times ruled large sections of northern
and western India, but whose origins are
unclear and obscure.
Kshemaraja
(11th c.) Kshemaraja was the primary
disciple of Abhinavagupta, the
Kashmiri writer famous for his works on
poetics and aesthetics, and a pivotal fig-
ure in the development of Trika
Shaivism. Based on a tantric philoso-
phy, Trika Shaivism states that the sole
true reality is the god Shiva, who is both
supreme god and the source of the ema-
nations that constitute the material of
the universe. Final liberation of the soul
(moksha) comes through a process of
“recognition” (pratyabhijna) in which
one realizes that the entire universe is
all a manifestation of Shiva alone.
Here one “recognizes” something that
has always been true, but until that
time has been obscured by a mistaken
understanding. Kshemaraja contin-
ued the development of the Trika
school. His most famous work is the
Svacchandatantra. See also tantra.
Kubera
In Hindu mythology, a minor deitywho
is one of the eight Guardians of the
Directions, serving as guardian over the
northern quarter. Kubera is said to live
in the Himalaya mountains, where he is
served by mythical creatures such as
yakshas, nagas, and kinnaras. He is
enormously fat, and because of all the
mineral wealth contained in the moun-
tains, he is enormously wealthy. Kubera
is the half-brother of the demon-king of
Lanka, Ravana, and Kumbhakarnaand
Vibhishana. All four are sons of the
demigod Vishravas, but Kubera has a
different mother. Despite their relation-
ship, Ravana steals Kubera’s aerial chariot,
the Pushpak Viman. Because of
Ravana’s notorious misdeeds, Kubera
supports the god-king Rama’sefforts to
conquer Ravana.
Kubja
(“hunchback”) In the mythology of the
god Krishna, Kubja is a hunchbacked
woman whom Krishna meets while
journeying to the city of Mathurato
reclaim his kingdom. Kubja carries a jar
of expensive salve that is meant for the
king, but when Krishna asks her for
some, she willingly gives it to him. As a
reward for her generosity and devotion,
Krishna straightens her spine, turning
her into a gorgeous young woman.Kuchela
(“badly dressed”) Another name for
Sudama, one of the god Krishna’schild-
hood friends. See Sudama.Kuchipudi
One of the classical danceforms of
India; some of the others are
Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Orissi,
Kathakali, and Manipuri. Like much of
traditional Indian culture, classical
dance shows strong regional identifica-
tion; Kuchipudi is primarily found in
Andhra Pradesh. As with much of
Indian dance, Kuchipudi has its roots in
religious life. It was developed in the vil-
lage of Kuchipudi as part of a religious
festival. The Maharaja of Golconda was
so pleased with the dance that he
awarded the village as a gift to the brah-
minfamilies there, with the condition
that they continue to nurture the art,
which their descendants have done.
Stylistically, the dance shows the influ-
ence of Bharatanatyam, and like all
Indian dance, it shows the well-developed
vocabulary of gesturethat is drawn from
the classical manuals. At the same time,
the form is softer and less geometric
than Bharatanatyam, showing the
influence of folk traditions. The lan-
guage for the dance-dramas is Telegu,
reflecting the local culture. As with all
classical dances, Kuchipudi has under-
gone certain changes in the past gener-
ation, spurred by the shift to stage
performance as the dance’s primary
venue. One of the most significantKshemaraja