Maṇigrīva

Maṇigrīva is one of the two sons of Kubera, the lord of wealth and of the yakshas. The ṛshi Nārada Muni laid a śāpa (a curse) on him, and he spent a period as a tree in Nanda’s courtyard in Gokula. His brother was Nalakūbara. The śāpa ended when the infant Kṛshṇa dragged a wooden mortar, to which he was tied, and pulled up both trees. Maṇigrīva then came out in his divine form. He and Nalakūbara offered a stotra (hymn of praise) to Kṛshṇa and went to their celestial realm. The Bhāgavata Mahā Purāṇa tells this in the Tenth Skandha, Chapters 9 and 10.

Background and śāpa

The name Maṇigrīva means “jewel-necked”. He and his brother Nalakūbara were sons of Kubera. They were wealthy celestial beings, and they gave in to ahaṃkāra (pride) in their high place. They were sporting drunk in the Mandākinī river near Kailāsa and showed no respect to Nārada when he passed by. Nārada Muni then laid his śāpa on them.

The śāpa fell on both brothers alike. They were to become the twin arjuna trees that stood in Nanda’s courtyard, until Bhagavān Kṛshṇa would set them free. The Bhāgavata Mahā Purāṇa tells this in the Tenth Skandha, Chapter 9.

Freedom and departure

Maṇigrīva was freed at the same moment as Nalakūbara, when Kṛshṇa’s mortar pulled up both trees. The bright divine form of Maṇigrīva came out of one of the two trees. The Bhāgavata does not say which tree it was.

Together with Nalakūbara he stood before the infant Kṛshṇa with folded hands. They offered a joint stotra of thanks. In it they called Kṛshṇa the Sarvātman (the Self of all) and the Parāt-para Brahman (the Brahman beyond the highest). They said he had freed them through what looked like the simple act of a child dragging a mortar. They also thanked Nārada for the śāpa, which had in truth been a gift. Then they went north to their celestial realm. The Bhāgavata Mahā Purāṇa tells this in the Tenth Skandha, Chapter 10.

Sources

• Bhāgavata Mahā Purāṇa, Tenth Skandha, Chapters 9–10