Mahabharata – 105

by 

Sankar Mukherjee

&

Dr.  Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
                                   Aadivamsavatarana Parva

The fight between gods & demons are more or less recorded in the puranas or ancient histories of many cultures in the world.Those who have mythopoeic imagination could espy that the battle between gods & demons are still continuing.Gods stand for certain values which the demons decry. Gods were not always at an advantage over the demons.This was because the preceptor of the demons was very wise & learned,just as the Pentagon today is very wise & learned.Who dares challenge its prowess.       Just as the coach of the German football team was Beckenbauer ,so the coach of the devils was the great Sukracharya.He knew the art of reviving the dead.The gods did not know that.So in fights between gods & the demons,the gods could not outdo the demons.Whenever a demon were killed by the gods  Sukracharya called him back to life & he would go back to the battle field with great prowess.So the gods conferred among them & elected Kacha the son of Vrihaspati,who was the preceptor of gods.Kacha must go to Sukracharya & learn from him the art & science of reviving the dead.Kacha went to the realm of the demons to get initiated by Sukracharya.Sukracharya accepted Kacha as his discple readily.Kacha stayed in the household of Sukracharya for thousand years,Sukracharya had a beautiful daughter in Devyani.And during Kacha’s thousand years stay, Kacha worked hard to keep Devyani in good humour because Sukracharya was very fond of his daughter Devyani.Unless Devyani was happy  it would be very difficult to have blessing from the great preceptor Sukracharya.Besides as per ancient Indian culture the wife of the preceptor,

the son of the preceptor, & the daughter of the preceptor, every one should be worshipped by the disciple.so Kacha looked upon Devyani as a goddess.He used to bring fruits & flowers for Devyani.He used to perform all the household chores at Devyani’s command.And Kacha’s personality & demeanour were so divine & pleasing that Devyani was secretly enamoured of Kacha but it appears that Devyani never stood in the way of Kacha’s penance .She never betrayed her passions in front of Kacha.Kacha had vowed that he would observe celibacy for thousand years & Devyani did not try to distract Kacha from his vow.True that Kacha served Devyani since he was the daughter of his preceptor.And yes, Kacha was assissinated by the demons thrice & thrice Devyani compelled his father to bring back  Kacha to life.Had Devyani  not been there, may be Sukracharya   could ignore the death of Kacha.Every one in this existence is mortal.And the wise man does not lament the death of any one.But Sukracharya could not turn down the request of his daughter.Finally after one thousand years’ toils & penance Kacha attained the learnings of Sukracharya.Pleased with Kacha Sukracharya bade kacha to go back home in heaven.

Presently Kacha went to Devyani to take farewell.And Devyani was sad.The narrator of the Mahabharata has dwelled on  the internship of Kacha at Sukracharya’s house.There we find the three characters in Sukracharya,Kacha & Devyani.True that Devyani rpeatedly rescued Kacha from death. But no where it seems that Devayani was half in love with Kacha & since Kacha a whole hearted Brahmachari,he perhaps could not guess how Devyani was deep in love with Kacha.This proves  Kacha’s Brahmacharya for thousand years at Sukracharya’s place.His head was full of the quest for knowledge & for nothing else.But at the hour of perting Devyani burst in tears & protestations of love.We are here putting forward an ad verbatim translation of the conversation between Devyani & Kacha at the hour of latter’s parting.

When Kacha was getting ready to part from Sukracharya’s house & to set out for heaven Devyani told him -------

Oh gran son of the great sage Angira! you are decked with graceful manners, family, learning, penance & self control. Just as the sage Angira is honourable to my father so is your father Vrihaspati  honourable to me. I worship him.Oh gem of an ascetic! Being fully aware of you thus I am telling you something which you should listen to with attention while you are observing your penance. I served you with great devotion during your stay here.

Now that your studies are over, you may depart.But I am devoted to you still now as I was earlier devoted to you.And therefore you should be devoted to me in turn.So chanting the mantras as per law,please accept my hands.Let me be your wife.

Kacha said in reply, Oh beautiful lady! the way your father is honoured & worshipped by me I also worship you & revere you on the ground that you are the daughter of my preceptor.So you cannot ask for marriage with me.

Devyani said Kacha you are the son of the son of the preceptor of my father.Therefore I also worship you & honour you.Oh Kacha! the demons killed you over & over again.At that time my love for you had its efflorescence. Do remember that now.

You do know that my devotion to you is constant charged with love & affection & therefore Oh you! matured in wisdom I am a devotee of yours. I have no fault.In this situation you cannot give me up.

Kacha said, Devyani! You should not command me on this issue because as per the scriptures you cannot ask me for this.Be pleased with me. You are more honourable to me than my preceptor.

Devyani!You lived in the body of Sukracharya. So did I. Thus as per law you are my sister. Hence you must not say like that again. I lived in your household in great joy. I did not have any hardship there.

Right now go I must I ask for your permission, bless me so that my journey becomes pleasant. Whenever you feel like you remember me but see that it is not against the law. Look after my preceptor with all heart.

Devyani said Oh Kacha! I have put forward my prayer.You should take my hands.If you refuse my prayer then I tell you, your knowledge of reviving the dead will never be effective.

Kacha said Devyani you are the daughter of my preceptor.That is why I refuse you.I do not find any fault with you.Especially my preceptor has not commanded me to make love with you.Despite that you have cursed me capriciously.

Devyani! I have spoken to you as per law & custom. So I should not be cursed by you. Despite that you have cursed me impelled by lust & not by law.That is why your desires will not be fulfilled. No son of a sage will ever marry you.

You told me that what I have learned here will not be effective for me.But I shall be able to impart the knowledge among others & it will be effective with them.

Saying this Kacha left Devyani in a hurry.

This is a wonderful drama of conversation where Devyani stands for passionate love that ignores all social values & norms & Kacha stands for custom & tradition. This is indeed a problem drama raising serious question about love & life.

Such love stories will recur again in the Mahabharata.