Mahabharata 1.76.28 — Adi Parva, Adhyaya 76, Shloka 28
ययाति–देवयानी संवादः
Yayāti–Devayānī Dialogue and Śukra’s Consent
गा रक्षन्तं वने दृष्टवा रहस्येकममर्षिता: । जघ्नुर्बृहस्पतेद्?ैषाद् विद्यारक्षार्थमेव च
gā rakṣantaṁ vane dṛṣṭvā rahasy ekam amarṣitāḥ | jaghnur bṛhaspateḥ dveṣād vidyā-rakṣārtham eva ca ||
வைசம்பாயனர் கூறினார்—காட்டின் தனிமையான இடத்தில் கசன் ஒருவனாக மாடுகளை காத்துக் கொண்டிருப்பதைப் பார்த்து, பொறுக்கமுடியாத சினத்தில் தானவர்கள் பிருஹஸ்பதியின்மீது பகையாலும், வித்யையைப் பாதுகாக்க வேண்டுமென்ற காரணத்தாலும் அவனை கொன்றனர்.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how envy and factional hatred can drive people to unethical violence, even against a solitary, duty-bound student. It also frames sacred knowledge as something communities may try to guard—yet the means of guarding it (murder) becomes a moral failure, contrasting secrecy and power with dharmic restraint.
Kaca, alone in a secluded part of the forest while tending cattle, is spotted by the asuras. Fearing he will obtain the sañjīvanī-vidyā and motivated by hostility toward Bṛhaspati’s side, they kill him to prevent that knowledge from passing to their rivals.
Ask anything about this verse
Curious about the meaning, context, or a word? Ask, and continue the conversation in the Vedapath app.
A free Google sign-in keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Mahabharata in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with audio, word-by-word meanings, and more.