Kaubhanda

Among the vivid cast of supernatural beings that populate Mahakavi Premanand's celebrated seventeenth-century Gujarati narrative poem *Okhaharan*, the kaubhandas occupy a striking place. These are a class of demonic or semi-divine attendants traditionally associated with the retinue of Kubera, the lord of wealth, and they appear in the epic as formidable warriors guarding the fortress of Banasura. Premanand draws on Puranic tradition while infusing these figures with the dramatic energy and folk vitality that characterize his distinctive poetic voice.

In the battle sequences of *Okhaharan*, the kaubhandas serve as fierce opponents to Krishna's forces, and their presence heightens the cosmic scale of the conflict surrounding the rescue of Aniruddha and Usha. Premanand's treatment of these beings reflects his skill in blending mythological grandeur with accessible, vivid storytelling — a quality that made *Okhaharan* one of the most beloved works of medieval Gujarati literature. The cantos featuring kaubhandas offer readers some of the poem's most energetic and imaginatively rendered passages of heroic combat.