देवयान्य् उवाच
गुरुपुत्रस्य पुत्रो वै न तु त्वम् असि मे पितुः ॥
तस्मान् मान्यश् च पूज्यश् च ममापि त्वं द्विजोत्तम ॥
असुरैर् हन्यमाने च कच त्वयि पुनः पुनः ॥
तदा प्रभृति या प्रीतिस् तां त्वम् एव स्मरस्व मे ॥
सौहार्दे चानुरागे च वेत्थ मे भक्तिम् उत्तमाम् ॥
न माम् अर्हसि धर्मज्ञ त्यक्तुं भक्ताम् अनागसम् ॥
कच उवाच
अनियोज्ये नियोगे मां नियुनक्षि शुभव्रते ॥
प्रसीद सुभ्रु त्वं मह्यं गुरोर् गुरुतरी शुभे ॥
यत्रोषितं विशालाक्षि त्वया चन्द्रनिभानने ॥
तत्राहम् उषितो भद्रे कुक्षौ काव्यस्य भामिनि ॥
भगिनी धर्मतो मे त्वं मैवं वोचः शुभानने ॥
सुखम् अस्म्य् उषितो भद्रे न मन्युर् विद्यते मम ॥
आपृच्छे त्वां गमिष्यामि शिवम् आशंस मे पथि ॥
अविरोधेन धर्मस्य स्मर्तव्यो ऽस्मि कथान्तरे ॥
अप्रमत्तोत्थिता नित्यम् आराधय गुरुं मम ॥
devayāny uvāca
guruputrasya putro vai na tu tvam asi me pituḥ ||
tasmān mānyaś ca pūjyaś ca mamāpi tvaṃ dvijottama ||
asurair hanyamāne ca kaca tvayi punaḥ punaḥ ||
tadā prabhṛti yā prītis tāṃ tvam eva smarasva me ||
sauhārde cānurāge ca vettha me bhaktim uttamām ||
na mām arhasi dharmajña tyaktuṃ bhaktām anāgasam ||
kaca uvāca
aniyojye niyoge māṃ niyunakṣi śubhavrate ||
prasīda subhru tvaṃ mahyaṃ guror gurutarī śubhe ||
yatroṣitaṃ viśālākṣi tvayā candranibhānane ||
tatrāham uṣito bhadre kukṣau kāvyasya bhāmini ||
bhaginī dharmato me tvaṃ maivaṃ vocaḥ śubhānane ||
sukham asmy uṣito bhadre na manyur vidyate mama ||
āpṛcche tvāṃ gamiṣyāmi śivam āśaṃsa me pathi ||
avirodhena dharmasya smartavyo 'smi kathāntare ||
apramattotthitā nityam ārādhaya guruṃ mama ||
Devayani said: "You are the son of your teacher's son, but not the son of my father; therefore, O best of the twice-born, to me too you are only honored and revered, but not a brother. O Kacha, recall that love of mine which was born from the time the asuras killed you again and again; recall that very love. In friendship and in love you know my utmost devotion; O knower of dharma, you have no right to forsake me, blameless and devoted to you." Kacha said: "O maiden of virtuous vow, you are urging me toward a forbidden act; O fair-browed one, have mercy; you are, to me, higher than my very teacher, O gracious one. O large-eyed, moon-faced one, there where you dwelt — in your father's womb — there I too dwelt, in the womb of Kavya (Shukra), O ardent one. O fair-faced one, by dharma you are a sister to me; do not speak so, O gracious one; I have lived happily here, I bear no anger toward you. I take my leave of you and depart; wish me a fair path; without violating dharma, remember me in your conversations; vigilant, ever active, serve my teacher — your father."
d9d3b2189181 · published Jul 12, 2026, 3:49:50 PM UTC
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Here the dispute over dharma deepens. Kacha's new argument is significant: "where you dwelt — in Shukra's womb — there I too dwelt"; for Kacha had been restored to life from Shukra's own womb (becoming, as it were, his "son"), while Devayani is Shukra's own daughter; thus both are, in a sense, children of one father — brother and sister. Here is a subtle and unanswerable ground for dharma: born, even if miraculously, from Shukra's womb, Kacha became his son, and Devayani his sister; a union between them would be incest. Thus Kacha declines her love not out of coldness but out of fidelity to the dharma of kinship. His freedom from ill will is also notable: "I bear no anger toward you" — he does not condemn the maiden for her feeling but takes his leave gently, asking to be remembered "without violating dharma." This is a model of a worthy refusal: firm in dharma, yet gentle in manner. Note too Kacha's concern for service: as he departs, he charges Devayani to "serve her teacher" — that is, even while declining her love, he is mindful of her dharma (reverence for her father). The verse thus shows that fidelity to duty is compatible with kindness; a refusal can itself be an act of goodness.