The demi-Gods pestered their teacher, Brihaspati, to do something about it. Brihaspati ultimately decided to steal this mantra from Shukracharya, and he decided to use his son Kach for this. He instructed Kach to become Shukracharya's disciple and to look for an opportunity to trick Shukracharya into revealing the mantra. He also told Kach to woo Devyani, Shukracharya's beautiful daughter, so that he would have an ally in the enemy's home.
Kach introduced himself as Brihaspati's son and requested Shukracharya to take him as his disciple for a thousand years. Since no mention was made of teaching the Mritsanjivni mantra, Shukracharya accepted the proposal. Thus Kach came to live at Shukracharya's hermitage. Kach was an avid learner and a devoted disciple. He soon became an integral part of the hermitage. Devyani was impressed by his looks, abilities and the respect he showed to her father. A deep friendship began to brew between Kach and her. Five hundred years passed uneventfully in this manner.
The demons hated the demi-Gods and this hatred spilled over to Kach since he was the son of the teacher of the demi-Gods. They resented his presence in the hermitage. One day, when Kach was out on an errand, they killed him. When Kach did not return that evening, Devyani was worried and went to her father. Shukracharya used his divine powers to learn that Kach had been killed. Devyani compelled him to recite the Mritsanjivni mantra and bring Kach back to life.
The demons decided that more desperate measured would be required to get rid of Kach. They waited for another opportunity to kill him. This time they burnt his body, mixed his ashes in a goblet of wine and fed it to Shukracharya. When Kach did not return that evening, Devyani again went to her father. "This time we are in serious trouble," said Shukracharya. "Kach is in my stomach. I can bring him back to life, but in doing so he will burst out of my body and I will explode to pieces and die. So you have to choose between your boyfriend or your father."
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