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Kuvera (Kubera)

King of Uttarakuru.

His royal residence is Āḷakamandā and his citadel Visāna. His messengers are Tatolā, Tattolā, Tatotalā, Ojasi, Tejasi, Tatojasi, Sūra, Rāja, Ariṭṭha, and Nemi. His lotus-lake is called Dharaṇī. His sons are all called Inda (D.iii.201 f). He rules over the northern clime and is lord of the yakkhas, with a splendid retinue (D.ii.257). He is a follower of the Buddha (SN.v.379). See Vessavaṇa.

He was once a brahmin called Kuvera and owned a sugar-cane farm, where he worked seven mills. The produce of one mill he gave in charity, and when his profits increased he gave alms for twenty thousand years. After death he was born as one of the Cātummahārājika-devā (DA.iii.966; SNA.i.369 f).

In literature the name Kuvera signifies the god of wealth, and his city, Āḷakamandā, is said to embody all prosperity (e.g., Cv.xxxvii.106; xxxix.5; lxxx.5). He had nine treasures (Cv.lxxxvii.31; see Hopkins’ Epic Mythology, 142 f). The yakkha Puṇṇaka calls himself the minister of Kuvera (J.vi.307, 325). Kuvera is mentioned in a list of those who reached heaven through generosity (J.vi.201).