PushpakaVimaana

Kubera, a yaksha, ruled over Lanka. When Raavana, his younger step-brother, emboldened by the boons granted by Bramha and Shiva, ousted him from Lanka, he also usurped Kubera’s “PushpakaVimaana”.

PushpakaVimaana, was a flying contraption created by Vishwakarma by using bits of resplendence of the Sun, Shiva’s trident and Vishnu’s SudarshanaChakra.

It was presented to Bramha who later gifted it to Kubera. Adorned with precious stones and bright in appearance, it is mentioned in the Raamayana a couple of times, including the SundaraKaanda, when it was sighted by Hanuman, in search of Sita, in Lanka.

The PushpakaVimaana had many special qualities. It could fly in the air but could also travel underwater. It could change its shape and appearance. It was capable of becoming invisible. It obeyed the mental commands of the flier. It could accommodate any number of people. It could travel anywhere (kaamagamamavimaanam).

It might have been used by Raavana to abduct Sita and take her to Lanka, although some accounts speak of a chariot. It was presented to Raama by the new king of Lanka, Vibhishana, after the war. Raama, Lakshmana, Sita and all the Vaanaras were accommodated in the PushpakaVimaana on their flight to Ayodhya.

Once Raama became the king of Ayodhya, he commanded the Vimaana to return to its original owner, Kubera, and to serve him well. Thus, the Vimaana flew away northward.

But, it was instructed by Kubera to return to Raama. When the Vimaana came back to Raama, Raama told the Vimaana that it need not be with him constantly, and he would summon it when he needed it.

The Vimaanas mentioned in ancient texts were typically of two types, one shaped like a bird and the other usually a seven storied temple like structure. The PushpakaVimaana is said to belong to the latter type.