 |
| KUBERA - GOD OF WEALTH |
Kubera is the god of wealth and the gods' treasurer. His white body is dwarfish,
has three legs and eight teeth. He has two to four hands and may carry in his
hands a mace, a purse containing money, a vase, a fruit and a bowl and two hands
in the boon giving and protective modes. If shown as having two hands he will
carry a bowl and a moneybag.
His body is covered with jewels and other ornaments. For moving around he has
a chariot called PUSHPAK.
He is also called the gods of YAKSAS.
Kubera is not an important deity and his images are very rarely seen, though
he is frequently referred in the epics. His brother Ravana, by practicing austerities,
obtained from Shiva the boon of invincibility and so was able to defeat Kubera
and to seize and retain Lanka and the chariot, Pushpak. As Lanka could not be
restored to Kubera, Vishwakarma, the god of architecture,
built him a palace on Mount Kailasa. He also has a beautiful garden called CHAITRARATH
on Mount Mandara. Kubera's domains are all in the high Himalayas, partly because he is
the guardian of the North, but also because mountains are the repositories of
mineral wealth. Kubera watches over the earth's storehouse of gold, silver, jewels,
pearls and nine NIDHIS (special treasures). |
| |
|
