Kaca completes his mission

 vaiśampāyana uvāca

samāvṛtavrataṁ taṁ tu visṛṣṭaṁ guruṇā tadā
prasthitaṁ tridaśāvāsaṁ devayānyabravīdidam
ṛṣeraṅgirasaḥ putra vṛttenābhijanena ca
bhrājase vidyayā caiva tapasā ca damena ca

Vaiśampāyana said: When the period of his vow expired and when he was prepared to go to the land of celestials, after having received permission of his Guru, Devayānī addressed him thus: O grandson of Ṛṣi Angirasā, you shine most brightly in conduct, in birth, learning, asceticism and humility.

ṛṣiryathāṅgirā manyaḥ piturmama mahāyaśāḥ
tathā mānyaśca mama bhūyo bṛhaspatiḥ

As Ṛṣi Aṅgirasā is honored by my illustrious father, so is your father Bṛhaspati honored and respected by me.

evaṁ jñātvā vijānīhi yad bravīmi tapodhana
vratasthe niyamopeta yathā vartāmyahaṁ tvayi

O great ascetic, knowing that, hear what I say. You are aware of my behaviour towards you during the period of your vow.

sa samāvṛtavidyo mṁ bhktāṁ bhajitumarhasi
gṛhāṇa pāṇiṁ vidhivanmama mantrapuraskṛtam

Your vow is over now, you should now fix your affection on me, who love you. Accept my hand with ordained rites and Mantras.

kaca uvāca
pūjyo mānyaśca bhagavān yathā tava pitā mama
tathā tvamanavadyāṅgi pūjanīyatarā mama

Kaca said: You are an object of my respect and worship, as is your illustrious father. O lady of faultless features, you are an object of greater reverence to me than your father.

prāṇebhyo ̍ pi priyatarā bhārgavasya mahātmanaḥ
tvaṁ bhadre dharmataḥ pūjyā guruputrī saha mama

You are dearer than life to high souled Bhārgava. O amiable lady! You are ever worthy of my worship, as you are daughter of my Guru.

yathā mama gururnityaṁ mānyaḥ śukraḥ pitā tava
devayāni tathaiva tvaṁ naivaṁ māṁ vaktumarhasi

As your father Śukra, my Guru, is ever honoured by me, so are you. O Devayānī! Therefore, you should not speak to me thus.

devayānyuvāca
guruputrasya putro vai na tvaṁ putraśca me pituḥ
tasmāt pūjyaśca mānyaśca mamāpi tvaṁ dvijottama
asurairhanyamāne ca kaca tvayi punaḥ punaḥ
tadā prabhṛti yā prītistāṁ tvamadya smarasva me

Devayāni said: O best of twice born, you are son of my Guru ̍ s son, you are not the son of my father. Therefore, you are an object of my respect and worship. O Kaca, when Asuras killed you again and again, you should recollect today love l showed towards you.

sauhārde cānurāge ca vettha me bhaktimuttamām
na māmarhasi dharmanāgasam

O virtuous man, remembering my love and affection for you and also my devoted regard for you, you should not abandon me without any faults.

kaca uvāca
aniyojye niyoge māṁ niyunaṅkṣi śubhavrate
prasīda subhru tvaṁ mahyaṁ gurorgurutarā śubhe
yatroṣitaṁ viśālākṣi tvayā candra nibhānane
tatrāhamuṣito bhadre kukṣau kāvyasya bhāmini
bhaginī dharmato me tvaṁ maivaṁ vocaḥ sumadhyame
sukhamasmyuṣito bhadre na manyurvidyate mama

Kaca said: O lady of virtuous vows, do not urge me into such a sinful course. O lady of fair eyebrows, be graceful to me. O amiable lady! You are an object of greater regard than my Guru. O large eyed lady! O lady of handsome face! O amiable maiden! Place body of the son of Kavi - Śukra, were you live, is my abode. You are truly my sister! O slender waisted lady! O amiable maiden! Do not say so! We have most happily passed days we have lived together. There is perfect good feeling now existing between us.

āpṛcche tvāṁ gamiṣyāmi śivamāśaṁsa me pathi
avirodhena dhrmasya smartavyo ̍ smi kathāntare
apramattotthitā nityamārādhaya guruṁ mama

I ask you to go away. Bless me so that good may come to my journey. Remebmer me in your conversations as one who has not transgressed virtue. Serve my Guru with readiness and singleness of the heart.

devayānyuvāca
yadi māṁ dharmakāmārthe pratyākhyāsyasi yācitaḥ
tataḥ kacaḥ na teṁ vidyā siddhimeṣā gamiṣyati

Devayānī said: If you refuse to make me your wife, solicited by me as l do, O Kaca, indeed l say, your knowledge will bear no fruits.

kaca uvāca
guruputrīti kṛtvāhaṁ pratyācakṣe na doṣataḥ
guruṇā vānanujñātaḥ kāmamevaṁ śapasva mām

Kaca said: l refused to comply with your request, because you are my Guru ̍ s daughter. l did not refuse you for any fault of yours. My Guru also had not issued any command regarding this matter. Curse me if it pleases you.

ārṣaṃ dharmaṁ bruvāṇo ̍ haṁ devayāni yathā tvayā
śapto nārho ̍ smi śāpasya kāmato ̍ dya na dharmataḥ
tasmād bhavatyā yaḥ kāmo na tathā sa bhaviṣyati
ṛṣiputro na te kaścijjātu pāṇiṁ grahiṣyati

O Devayānī! l have told you what should be the conduct of Ṛṣis. l, therefore, do not deserve your curse. But not withstanding all this you have cursed me out of desire and not from the sense of duty. Therefore, your desire shall not be fulfilled, no Ṛṣi ̍ s son will ever accept your hand.

phaliṣyati na te vidyā yat tvaṁ tat tathā
adhyāpayiṣyāmi tu yaṁ tasya vidyā phaliṣyati

You have said that my knowledge would not bear fruits. Let it be so! But it shall bear fruits in him whom l shall teach it.

vaiśampāyana uvāca
evamuktvā dvijaśreṣṭho devayānīṁ kacastadā
tridaśośālayaṁ śīghraṁ jagāma dvijasattamaḥ

Vaiśampāyana said: Having said this to Devayānī, that best of Brāhmaṇas, that foremost of twice born, Kaca hurriedly went away to the land of celestials.

tamāgatamabhiprekṣya devā indrapurogamāḥ
bṛhaspatiṁ sabhājyedaṁ kacaṁ vacanamabruvan

Seeing him arrived, celestials with Indra at their head looked with delight towards Bṛhaspati and spoke to him thus.

devā ūcuḥ
yat tvayāsmaddhitaṁ karma kṛtaṁ vai paramādbhutam
na te yaśaḥ praṇaśitā bhāgabhāk ca bhaviṣyasi

Devas said: You have performed an act of great good for us, your achievements are wonderful, your frame will never die, you will be the sharer with us in the sacrificial offerings.

vaiśampāyana uvāca
kṛtavidye kace prāpte hṛṣṭarūpā divaukasaḥ
kacādadhītya tāṁ vidyāṁ kṛtārthā bharatarṣabha

Vaiśampāyana said: O best of Bharata race! Dwellers of the heaven were exceedingly glad to get back Kaca, who had learnt knowledge of Saṁjīvanī. Celestials then learnt Saṁjīvanī from Kaca and considered their object achieved.

sarva eva samāgamya śatakrutamathābruvan
kālaste vikramasyādya jahi śatrūn purandara

They all assembled together and thus spoke to Indra: O Indra, time has come to show your prowess. Kill your enemies!

evamuktastu sahitaistridaśairmaghavāṁstadā
tathetyuktvā pracakrāma so ̍ paśyata vane striyaḥ

Having been thus addressed, Indra said: Be it so!