The Tale of Krishna and the Liberation of Kubera’s Cursed Sons

In the beautiful town of Gokul, Lord Krishna, even as a young child, was known for his divine charm and miraculous deeds. His mischievous acts and displays of divine power captivated all who witnessed them, revealing his true nature as an incarnation of Lord Vishnu.

One day, Krishna’s foster mother, Yashoda, tied him to a large wooden mortar to prevent him from wandering off while she attended to her chores. Ever playful, Krishna took this as an opportunity for another adventure. Though bound to the mortar, Krishna crawled along, dragging it behind him. He made his way to a pair of enormous twin *Arjuna* trees standing close together in the courtyard. These were no ordinary trees—they were, in fact, the cursed sons of Kubera, the god of wealth.

The story of these trees began in the heavenly realms with two young celestial beings, Nalakuvara and Manigriva, sons of Kubera. Blessed with beauty, wealth, and youth, they often indulged in a life of pleasure and excess. One day, in a drunken state, they were enjoying themselves in the company of celestial maidens by a river. Lost in their revelry, they failed to show respect when the great sage Narada approached. Displeased by their arrogance and lack of humility, Narada decided to teach them a lesson. He cursed them to take the form of trees, standing motionless in one place until they were freed by the grace of Lord Vishnu himself in a future birth.

Narada’s curse, however, came with a blessing: he foretold that when Lord Vishnu incarnated as Krishna, he would liberate them, thus giving them the chance to redeem themselves and attain spiritual growth.

Now, in his child form, Krishna approached the twin trees in Gokul, aware of their hidden identities. With divine strength, Krishna crawled between the trees, dragging the mortar behind him. As he squeezed through, the mortar became lodged between the two trunks. With a sudden tug, Krishna pulled the trees down with a thunderous crash, uprooting them in an instant.

As the trees fell, they transformed back into Nalakuvara and Manigriva, who emerged from the fallen trunks in their original divine forms. They bowed before Krishna, deeply grateful and humbled. With folded hands, they praised Krishna, recognizing him as the Supreme Being and thanking him for delivering them from their curse.

They admitted their past arrogance and expressed their gratitude for the wisdom they had gained during their long years in the form of trees. Through the curse, they had learned humility and the importance of respect and devotion. Krishna, smiling with compassion, forgave them and blessed them, allowing them to return to the celestial realms, forever transformed by the experience.

Thus, Krishna’s divine act not only freed the sons of Kubera from their curse but also granted them spiritual liberation, allowing them to return to their father with a newfound sense of humility and devotion.

### Moral:

The story of Krishna freeing the cursed sons of Kubera teaches us the importance of humility, respect, and the transformative power of devotion. Nalakuvara and Manigriva, though blessed with divine status, had allowed arrogance and indulgence to cloud their judgment. Through their curse, they learned the value of humility and the need to honor all beings. The tale reminds us that even our misfortunes can be blessings in disguise, guiding us toward inner growth and liberation.