By Swami Harshananda
Kubera was the king of Laṅkā. He was born as the son of the sage Viśravas and Devavarṇi. When his cousins, Rāvaṇa and Kumbhakarṇa, defeated him in a battle and usurped his kingdom, he did severe penance to please Lord Śiva. By his grace, he built a new kingdom and capital known as Alakāpurī on the Himalayas near Kailāsa, the abode of Śiva.
Kubera was the lord of the yakṣas[1] and possessed immense wealth. Nalakubara, famous for his extraordinary handsomeness, was his son from his wife Riddhi. He blessed Arjuna when he was per-forming tapas in the Indrakīla mountain with several divine weapons. Kubera is one of the eight dikpālakas, protectors of the quarters, ruling over the North.
References[edit]
- ↑ Yakṣas are a type of demigods.
- The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore