Introduction
Kubera is the lord of wealth and one of the guardians of the directions, the son of Vishrava and Ilavida. He is the half-brother of Ravana, and the original ruler of Lanka.
This article primarily follows the Valmiki Ramayana. Where a well-known detail comes from a later retelling or tradition, the article identifies it.
Family
- Father: Vishrava
- Mother: Ilavida
- Siblings: Ravana, Kumbhakarna, Vibhishana, Shurpanakha, Khara, Dushana, Trishiras
Lord of Lanka
According to the Uttara Kanda, Brahma granted Kubera the flying chariot Pushpaka and the rule of Lanka, which had been empty after the Rakshasas fled.
Ravana's attack
Ravana, urged by his family, demanded Lanka from Kubera. Kubera moved to Kailasa and built the city of Alaka, but Ravana later attacked it and took the Pushpaka by force.
Nalakubara
Kubera's son Nalakubara was the beloved of the apsara Rambha. When Ravana met Rambha on her way to Nalakubara and forced himself on her, Nalakubara cursed him that he would die if he ever forced a woman who did not want him. This curse explains why Ravana never took Sita by force.
In later tradition
Later Puranic traditions describe Kubera as pot-bellied and short, and say that he lost an eye and a tooth. These details are not in Valmiki.