Mucukunda Kubera Saṃvāda

Mucukunda was a king who had won the whole earth. He then marched against Kubera at Alakā to test the limit of his strength. Kubera’s rākshasas destroyed his army, and Mucukunda blamed his purohita, Vasishṭha. Vasishṭha then used his tapas (austerity) to destroy the rākshasas. Kubera told Mucukunda that he had won by a brāhmaṇa’s power and not by a kshatriya’s. Kubera then offered him the earth as a gift, and Mucukunda refused it. The Mahābhārata tells this in the Rājadharmānuśāsana Parva of the Śānti Parva.

Mucukunda’s campaign

Mucukunda of the Haihaya line had already won the whole earth by his fighting power and right conduct. He had overcome every other king. Then he turned to Alakā, the city of Kubera, lord of the yakshas and keeper of the treasure of the worlds.

Mucukunda wanted to test the outer limit of his power. He had beaten all the kings of men. Could he also beat Kubera?

The battle and the blame

Kubera saw the attack but did not fight himself. He sent out his army of rākshasas, and they destroyed Mucukunda’s army.

Mucukunda’s forces were broken. He blamed his purohita (family priest) Vasishṭha.

Vasishṭha did not argue and did not leave. The purohita used his tapas-power and destroyed the army of rākshasas. Mucukunda survived and could go on.

Kubera’s rebuke

Kubera then spoke to Mucukunda directly. Great kings before him, armed with mighty armies and divine weapons, had also come to Alakā. But they had come in the right way, with their purohitas, with respect and in the spirit of dharma, and not as conquerors.

Kubera made one point clear. Mucukunda had not won by his own kshatriya-bala (the strength of arm and skill in arms). He had won by the brāhmaṇa-bala (the power of tapas) of Vasishṭha. To claim a victory by another’s power goes against kshatriya-dharma. A kshatriya who wins by brāhmaṇa-bala that is not his own has not truly won.

Mucukunda heard the rebuke and accepted that it held truth. He did not reject it. He gave his own view. Brāhmaṇa and kshatriya must work together. Brahmā made them from one womb, with different kinds of power, so that they would rule the world together. A king who has his purohita is complete. Mucukunda said that he had not given up kshatriya-dharma. He had carried out the design of the partnership of brāhmaṇa and kshatriya.

The refusal of the gift

Kubera was moved by Mucukunda’s answer and offered him the earth, the whole land, as a gift. This would have made Mucukunda’s rule over the earth official and beyond dispute, with Kubera’s approval.

Mucukunda refused. He said:

“I do not wish to enjoy a kingdom given to me as a gift. I will enjoy only what I have won with my own arms.”

Mucukunda did not long for Kubera’s gift. He did not take the offer as an honour. To him it would harm the worth of his conquest. If the earth he ruled were a grant from Kubera and not land won by his own bāhu-bala (strength of arm), he would not truly be its ruler.

Kubera was astonished at this kshatriya dignity and acknowledged Mucukunda’s great worth.

Sources

• Mahābhārata, Śānti Parva, Rājadharmānuśāsana Parva, Chapter 74