपसोtapasooriginal form "tapaso", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

व्ययोvyayooriginal form "vyayo", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

घोरम्ghoramoriginal form "ghoram", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

भवतोbhavatooriginal form "bhavato", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

ऽस्मि'smioriginal form "'smi", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

दत्तोdattooriginal form "datto", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

चcaoriginal form "ca", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

मायाम्māyāmoriginal form "māyām", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

चैवcaivaoriginal form "caiva", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

कथम्kathamoriginal form "katham", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

एवातिवर्तेत्evātivartetoriginal form "evātivartet", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

शुक्रśukraoriginal form "śukra", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

करवाण्य्karavāṇyoriginal form "karavāṇy", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

नान्यत्रnānyatraoriginal form "nānyatra", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

कुक्षेर्kukṣeroriginal form "kukṣer", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

भेदनेनbhedanenaoriginal form "bhedanena", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

कचोkacooriginal form "kaco", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

मद्गतोmadgatooriginal form "madgato", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

देवयानिdevayānioriginal form "devayāni", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

देवयान्य्devayānyoriginal form "devayāny", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

शोकाव्śokāvoriginal form "śokāv", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

नाशस्nāśasoriginal form "nāśas", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

चैवोपघातःcaivopaghātaḥoriginal form "caivopaghātaḥ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

नास्तिnāstioriginal form "nāsti", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

तवोपघातेtavopaghāteoriginal form "tavopaghāte", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

नास्मिnāsmioriginal form "nāsmi", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

शुक्रśukraoriginal form "śukra", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

संसिद्धरूपोsaṃsiddharūpooriginal form "saṃsiddharūpo", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

ऽसि'sioriginal form "'si", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

विद्याम्vidyāmoriginal form "vidyām", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

चेद्cedoriginal form "ced", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

त्वम्tvamoriginal form "tvam", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

पुनर्punaroriginal form "punar", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

कश्kaśoriginal form "kaś", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

चिद्cidoriginal form "cid", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

अन्योanyooriginal form "anyo", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

ममोदरात्mamodarātoriginal form "mamodarāt", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

वर्जयित्वैकंvarjayitvaikaṃoriginal form "varjayitvaikaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

तस्माद्tasmādoriginal form "tasmād", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

विद्याम्vidyāmoriginal form "vidyām", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

पुत्रोputrooriginal form "putro", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

भावितोbhāvitooriginal form "bhāvito", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

अस्माद्asmādoriginal form "asmād", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

देहाद्dehādoriginal form "dehād", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

समीक्षेथाsamīkṣethāoriginal form "samīkṣethā", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

वैशंपायनvaiśaṃpāyanaoriginal form "vaiśaṃpāyana", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

कचोkacooriginal form "kaco", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

ऽभिरूपो'bhirūpooriginal form "'bhirūpo", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

पौर्णमास्याम्paurṇamāsyāmoriginal form "paurṇamāsyām", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

इवेन्दुःivenduḥoriginal form "ivenduḥ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

चcaoriginal form "ca", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

ब्रह्मराशिम्brahmarāśimoriginal form "brahmarāśim", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

कचोkacooriginal form "kaco", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

ऽपि'pioriginal form "'pi", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

ताम्tāmoriginal form "tām", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

अवाप्याभिवाद्यavāpyābhivādyaoriginal form "avāpyābhivādya", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

ततःtataḥoriginal form "tataḥ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

कचस्kacasoriginal form "kacas", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

इत्य्ityoriginal form "ity", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

दातारम्dātāramoriginal form "dātāram", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

चतुरन्वयानाम्caturanvayānāmoriginal form "caturanvayānām", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

नाद्रियन्तेnādriyanteoriginal form "nādriyante", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

गुरुम्gurumoriginal form "gurum", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

पापांल्pāpāṃloriginal form "pāpāṃl", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

लोकांस्lokāṃsoriginal form "lokāṃs", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

व्रजन्त्य्vrajantyoriginal form "vrajanty", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

Translation

Vaishampayana said: ‘Urged on by Devayani, the great sage Kavya (Shukra), in agitation, called out once more to Kacha, son of Brihaspati. Fearing his teacher, summoned by the science, Kacha softly raised his voice from within the belly; Shukra said to him: “O brahmin, by what path brought here, do you dwell in my belly? Speak.” Kacha said: “By your grace, memory does not leave me; I remember everything, all that happened and how. Lest my austerity be spent in vain, I bear this terrible torment. O Kavya, the asuras killed me, burned me, and ground me to powder, and I was mixed into your wine; but so long as you remain alive, I am within you -- how could demonic illusion overcome brahmanic illusion?” Shukra said: “O child, what pleasing thing shall I do for you today? Kacha's life could come only at the cost of my own death; only by the rending of my belly could Kacha, now within me, appear.” Devayani said: “Two griefs, like fire, are burning me -- the loss of Kacha and harm to you. In Kacha's loss there is no peace for me; if harm comes to you, I shall not be able to live.” Shukra said: “O son of Brihaspati, you are a man of perfect worth, since Devayani, devoted as you are, loves you. Receive this life-giving science -- unless you are Indra today in the form of Kacha. From my belly no one else, living, shall ever come forth again, save one brahmin alone; therefore obtain the science. O son, having become as a son to me, and revived by me, revive me in turn; and having come forth from this body, having obtained the science from your teacher, and yourself possessed of it, hold fast to righteous vision.” Vaishampayana said: “Having obtained the science from his teacher, the handsome brahmin Kacha, rending the belly, came forth from the right side of the brahmin, like the moon at the end of the dark fortnight on the night of the full moon. Kacha, seeing him fallen, dead, that heap of brahminical glory, raised him up; and having obtained that perfected science and bowed to his teacher, he said: ‘Those who do not honor the teacher -- the giver of unsurpassed truth, the treasury of treasuries of the four kinds, worthy of reverence -- they go to base and sinful worlds.’”’

Commentary

Here comes a wondrous resolution: Kacha obtains the science of reviving the dead from within his own teacher's body. The riddle seems at first insoluble: Kacha is inside Shukra's belly; to revive Kacha is to destroy the teacher. This is an image of how Devayani's love -- unable to bear either Kacha's death or her father's -- forces the only possible solution: Shukra passes the science itself on to Kacha, so that he, emerging (and thereby destroying his teacher), can revive him in turn. Thus the knowledge of sanjivani is transmitted, and both teacher and disciple are brought back to life. It is telling, too, that Shukra suspects Kacha of being Indra ("unless you are Indra") -- a hint that the gods stand behind Kacha; yet Kacha is a genuine disciple, and obtains the knowledge honestly. And the episode is crowned with praise of the teacher: "one who does not honor the preceptor goes to sinful worlds." This thought is the center of it all: the guru is "the giver of truth, the treasury of treasuries"; reverence for the teacher (guru-bhakti) is the foundation of spiritual life -- without it there is neither knowledge nor good. So the tale of the gods' cunning scheme turns into a hymn to the disciple's devotion and the teacher's sanctity.

Version

f76460ee0a03 · published Jul 12, 2026, 3:49:50 PM UTC

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