Encyclopedia for Epics of Ancient IndiaA - B - C - D - E - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - P - R - S - T - U - V - Y |
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KACHA. [Source: Dowson's Classical Dictionary of Hindu Mythology] A son of Brihaspati.
According to the Mahabharata he became a disciple of Sukra or Usanas, the priest of the Asuras, with the object of obtaining from him the mystic power of restoring the dead to life, a charm which Sukra alone possessed. To prevent this the Asuras killed Kacha again and again, but on both occasions he was restored to life by the sage at the intercession of Devayani, his daughter, who had fallen in love with Kacha. They killed him a third time, burnt his body, and mixed his ashes with Sukra's wine, but Devayani again implored her father to bring back the young man. Unable to resist his daughter's importunity, Sukra once more performed the charm, and to his surprise he heard the voice of Kacha come out from his own belly. To save his own life, Sukra taught his pupil the great charm. He then allowed himself to be ripped open, and Kacha, upon coming out, performed the charm, and restored his master to life. The incident is said to have caused Sukra to prohibit the use of wine to Brahmans.
Kacha resisted the proposals of Devayani, and refused to make her his wife. She then cursed him, that the charms he had learnt from her father should be powerless, and he in return condemned her to be sought by no Brahman, and to become the wife of a Kshatriya.
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Modern Languages MLLL-4993. Indian Epics. Laura Gibbs, Ph.D. The textual material made available at this website is licensed under a Creative Commons License. You must give the original author credit. You may not use this work for commercial purposes. If you alter, transform, or build upon this work, you may distribute the resulting work only under a license identical to this one. No claims are made regarding the status of images used at this website; if you own the copyright privileges to any of these images and believe your copyright privileges have been violated, please contact the webmaster. Page last updated: October 16, 2007 12:22 PM |