⭐ In the context of the *Mahabharata*, the story of Kacha and Devayani primarily serves to illustrate what aspect of the epic?
The tale of Kacha and Devayani is embedded within the *Mahabharata* to explain the ancestry of important figures and the intricate web of connections between different families and divine beings.
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⭐ Core Definition: Kacha (sage)
Kacha (Sanskrit: कच, romanized: Kaca) is a sage featured in Hindu mythology. He is the son of Brihaspati and Tara. The narrative of Kacha is mentioned in the Mahābhārata, the Matsya Purana and the Agni Purana. He is known for learning Mṛtasañjīvanī vidyā mantra (a hymn for reviving the dead) from his guru Shukra. However, he is unable to revive devas due to the curse of Shukra's daughter, Devayani.
Traditionally, the authorship of the Mahābhārata is attributed to Vyāsa. There have been many attempts to unravel its historical growth and compositional layers. The bulk of the Mahābhārata was probably compiled between the 3rd century BCE and the 3rd century CE, with the oldest preserved parts not much older than around 400 BCE. The text probably reached its final form by the early Gupta period (c. 4th century CE).
Tārā is the Hindu goddess of felicity and sanguineness. She is also known as the "Wisdom Goddess" in Nepal and Tibet. Tara is the consort of Hindu god Brihaspati, the god of planet Jupiter. According to some Puranas, Tara sired or mothered a child named Budha, the god of Mercury through Chandra and had a son named Kacha through Brihaspati.