Nalakuvara
Encyclopedia
Nalakuvara, also known as Nalakubara and his brother Manigriva were sons of Kubera
in Hindu Mythology. Nalakuvara and his brother were cursed by Sage Narada
into becoming Trees. Lord Krishna
later liberated them.
Nalakuvara's wife Rambha was raped by Ravana
and by some accounts Nalakuvara cursed Ravana that if Ravana violated any other woman, Ravana's heads would burst. This curse protected the chastity of Sita
, the wife of Rama
when she was kidnapped by Ravana.
. When the maidens saw Narada, they covered themselves while Nalakuvara and his brother were too intoxicated to notice Narada and hence remained unclothed.
By some accounts, Narada felt sorry that the brothers were wasting away their lives by their excessive indulgence in women and wine. Narada took upon the obligation of helping the brothers by cursing them into trees. Narada wanted the brothers to meet Lord Krishna after many years who would be able to liberate them from the curse. This would also buy enough time for the brothers to realize their mistake.
In other accounts, Narada is said to have been offended by the brother's lack or self dignity and respect and cursed them into trees. Upon the brother's pleas, Narada allows them to be liberated by Lord Krishna.
When Lord Krishna was in his infancy, his mother Yasoda
had tied him to a mortar. Lord Krishna dragged the mortar and got it stuck between two trees, which were Nalakuvara and Manigriva in their cursed state. Upon contact, the trees regained their original form. The brothers paid homage to Lord Krishna, apologized for their mistakes and left.
Kubera
Kubera , also spelt Kuber, is the Lord of wealth and the god-king of the semi-divine Yakshas in Hindu mythology. He is regarded as the regent of the North , and a protector of the world His many epithets extol him as the overlord of numerous semi-divine species and the owner of the treasures of...
in Hindu Mythology. Nalakuvara and his brother were cursed by Sage Narada
Narada
Narada or Narada Muni is a divine sage from the Vaisnava tradition, who plays a prominent role in a number of the Puranic texts, especially in the Bhagavata Purana, and in the Ramayana...
into becoming Trees. Lord Krishna
Krishna
Krishna is a central figure of Hinduism and is traditionally attributed the authorship of the Bhagavad Gita. He is the supreme Being and considered in some monotheistic traditions as an Avatar of Vishnu...
later liberated them.
Nalakuvara's wife Rambha was raped by Ravana
Ravana
' is the primary antagonist character of the Hindu legend, the Ramayana; who is the great king of Lanka. In the classic text, he is mainly depicted negatively, kidnapping Rama's wife Sita, to claim vengeance on Rama and his brother Lakshmana for having cut off the nose of his sister...
and by some accounts Nalakuvara cursed Ravana that if Ravana violated any other woman, Ravana's heads would burst. This curse protected the chastity of Sita
SITA
SITA is a multinational information technology company specialising in providing IT and telecommunication services to the air transport industry...
, the wife of Rama
Rama
Rama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
when she was kidnapped by Ravana.
Story
Nalakuvara and his brother were playing with celestial maidens in the Ganges in nudity, when Narada came by that way. The hermit was returning from visiting Lord VishnuVishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
. When the maidens saw Narada, they covered themselves while Nalakuvara and his brother were too intoxicated to notice Narada and hence remained unclothed.
By some accounts, Narada felt sorry that the brothers were wasting away their lives by their excessive indulgence in women and wine. Narada took upon the obligation of helping the brothers by cursing them into trees. Narada wanted the brothers to meet Lord Krishna after many years who would be able to liberate them from the curse. This would also buy enough time for the brothers to realize their mistake.
In other accounts, Narada is said to have been offended by the brother's lack or self dignity and respect and cursed them into trees. Upon the brother's pleas, Narada allows them to be liberated by Lord Krishna.
When Lord Krishna was in his infancy, his mother Yasoda
Yasoda
Yasoda/Yashoda was wife of Nanda within the Puranic texts of Hinduism. Within the Bhagavata Purana it is described that Yasoda later became the foster-mother to Krishna, who was born to Devaki but was given to Yashoda and Nanda in Gokul, by Krishna's father Vasudeva on the night of his birth, for...
had tied him to a mortar. Lord Krishna dragged the mortar and got it stuck between two trees, which were Nalakuvara and Manigriva in their cursed state. Upon contact, the trees regained their original form. The brothers paid homage to Lord Krishna, apologized for their mistakes and left.