Devayani's Proposal and Kacha's Curse

Verse 1 (1.71.1)

समावृत्तव्रतं तं तु विसृष्टं गुरुणा कचम् । प्रस्थितं त्रिदशावासं देवयान्यब्रवीदिदम् ॥

samāvṛttavrataṃ taṃ tu visṛṣṭaṃ guruṇā kacam | prasthitaṃ tridaśāvāsaṃ devayānyabravīdidam

When Kacha had completed his vow and had been given leave by his teacher, and was setting out for the abode of the thirty gods, Devayani said this to him:

Note on the text: Corrected समावृतव्रतं → समावृत्तव्रतं (misprint in Wikisource; samāvṛtta, 'completed', is required, as in the critical edition's samāvṛttavrataṃ).

Verse 2 (1.71.2)

ऋषेरङ्गिरसः पौत्र वृत्तेनाभिजनेन च । भ्राजसे विद्यया चैव तपसा च दमेन च ॥

ṛṣeraṅgirasaḥ pautra vṛttenābhijanena ca | bhrājase vidyayā caiva tapasā ca damena ca

"Grandson of the seer Angiras, you shine by your conduct and your birth, by your learning, your austerity and your self-restraint.

Verse 3 (1.71.3)

ऋषिर्यथाङ्गिरा मान्यः पितुर्मम महायशाः । तथा मान्यश्च पूज्यश्च मम भूयो बृहस्पतिः ॥

ṛṣiryathāṅgirā mānyaḥ piturmama mahāyaśāḥ | tathā mānyaśca pūjyaśca mama bhūyo bṛhaspatiḥ

"Just as the illustrious seer Angiras is honoured by my father, so Brihaspati is honoured and revered by me, and even more.

Note on the text: Corrected प्रान्यश्च → मान्यश्च (misprint in Wikisource; प for म, as in the critical edition's mānyaś ca).

Verse 4 (1.71.4)

एवं ज्ञात्वा विजानीहि यद्ब्रवीमि तपोधन । व्रतस्थे नियमोपेते यथा वर्ताम्यहं त्वयि ॥

evaṃ jñātvā vijānīhi yadbravīmi tapodhana | vratasthe niyamopete yathā vartāmyahaṃ tvayi

"Knowing this, understand what I am telling you, you whose wealth is austerity: remember how I conducted myself toward you while you kept your vow and observed its rules.

Verse 5 (1.71.5)

स समावृत्तविद्यो मां भक्तां भजितुमर्हसि । गृहाण पाणिं विधिवन्मम मन्त्रपुरस्कृतम् ॥

sa samāvṛttavidyo māṃ bhaktāṃ bhajitumarhasi | gṛhāṇa pāṇiṃ vidhivanmama mantrapuraskṛtam

"Now that your studies are complete, you should accept me, who am devoted to you. Take my hand in due form, with the sacred mantras."

Note on the text: Corrected समावृतविद्यो → समावृत्तविद्यो (misprint in Wikisource; as in the critical edition's samāvṛttavidyo). Removed the speaker line "कच उवाच", printed as a third line of this verse; it introduces verse 6.

Verse 6 (1.71.6)

पूज्यो मान्यश्च भगवान्यथा तव पिता मम । तथा त्वमनवद्याङ्गि पूजनीयतरा मम ॥

pūjyo mānyaśca bhagavānyathā tava pitā mama | tathā tvamanavadyāṅgi pūjanīyatarā mama

"Just as your revered father is worthy of my worship and honour, so are you, lady of flawless limbs — and even more to be revered by me.

Verse 7 (1.71.7)

प्राणेभ्योऽपि प्रियतरा भार्गवस्य महात्मनः । त्वं भद्रे धर्मतः पूज्या गुरुपुत्री सदा मम ॥

prāṇebhyo'pi priyatarā bhārgavasya mahātmanaḥ | tvaṃ bhadre dharmataḥ pūjyā guruputrī sadā mama

"You are dearer than life to the great-souled Bhargava. As my teacher's daughter, good lady, you are always to be revered by me according to dharma.

Note on the text: Corrected भत्रे → भद्रे (misprint in Wikisource; त्र for द्र, as in the critical edition's bhadre).

Verse 8 (1.71.8)

यथा मम गुरुर्नित्यं मान्यः शुक्रः पिता तव । देवयानि तथैव त्वं नैवं मां वक्तुमर्हसि ॥

yathā mama gururnityaṃ mānyaḥ śukraḥ pitā tava | devayāni tathaiva tvaṃ naivaṃ māṃ vaktumarhasi

"As my teacher Shukra, your father, is always to be honoured by me, so are you, Devayani. You should not speak to me like this."

Verse 9 (1.71.9)

गुरुपुत्रस्य पुत्रो वै न त्वं पुत्रश्च मे पितुः । तस्मात्पूज्यश्च मान्यश्च ममापि त्वं द्विजोत्तम ॥

guruputrasya putro vai na tvaṃ putraśca me pituḥ | tasmātpūjyaśca mānyaśca mamāpi tvaṃ dvijottama

"You are the son of a teacher's son, not the son of my father. Therefore, best of the twice-born, you are one I too may honour and revere.

Verse 10 (1.71.10)

असुरैर्हन्यमाने च कच त्वयि पुनःपुनः । तदाप्रभृति या प्रीतिस्तां त्वमद्य स्मरस्व मे ॥

asurairhanyamāne ca kaca tvayi punaḥpunaḥ | tadāprabhṛti yā prītistāṃ tvamadya smarasva me

"When the Asuras killed you again and again, Kacha — remember today the love I have borne you ever since.

Verse 11 (1.71.11)

सौहार्दे चानुरागे च वेत्थ मे भक्तिमुत्तमाम् । न मामर्हसि धर्मज्ञ त्यक्तुं भक्तामनागसम् ॥

sauhārde cānurāge ca vettha me bhaktimuttamām | na māmarhasi dharmajña tyaktuṃ bhaktāmanāgasam

"You know my deep devotion, in friendship and in love. You who know dharma should not abandon me, devoted and blameless as I am."

Verse 12 (1.71.12)

अनियोज्ये नियोक्तुं मां देवयानि न चार्हसि । प्रसीद सुभ्रु त्वं मह्यं गुरोर्गुरुतरा शुभे ॥

aniyojye niyoktuṃ māṃ devayāni na cārhasi | prasīda subhru tvaṃ mahyaṃ gurorgurutarā śubhe

"You should not press me, Devayani, toward what I must not be pressed to do. Be gracious to me, fair-browed one; to me you are more venerable than my teacher, auspicious lady.

Note on the text: Corresponds to 1.72.12 of the critical edition; the first line differs in wording (aniyojye niyoge māṃ niyunakṣi śubhavrate) but not in sense.

Verse 13 (1.71.13)

यत्रोषितं विशालाक्षि त्वया चन्द्रनिभानने । तत्राहमुषितो भद्रे कुक्षौ काव्यस्य भामिनि ॥

yatroṣitaṃ viśālākṣi tvayā candranibhānane | tatrāhamuṣito bhadre kukṣau kāvyasya bhāmini

"Large-eyed one with a face like the moon, where you once dwelt, there I too have dwelt, good lady — in the belly of Kavya, beautiful one.

Verse 14 (1.71.14)

भगिनी धर्मतो मे त्वं मैवं वोचः सुमध्यमे । सुखमस्म्युषितो भद्रे न मन्युर्विद्यते मम ॥

bhaginī dharmato me tvaṃ maivaṃ vocaḥ sumadhyame | sukhamasmyuṣito bhadre na manyurvidyate mama

"By dharma you are my sister. Do not speak so, slender-waisted one. I have lived here happily, good lady, and I bear no resentment.

Verse 15 (1.71.15)

आपृच्छे त्वां गमिष्यामि शिवमाशंस मे पथि । अविरोधेन धर्मस्य स्मर्तव्योऽस्मि कथान्तरे । अप्रमत्तोत्थिता नित्यमाराधय गुरुं मम ॥

āpṛcche tvāṃ gamiṣyāmi śivamāśaṃsa me pathi | avirodhena dharmasya smartavyo'smi kathāntare | apramattotthitā nityamārādhaya guruṃ mama

"I take my leave of you; I shall go. Wish me well on my way. Remember me in your talk, without offence to dharma, and always serve my teacher watchfully and diligently."

Verse 16 (1.71.16)

यदि मां धर्मकामार्थे प्रत्याख्यास्यसि याचितः । ततः कच न ते विद्या सिद्धिमेषा गमिष्यति ॥

yadi māṃ dharmakāmārthe pratyākhyāsyasi yācitaḥ | tataḥ kaca na te vidyā siddhimeṣā gamiṣyati

"If you refuse me when I entreat you for the sake of dharma and love, then, Kacha, this knowledge of yours will not bear fruit."

Verse 17 (1.71.17)

गुरुपुत्रीति कृत्वाऽहं प्रत्याचक्षे न दोषतः । गुरुणा चाननुज्ञातः काममेवं शपस्व माम् ॥

guruputrīti kṛtvā'haṃ pratyācakṣe na doṣataḥ | guruṇā cānanujñātaḥ kāmamevaṃ śapasva mām

"I refuse you because you are my teacher's daughter, not for any fault of yours; nor has my teacher given me leave. Curse me, then, as you please.

Verse 18 (1.71.18)

आर्षं धर्मं ब्रुवाणोऽहं देवयानि यथा त्वया । शप्तो ह्यनर्हः शापस्य कामतोऽद्य न धर्मतः ॥

ārṣaṃ dharmaṃ bruvāṇo'haṃ devayāni yathā tvayā | śapto hyanarhaḥ śāpasya kāmato'dya na dharmataḥ

"I was speaking the dharma of the seers, Devayani, and you have cursed me — I who did not deserve a curse — out of desire, not by dharma.

Verse 19 (1.71.19)

तस्माद्भवत्या यः कामो न तथा स भविष्यति । ऋषिपुत्रो न ते कश्चिज्जातु पाणिं ग्रहीष्यति ॥

tasmādbhavatyā yaḥ kāmo na tathā sa bhaviṣyati | ṛṣiputro na te kaścijjātu pāṇiṃ grahīṣyati

"Therefore the desire you cherish will not be fulfilled as you wish: no son of a seer will ever take your hand.

Verse 20 (1.71.20)

फलिष्यति न ते विद्या यत्त्वं मामात्थ तत्तथा । अध्यापयिष्यामि तु यं तस्य विद्या फलिष्यति ॥

phaliṣyati na te vidyā yattvaṃ māmāttha tattathā | adhyāpayiṣyāmi tu yaṃ tasya vidyā phaliṣyati

"As for what you said — that my knowledge will not bear fruit — so be it. But whoever I teach, in him that knowledge will bear fruit."

Verse 21 (1.71.21)

एवमुक्त्वा द्विजश्रेष्ठो देवयानीं कचस्तदा । त्रिदशेशालयं शीघ्रं जगाम द्विजसत्तमः ॥

evamuktvā dvijaśreṣṭho devayānīṃ kacastadā | tridaśeśālayaṃ śīghraṃ jagāma dvijasattamaḥ

Having spoken thus to Devayani, Kacha, foremost of the twice-born, best of Brahmins, went swiftly to the dwelling of the lord of the thirty gods.

Verse 22 (1.71.22)

तमागतमभिप्रेक्ष्य देवा इन्द्रपुरोगमाः । बृहस्पतिं सभाज्येदं कचं वचनमब्रुवन् ॥

tamāgatamabhiprekṣya devā indrapurogamāḥ | bṛhaspatiṃ sabhājyedaṃ kacaṃ vacanamabruvan

Seeing him arrive, the gods led by Indra first honoured Brihaspati, and then spoke these words to Kacha:

Verse 23 (1.71.23)

यत्त्वयास्मद्धितं कर्म कृतं वै परमाद्भुतम् । न ते यशः प्रणशिता भागभाक्च भविष्यसि ॥

yattvayāsmaddhitaṃ karma kṛtaṃ vai paramādbhutam | na te yaśaḥ praṇaśitā bhāgabhākca bhaviṣyasi

"You have done a most wondrous deed for our good. Your fame will never perish, and you shall have a share in the sacrifices."

Note on the text: Corrected भागभाक्व → भागभाक्च (misprint in Wikisource; व for च — 'and you will be a sharer'; the critical edition reads bhāgabhāṅ no).