Kubera Vaiśravaṇa

Kubera Vaiśravaṇa is the king of the yakshas, keeper of the divine treasury, guardian of the northern direction, and one of the eight Ashṭadikpālakas. He was the first ruler of Laṅkā, the golden city built by Viśvakarma on Mount Trikūṭa, before the rākshasas took it from him twice. Vaiśravaṇa means “son of Viśravas”.

He was the son of the brahmarshi Viśravas by his first wife Iḍaviḍā, daughter of Bharadvāja, and so he was a half-brother of Rāvaṇa. He owned the Pushpaka vimāna, the supreme celestial flying chariot. Rāvaṇa took it when he drove Kubera out of Laṅkā. After the war, Rāma gave the Pushpaka back to its rightful owner.

Birth and lineage

Kubera was born to the brahmarshi Viśravas, son of Pulastya, one of Brahmā’s mind-born sons. His mother was Viśravas’s first wife Iḍaviḍā (also called Devavarṇinī), daughter of the ṛshi Bharadvāja. This lawful marriage gave Kubera the heritage of brahmarshis on both sides. He belongs to the brahmarshi line of Pulastya. Through Viśravas’s second wife Kaikasī, the same line also gave his half-brother Rāvaṇa.

His name Vaiśravaṇa, “son of Viśravas”, is his chief patronymic. He is also called Dhanada (giver of wealth), Dhanādhipa (lord of wealth), Yaksharāja (king of the yakshas) and Alakāpati (lord of Alakā).

Ruler of Laṅkā and the Pushpaka

Brahmā made Kubera the first human-like ruler of Laṅkā. This was the golden city built by Viśvakarma on Mount Trikūṭa, on a peak rising from the southern ocean. Kubera ruled Laṅkā with dharma and plenty. His yaksha armies and attendants lived well there, and the city was a marvel of wealth.

He also owned the Pushpaka vimāna. This supreme celestial flying chariot could travel as fast as thought. It could grow or shrink to hold any number of passengers, and it moved in any direction its rider wished. As the master of wealth, Kubera counted it as the finest of his possessions.

The two expulsions from Laṅkā

Kubera was driven out of Laṅkā twice.

• First time. The three rākshasa brothers Mālyavān, Sumāli and Māli seized Laṅkā. Kubera did not want to fight his kinsmen, who were linked to him through their ancestor Viśravas, and he withdrew to Kailāsa. Bhagavān Vishṇu in time killed Māli and the others fled. Kubera came back.
• Second time. Rāvaṇa performed tapas (austerity) and received from Brahmā a vara (boon) of invulnerability. He then came to Laṅkā with overwhelming force and drove Kubera out again. This time Rāvaṇa also took the Pushpaka vimāna. Kubera went to the Himālaya and set up his new capital at Alakāpurī (Alakā), near Kailāsa, under the protection of Bhagavān Śiva. He stayed there through the whole time of the Rāmāyaṇa.

Guardian of the north

The loss of Laṅkā did not lessen Kubera’s standing in the cosmos. Brahmā made him guardian of the northern direction, one of the eight Ashṭadikpālakas, the guardians of the eight directions. He is also one of the controllers of the Nava-Nidhi, the keeper of the nine divine treasures of the cosmos.

Kubera and Śiva

Kubera and Bhagavān Śiva are bound by mutual devotion. Kubera worships Bhagavān Śiva, and Bhagavān Śiva protects Kubera. The great city of Alakāpurī was set up near Kailāsa to be close to Bhagavān Śiva and under his protection.

The Pushpaka returned

Rāma killed Rāvaṇa and won the war of Laṅkā. He then used the Pushpaka vimāna to carry the whole party, Sītā, Lakshmaṇa and the vānara army, from Laṅkā to Ayodhyā. When they reached Ayodhyā, Rāma gave the Pushpaka back to Kubera, its rightful owner. This act of restoring what was owed finished the story of the Pushpaka. It was taken by adharma when Rāvaṇa drove Kubera out, and it was returned by dharma through Rāma’s just act.

Sources

• Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Uttara Kāṇḍa, Chapters 8–9, 14
• Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Uttara Kāṇḍa and Yuddha Kāṇḍa, for the return of the Pushpaka