Mahabharata – 112

by 

Sankar Mukherjee

&

Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
                                   Aadivamsavatarana Parva

               Devyani & Sarmishta

Devyani insisted that the demon king Vrishaparva must come to her & physically apologise to her. On hearing this from Sukracharya, Vrishaparva approached Devayani and told her, 'Oh Devayani!  Forgive us.He fell on the ground to touch the feet of Devyani. Vrishaparva said, Oh Devyani!Whatever you desire I am willing to give you, however difficult it may be '.  Devayani answered, 'I desire that Sarmishtha with a thousand  ladies should be my maid servant. She must also follow me  where my father  gives me away.'

Vrishaparva then summoned a maid-servant, saying, 'Go and quickly bring Sarmishtha here. She must be at the beck & call of Devyani.She must serve the wishes of Devyani.

May be Sarmishta must obey her father in the interest of the demons.If Sukracharya were not there the demons would not be safe in their quarrel with the gods.Thus the great narrative the Mahabharata puts the princess Sarmishta in a tragic situation.

 The maid-servant then approached Sarmishtha and told her, 'Oh Sarmishtha!,Rise and follow me. Accomplish the good of your relatives. Urged by Devayani, the Sukracharya is on the point of leaving his disciples.You must do what Devayani wishes.' Sarmishtha replied, 'I shall cheerfully do what Devayani wishes. And if Sukracharya asks me to do anything  for Devyani I shall do that without any hesitation. But both Sukracharya and Devayani must not leave us due to  my fault.'

 Commanded by her father, then, Sarmishtha, accompanied by a thousand maidens, soon came, out of the king’s mansion. And approaching Devayani she said, 'With my thousand maids, I am at your service! And I shall follow you where your father may give you away.' Devayani replied, 'I am the daughter of one who chants the praises of others, & who lives on the charity of others  & who receives alms.You, on the other hand, are the daughter of one who is adored.Is it not ?. How can you be my maid?

Sarmishtha answered, 'One must by all means contribute to the happiness of one's affected relatives. Therefore logically I shall follow you wherever your father may give you away.'

 When Sarmishtha thus promised to be Devayani's maid, then Devyani said to Sukracharya 'Oh Father!, I am happy. I shall now enter the town ruled by Vrishaparva. I know that your science of reviving the dead is most effective.

Thus addressed by his daughter, Sukracharya of great reputation entered the town. And the Danavas worshipped him with great reverence.

Mahabharata – 111

by 

Sankar Mukherjee

&

Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
                                   Aadivamsavatarana Parva

             Sukracharya & Vrishaparva

Hearing complaints from his daughter Sukracharya the preceptor of the demons rushed to Vrishaparva where he  was seated on the throne, & addressed him & spoke to him without considering the consequences of his words-- 'O king,' he said, As cows  never immediately give birth to a calf, similarly 'sinful acts  do not, bear fruit immediately! But gradually & slowly do they destroy their doers. The offender may not find any immediate effect of his sinful act on himself. But like rich food as they can never be digested his doings can never be absolved.  The fruit of sinful act affects either their sons, or grandsons. Sins must bear their fruit. And because you slew the Brahmana Kacha, the grandson of Angiras, while he was residing in my abode you are damned, Kacha was virtuous, with good conduct. He was   always devoted to his guru. He was attentive to his duties. Besides, your daughter Sarmishta mal-treated  my virtuous daughter with cruel words. She flung my daughter into a tank too. And for this reason Devyani will not live in your kingdom & how can I live without her? Therefore I am leaving you now. Oh Vrishaparva! My relatives also will migrate from your kingdom along with me for killing Kacha who should not have been killed & for insulting my daughter Devyani  O king, I cannot stay in your kingdom any more! And you should not feel sorry for me or be angry. Oh king I cannot live in your country without Devyani. Devyani has made up her mind to leave your kingdom & I must follow her wherever she goes.

Then Brishaparva replied-- Oh Brahamana! If I indeed had attempted to kill Kacha or insisted Sarmishta to abuse Devyani  then I must go to hell.

Oh you the demon! Do you  think that I am telling a lie? Cried Sukracharya, ‘You make light of your offence without seeking to correct it!'.

Vrishaparva then said, 'Oh son of Bhrigu! Never have I said that you are  wanting in virtue, or that you tell a lie. Indeed,virtue and truth ever dwell in you. Be kind to me! Oh son of Bhrigu!, if you  leave  us, & if you really forsake my kingdom, we shall have to leap  into the the ocean & get drowned. Indeed, there is nothing else for us to do .'

Sukracharya then replied, Oh  Asuras! whether you get drowned into  the ocean or elsewhere, I care little. I am unable to bear my daughter's grief. My daughter is ever dear to me. My life depends on her.See that she is happy.Make amends &  try  to please her. As Vrihaspati ever seeks the good of Indra,so do I always seek your well being.

The episode shows how deeply Sukracharya loved his daughter Devyani. Even a wise man at per with Brahma like Sukracharya is blinded with his affection for his daughter that makes him human & an unforgettable character..

We wish that our society had been as fond of their daughters as Sukracharya was!The daughters must be obeyed.

Vrishaparva then said, 'Oh son of Bhrigu, you are the true owner  of whatever is possessed by the Asura  in this world-their elephants, cows and horses are yours. You own me,their king.In other words you own  even my humble self!'

Sukracharya then answered, 'If it is true, Oh king of Asuras!, If  I am the lord of all the wealth of the Asuras, then go and please Devayani.'

 In reply Vrishaparva said, Let it be so. Sukracharya then went to Devayani and told her everything. Devayani, however, quickly replied, 'Oh Father!, If you are truly the lord of the Asura king himself and of all his wealth, then let the king himself come to me and say so in my presence.'

Mahabharata – 110B

by 

Sankar Mukherjee

&

Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
                                   Aadivamsavatarana Parva

      Dialogue between Sukracharyana & Devyani

 Devyani told her father-- The cruel words uttered by Sharmista burns my heart.She was like  the  men who want to kindle fire. I do not think anything more miserable in the three worlds than the state of a poor man who askks for wealth from a rich person who hates the poor man. It has been indeed said by the wise men that for such a poor man even death would be better. When a wicked person uses scolding words, the good people always suffer from mental agony. Wicked persons always criticize others to create mental agony in them.It is better not to live with them. Burnt parts of the body or wounds due to the piercing weapons may be healed. But the wound made by the cruel words never get healed .

Devyani complained to Sukracharya her father, how Sarmishta humiliated Devyani by calling her the daughter of a beggar.Then Sukracharya, the foremost of Bhrigu's race, became angry with the demons.

The conversation between Sukracharya & Devyani is very educative. Devyani is a very touchy woman. She gets irritated with trifles. The clothes of the ladies might be wafted by the winds.Consequently one’s garments might mingle with another’s. No wonder that one woman’s clothes might be worn by another woman in a hurry by mistake. But Devyani  would not accept such events in good humour.She was in fact choleric  in temperament.Sukracharya exhorts her over & over again to have patience.But ironicalluy enough,however much briliant she was in wit & learning, she would not take his father’s words.That is how Devayani ruined her fortune in times to come.

But in a speech Devyani made two significant points. She observed that those who disturb their fellow men are ‘chandalas’. It is often complanied that the caste system that earmarked some people as out caste was sacrilegious.But Devyani observed that the wicked people were ostracised & were called chandalas.In fact in Jataka tales there is a tale entitled Khandahala Jataka.There the king was about to kill his son in the name of sacred sacrifice so that the king could enter into heaven.The people who came to witness the sacrificial rites & ceremony were shocked at this.They revolted.They drove away the king.The king was driven away from the society. He became chandala.  

Ironically enough the chandalas or the criminals were rehabilitated in Australia. And their children now are one of the finest nations of the world. A wicked person could be branded as a chandala.But his children should not be  deprived of their rights.The chandalas must be rehabilitated. According to Devyani, also the chandala is known by his action & not by birth . That is why she debunked those who criticize other people for being born in so called ill reputed family.But furthermore she pointed out that those people who are addicted to wealth, family reputation & learning without performing their worldly duties & duties to their fellow men are chandalas.Does it not neccessarily mean that we live in a chandala civilization where the greatest scientists are devoted to the manufacture of warheads & greatest scolars are yes men of the people who are in power.Devyani further adds that rich people always exploit others & hence they are also chandalas.Should we not therefore banish the people who exploit us in their own interest from this sphere of this civilization at once.

Devyani made another point.One must migrate from a country where sinners crowd. They are wont to criticize good men even though the latter have no fault.One wonders whether the great scientist J.B.S Haldane left the West to become a citizen of India because of this.And when he came to India & settled in India what did he find for himself? What India today is like? 

Mahabharata – 110A

by 

Sankar Mukherjee

&

Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
                                   Aadivamsavatarana Parva

      Dialogue between Sukracharyana & Devyani

Sukracharya told his daughter Devyani-- Brahman itself was  pleased  with me because of  my penance. Now Sukracharya being one with Brahman said that it is me who is the lord of that which is in all things on Earth or in Heaven! I tell you truly that it is me who pours rain for the good of all the creatures.

Thus by such sweet words Sukracharya tried  to pacify Devyani who was depressed with woe and oppressed by anger.

Sukracharya said--  Devyani you know that  he who never minds the evil speeches of others, conquers  everything. The wise say that he is a true man, who does not indulge in his rising anger. He intelligently holds tightly  the reins of  his horses. He is the true charioteer. Oh Devayani! He who restrains his anger & is calm, he who forgives, he can conquer everything. He who conquers with forgiveness conquers the world.The way a snake doffs its shell so should we doff our anger with the force of forgiveness. Only then we realise our purusa-self. Purusa means the one who fills every want & every vacuum.The person who restrains anger & who puts up with scolding of others, the person who is tortured by others but who does not torture others in turn attains dharma,artha,kama & moksha. The person who worships his ancestors for hundred years is not as pious as the person who has conquered anger. So the person without anger is the best of the men. He who has cravings & he who is choleric is despised very much.Hence he who has cravings or he who is angry can not get any dividend from observing sacrifice,charity & penance.In other words a man without any cravings or anger definitely reaps good results through the observation of fire sacrifice, penance & charity. But such efforts on the part of   an angry person or of a person who burns with lust come to nought.

Therefore one who  overcomes enmity is the best person in the world. Lust & anger are the most blame worthy & therefore a lustrous & angry person’s all the efforts such as sacrifice, penance & charity all go in vain. The person without desire & enmity gets the desired result of sacrifice, charity & penance. But on the other hand the lustrous & angry persons never achieve the same result. And he can never stick to any vow. A passionate person’s friends, sons, wife, brothers, servants, truthfulness & piousness -- all are in vain.  

 Boys and girls, unable to distinguish between right and wrong, quarrel with each other. The wise never imitate them.

Devayani, on hearing her father said  --  'Oh father! Being a child, I know, the doctrine  of the  spirituality & also the difference  between anger and forgiveness. I know the strength of both anger & forgiveness. But when a disciple behaves disrespectfully, he should never be forgiven by the preceptor, if the latter is really desirous of benefiting the former. Therefore, I do not desire to live any longer in a country where evil behaviour is at its peak. The wise man desirous of good, should not dwell among those sinfully inclined men who always speak ill of good behaviour and high birth. But one should live where good behaviour and purity of birth are known and respected. Rich & angry persons are never engaged in any honest mission. Rather they want to be more rich & they are always sinful & wicked. By birth or caste no one becomes wicked. But those who  lack the ability to respond & who always look for wealth, fame, race & education as per the rules they are also wicked. Where wicked neighbours always make false accusation & dislike the good  & the honest, one should not live there because by the way honest people become dishonest in the long run. Living with the indecent & mischievous people in a mixed population, men gradually become inclined to foul play or unproductive work. Therefore one should not live in a place where wicked persons are predominant.

Mahabharata – 109

by 

Sankar Mukherjee

&

Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
                                   Aadivamsavatarana Parva

Devyani was the daughter of Sukracharya the preceptor of king Vrishaparva. Sarmishta was the daughter of king Vrishaparva. There  was a quarrel between them. Sarmishta the daughter of the demon king was stronger than Devyani & she threw Devyani into a well & left the place.It was amidst a forest. King Yayati came to the forest & discovered Devyani fallen into the well.Yayati rescued her & went back to his residence. It seems the forest neither belonged to Vrishaparva nor belonged to Yayati.

When Yayati had gone away, depressed with sorrow Devyani spoke to her maid, Ghurnika by name who showed up there. And Devyani said,'Oh! Ghurnika, go quickly & tell my father without loss of time of everything as it happened here. I shall not now enter the palace of Vrishaparva.

Ghurnika then returned to the palace of the king of the Asuras quickly. She saw Sukracharya and spoke to him angrily.  She said,'I tell you, Oh Sir! Devayani has been ill-treated in the forest by Sarmishtha, the daughter of king Vrishaparva.

And Sukracharya,hearing that his daughter had been ill-treated by Sarmishtha quickly went out anxiously, searching her in the forest. And when he found her in the forest,he embraced her with affection and spoke to her with grief.The  good or bad that people suffer  is always due to their own faults.You must have had some fault,I think, this misfortune of yours has redressed that fault.

Hearing this Devayani replied,be it as   may expiation of sin or not, listen to me with attention. Sarmishtha,the daughter of Vrishaparva,Has said to me,that you are only the hired chanter of the praises of the Asuras! Is it true ?She  told  me these piercing and cruel words,with reddish eyes.You are the daughter of one  who chants praises of others for alms.You are the daughter of one who always asks for charities & one who accepts alms.Whereas I am the daughter of one that receives praises,of one that always gives & one that never accept anything as gift.These has been the words repeatedly spoken to me by the proud Sarmishtha, the daughter of Vrishaparva.Thus  Sarmishtha insulted me in this lonely place & there upon threw me  into a well and went home Oh Father!Am I really the daughter of a hired chanter of praises?Am I really the daughter of  one that accepts gifts? Must I please her in the hope of obtaining her grace?

Sukrachrya replied-- You are, Oh Devayani! You are not the  daughter of a hired praiser,of one that asks for alms & accepts gifts.You are the daughter of one  who worships none.But you are the daughter of one who is worshipped by all! Vrishaparva himself knows it, and Indra the king of heaven & the king Yayati on earth  too know it. Brahman whom neither the gods nor the mortals can ever imagine,the Brahaman who has no second is the strength of mine.   Specially I know the great Sanjivani science -- the science of reviving dead.

The wise  never praise themselves.Therefore I am unable to speak about myself.But you are aware of my strength. Oh Devyani! Let us go to our own home & forgive them.

Mahabharata – 108

by 

Sankar Mukherjee

&

Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
                                   Aadivamsavatarana Parva

After Sarmishtha had left, king Yayati soon came to that place.The king had been out a-hunting. His horse was  fatigued & the king himself was thirsty. He was looking for water. And he saw the well & that  was dry. But in looking down into it, he saw a beautiful lady who in her majesty was like a blazing fire. And seeing her within it, he addressed that divine looking lady, consoling her with sweet words.

And he said,'Who are you? Oh fair one! Your nails are as bright as copper, & ear-rings are  decked with gems.You seem to be greatly disturbed.Why do you weep & grieve? How,have you fallen into this well, covered with creepers and long grass? And, Oh fair lady! Answer me truly whose daughter you are?.

Devayani then replied,'I am the daughter of Sukracharya who brings back into life the Asuras killed by the gods by his knowledge of Sanjivani.He does not know what has happened to me.This is my crimson right hand.You seem  to be royal & noble I request you to raise me up! I assume that you are of good behaviour & prowess & of wide fame! It will be fitting for you, therefore, to raise me from this well.'

Yayati, learning that she was a Brahmana's daughter,raised her from that well by holding  her right hand.And the king Yayati while raising her from the well  had a glance of her beautiful thighs. With her approval Yayati mounted on the horse that had been  champing  the forest grass.Yayati returned to his capital.

Mahabharata – 107

by 

Sankar Mukherjee

&

Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
                                   Aadivamsavatarana Parva

There was a temporary truce between gods & demons. But now the gods advised Indra to renew the war against the demons with fresh vigour.Indra then set out, saying, 'So be it.’ On his way he saw a number of young women sporting in a lake in a garden.The garden was exceedingly beautiful. It out did the gardens of heaven itself.It likened the garden of Kuvera the god of wealth. Bathing women the most beautiful in the world are only found  perhaps in the realm of gold. There gold & lust mingle to create a paradise brimming with sensuousness. Their clothes, varied & variegated lay on the shore of the lake. A wicked idea flashed upon Indra’s mind. 

 Changing himself into wind, he blew.The clothes on the shore fluttered & tumbled.Soon the upper garment of one was bundled up with the petticoat of another,The inner garment of one mingled with the outer garment of another. In short the clothes were in perfect disarray. The maidens, getting up from the water, approached their clothes that had, indeed, got mixed up with one another.

And it so happened that from the intermingled bundle, the clothes of Devayani were worn  by mistake Sarmishtha, the daughter of Vrishaparva, the king of demons.

 Thereupon, between them, Devayani and Sarmishtha, there was a dispute. Devayani said, 'Oh! daughter of the Asura how dare you take my clothes, being my disciple?’ As you are devoid of manners, nothing good can happen to you!' Sarmishtha in  reply said  --- ‘your father occupying a lower seat, always adores my father in the court.

 You are the daughter of one who chants the praises of others, & who accepts alms. I am the daughter of one who is adored, of one who bestows alms instead of ever taking alms himself. A beggar-woman as you are, you are free to give vent to your anger by using unmannerly speech.Oh beggar!you weep in  tears of anger in vain!Be as it may,me the princess can harm you,but you can not do any harm to me. Do you desire to quarrel? But you must know that I do not think of you as my equal!'

Hearing these words, Devayani became extremely angry and began to pull at Sarmishta’s clothes. Sarmishtha there upon threw her into a well and went home. Indeed, the wicked Sarmishtha believing that Devayani was dead went   home in a furiously glad mood.

Mahabharata – 106

by 

Sankar Mukherjee

&

Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
                                   Aadivamsavatarana Parva

The strife between gods & demons has been ceaseless since time immemorial. It still continues.The gods sent Kacha on dangerous errand to the enemy camp of the demons.It was no less an adventure than that of say Jason. Jason had to bring the golden fleece & he was about to be killed. But Medea helped Jason to escape with the golden fleece. Jason married Medea & went back home being successful in his errand.Here Kacha did not go for any material wealth.He went to learn the art of  reviving the dead.He was assassinated over & over & again by the demons.But Devyani like Medea helped Kacha & revived him over & over again.Kacha proved his spiritual prowess & attained his object.Like Medea Devyani was also fond of Kacha.But Kacha looked upon Devyani as his sister. He bade her farewell & set out for home from the demesne of the demons after he had succeeded in his errand.This story distinguishes Indian aesthetics from western aesthetics. While the West excels in physical prowess, India is proud of its spiritual prowess.While the Western hero might not ignore the demands of lust,the hero of an eastern mythology is in control of lust.

Be that as it may when Kacha entered into heaven, his home district the joys of the gods knew no bound. Kacha had come back home having learned the mantra of reviving the dead Victory to him !The king of the gods, Indra at once left his throne & accompanied by numerous gods & goddesses embraced Kacha  at the very lion gate of heaven. The security guards did not ask for his passport. They also saluted Kacha. And Indra declared that henceforth Kacha would be deemed as a god & he should share all the offerings made to gods during the fire sacrifice.

Now the gods sat again in a conference & there the gods advised Indra to start a conflict with the demons with renewed vigour.Indra took the gods seriously & planned how to put the demons in disarray.      

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.

Mahabharata – 104

by 

Sankar Mukherjee

&

Dr. Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
                                   Aadivamsavatarana Parva

The episode of Sukracharya & Kacha is singularly beautiful & significant.Despite the divinity & prowess gods were helpless before the demons in their fight with the demons.Because the great Sukracharya was the friend philosopher & guide of the demons.He could revive the dead.

So the gods sent the the son of Vrihaspati the preceptor of the gods to learn the secret of reviving the dead at the feet of Sukracharya.Sukracharya knew full well the intention of the gods.But he did not hesitate to accept Kacha as his discple.He would readily disseminate his knowledge to the deserving.This was the magnanimity of the wise preceptors in the age of the Mahabharata.

Kacha the son of Vrihaspati however,did not hide his identity before Sukracharya.He stated who his father was.This frankness of his, this truthfullness of his touches our heart.

And he vowed that he would observe celibacy for thousand years.And when Sukracharya deemed it fit he would initiate Kacha in the lore of the reviving the dead.

It goes without saying that demons would soon learn who Kacha was.Once the secret of reviving the dead was disclosed to the gods  the demons would be outwitted by the gods.The demons could not themselves revive the dead.So they must not kill Sukracharya.Ofcourse you never know whether Sukracharya could be killed.But they could kill Kacha the disciple of Sukracharya so that the knowledge of reviving the dead could  not reach the god.So it lay in the logic of the affairs that they would try to assassinate Kacha.

Thrice  they assassinated Kacha but thrice Kacha was recalled to life.This shows the efficacy of Sanjivani mantra.But this is not all.We have learned how cruelly the demons disposed of the dead body of Kacha once he was killed.They cut Kacha’s body in thousand pieces & gave away those pieces to the dogs.But Sukracharya’s Sanjivani mantra reunited the cut pieces of the limbs of Kacha & Kacha came back to life whence no man returns.Another time Kacha’s body was flung into the sea.It must have rotted there & mingled with the water.But Sukracharya called Kacha back to life.In other words even if a dead body had mingled with the elements Sukracharya could seperate a person from the element & bring him back to life.Finally they killed Kacha & mixed his dead body with wine that was offered to Sukracharya himself.Now if Kach had to show up he must resurrect by way of killing Sukrachaya.But the foolish demons did not understand that a Brahamin of Sukracharya’s stature would not hesitate to sacrifice himself for the well being of his disciple.Besides had the demons not killed Kacha like that,Kacha could have to wait for years together to learn the mantra of reviving the dead.But trying to kill Kacha over & over again expedited the learning of the mantra by Kacha earlier than it seemed to be scheduled.And the activities of the demons simply scandalized Sukracharya.When he said that the killing a Brahamin can dethrone even the mighty king of gods.Sukracharya forecast that by way of killing Kacha the devout  Brahamin,the demons would never suceed in their design of destroying the gods.

May be in future there would be more fights between gods & demons.But Sukracharya’s prophecy would not be undone.

One wonders whether the demons are dominating the human society in the world today.But those of us who believe in the Mahabharata know that Sukracharya’s saying can never fail.   

Mahabharata – 103

by 

Sankar Mukherjee

& Dr. Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya

                                   Aadivamsavatarana Parva

The demons killed Kacha . Sukracharya brought him back to life. But Kacha was not out of fire. Another day Kacha was missing again.Devyani pined for him.Kacha came back to his preceptor’s house.

On interrogation Kacha  told  Devyani -- I was killed when I went into the woods for gathering flowers. The Danavas saw me. They again killed me & cut me into pieces. Then they threw those pieces into the waters of the ocean.

Finding Kacha not coming home the maiden Devyani again approached her father.And summoned again by Sukracharya with the aid of his Sanjivani, Kacha appeared & told everything as it had happened.

But the demons were bent on killing Kacha so that the mantra of reviving of the dead could not pass on to the gods from Sukracharya via Kacha. So next time  they hit upon a plan. They killed Kacha for the third time. They turned him into ashes.They mixed the ashes  with  wine. They served wine to  Sukracharya. And Sukracharya drunk the wine.  

This reminds the readers of Thyestes composed by the great playwright Seneca.

 Kacha did not come back to his preceptor’s household. Seeing this Devyani rushed to her father & said--  'Oh Father, the obedient Kacha was sent to gather flowers. But he has not returned yet. He is not to be seen. It is sure that he has been killed or he has been lost. I tell you truly, I will not live without him.

Vaisampyana said--Oh king Janamejaya! Sukracharya hearing Devyani,called Kacha by name.But this time the miracle did not take place.Kacha did not show up.Sukracharya now said to Devyani --   Oh Daughter!,the son of Vrihaspati has  gone to the region of the dead. I have tried over & over again to revive Kacha who has been assassinated over & over again .I am now fed up. What,indeed,am I to do? Oh Devayani!,Do not suffer.Do not cry.One like you should not suffer or lament for one who is mortal. Even if Kacha is revived to life the demons will kill him once again.So we are helpless.

But Devyani protested -- 'Why shall I,Oh father!, not grieve for him whose grandfather is old Angiras himself, & whose father is Vrihaspati, He himself too was a Brahmachari and an ascetic; always wakeful and skilled in everything. I shall also follow the way Kacha has gone. The handsome Kacha  was dear  to me.

Sukracharya  said, in anger, 'Certainly, the Asuras seek to injure me. Because, they slay my innoscent disciple again & again. These Asuras desire to stain my character of a Brahmin. And they have been always insulting me. Truly, this crime is a terrible one. The crime of slaying a Brahmin would even burn Indra himself.

Vaisampayana continued--  Oh King Janamejaya! Having said this, the great Rishi Sukracharya, on frequent request of Devyani  called Kacha again by name. But Kacha, summoned with the aid of the science, of Sanjivani was apprehensive of the misfortune of his Guru Sukracharya.So he did not want to speak. But the mantra of Sanjivani made him to speak. So feebly did he reply from within the stomach of his preceptor, saying-- Be graceful to me, Oh lord! I am worshipping you. I am like your son.

 Sukracharya then said -- 'By what path, Oh! Kacha you have entered my stomach? & how are you staying there?  Tell me.

Kacha replied --- By your grace, memory has not failed me. Indeed, I do recollect everything as it happened. My ascetic virtues have not been destroyed through this kind of death. It is, therefore, that I am able to bear this almost insufferable pain.

Oh Lord! slain by the Asuras and burnt and turned  to ashes, I have been given to you mingled with wine. Sir you are omniscient. You could easily find out the truth. But it is you who

taught the demons the skill of employing maya or magic. They employed maya & hence you could not guess that the wine was mingled with my ashes. Although I  could dissipate the maya with my own powers but I did not think that I should show my spiritual power where you are present.

Hearing this, Sukracharya said, 'Oh my daughter!, what good can I do to you? It is with my death that Kacha can get his life back. Oh Devayani,there is no other way of his coming out except by  opening my stomach.

 Devayani replied, 'Both the events --- the death of Kacha as well as your death shall, burn me like fire The death of Kacha & your own death are to me the same! The death of Kacha would deprive me of life. If you also die, I shall not be able to bear my life.

 Then Sukracharya said, 'Oh Kacha! you have, indeed,  already  achieved the vow of ascetism, because Devayani adores you so well ! you have been very obedient. Accept the science that I will today impart to you.If you are really Kacha son of Vrihaspati this knowledge will help you but if you are Indra the king of gods in disguise of Kacha then this knowledge will be of no help to you. None can come out from my stomach, recalled to life other than a Brahmana. Therefore, accept the science. I impart it to you.

Start your life as my son  & the  inheritor  of the knowledge attained by me. Take care that, on coming out of my body,revive me & act gracefully. Focused on virtue by receiving knowledge from the Guru be wise.

 'Receiving the science imparted to him by his preceptor the handsome Kacha,  opening the stomach of Sukracharya , came out to the world  like the moon of the bright fort-night. Kacha come back to life piercing the stomach & entrails of great Sukracharya looked at the  body of Sukracharya with great sorrow.His silver skin was laced with golden blood.He looked like a mountain of wisdom,knowledge & penance aglow with love & light.Kacha with all reverence chanted the Sanjivani mantra.And lo! Sukracharya came back to life & shone in great spiritual & mundane effulgence. Sukracharya blessed Kacha profusely.Sukracharya told Kacha that henceforth he was as powerful as Sukracharya himself.He was now as powerful as Brahma himself.Kacha said -- Sir henceforth you are not merely my preceptor.You are my father.You are my mother also.I will never ever do any harm to you.I will not entertain any harm to you even in my thoughts.

Sukracharya felt  how harmful drinking wine is. Because the wine he had taken offered by the demons was adulterated with the body & blood of the great soul Kacha. Hence he thundered that whichever Brahmin drinks wine henceforth will be damned here & hereafter. Sukracharya addressed the demons & told them that deluded by ignorance they had killed the great soul Kacha. Now Kacha has learned the Sanjivani mantra. So he is at par with Sukracharya himself. Kacha is now as great as Brahma the creator himself.

Kacha took leave of Sukracharya.Then he went to bid farewell to Devyani.There was a long conversation between Devyani & Kacha. There was some difference of opinions. Be that as it may Kacha took leave of Devyani & set out for heaven.