Kacha

Gods and demons were at loggerheads for long. The guru of the demons, Shukracharya, knew how to breathe life into the dead. The secret was a hymn called the Sanjeevani. He used this hymn to resurrect the demons who had died.

But the gods did not know the hymn. They sent Kacha, the son of their guru Brihaspati, to extract the knowledge from Shukracharya.

A true guru never refuses to teach one who is eligible for learning. Shukracharya found Kacha intelligent and humble, so he accepted him as a student.

Years passed, and Devyani, Shukracharya’s daughter, fell in love with Kacha. However, the demons suspected Kacha’s motives and killed him. But the guru brought him back to life. Again, they killed him, and again the guru resurrected him. The third time, the demons not only killed him but also burned his dead body, mixing the ashes into a drink and forcing the guru to consume it.

Upon learning of this, the guru addressed Kacha’s spirit and taught him the hymn, Sanjeevani. Then he asked Kacha to come out of his body. Upon doing so, Shukracharya died. However, with the hymn Kacha had learned, he was able to resurrect his guru.

Kacha then prepared to return home. Devyani proposed to marry him, but he declined, saying that since he had come out of her father’s body, he was like her brother.

Devyani, hurt by his rejection, cursed him, saying that Kacha’s hymn would never be fruitful in the future. Kacha did not mind the curse; he taught the hymn to other gods who were able to utter it effectively.