Kubera

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Kubera (Sanskrit: कुबेर) (also Kuvera or Kuber) is the king of the Yakshas and the lord of wealth in Hindu mythology. He is also known as Dhanapati, the lord of riches. He is one of the Guardians of the directions , representing the Uttara-disha, meaning north of 4 directions in Sanskrit.

Kubera is also the son of Sage Vishrava (hence he is also called Vaisravana) and in this respect, he is also the elder brother of the Lord of Lanka, Ravana. The banks of river Narmada is described as the birth place of Yaksha king Kubera (Vaisravana), where his father Visravas, who was a sage, lived. It is also a territory of Gandharvas. (Mahabharata: 3,89).

He is said to have performed austerities for a thousand years, in reward for which Brahma, the Creator, gave him immortality and made him god of wealth, guardian of all the treasures of the earth, the nidhi which he was to give out to whom they were destined.

When Brahma appointed him God of Riches, he gave him Lanka (Ceylon) as his capital, and presented him, according to the Mahabharata, with the vehicle pushpaka, which was of immense size and ‘moved at the owner’s will at marvellous speed’. When Ravana captured Lanka, Kubera moved to his city of Alaka, in the Himalaya and established his Yaksha Kingdom there.

Also, his house was believed to be the abode of adilakshmi,the goddess of wealth who pleased by his devotion give him immense wealth making him nideesha or the keeper of riches.

Kubera also credited money to Venkateshwara or Vishnu for his marriage with Padmavati. In remembrance of this, the reason devotees going to Tirupati donate money in Venkateshwara's Hundi so that he can pay back to Kubera. According to the Vishnupuran this process will go on till the end of Kali yuga.

[edit] See also

• Vaisravana
• Yakshini

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