YAMA – HISTORY AS A MAHAJANA IN DIARY FORM
–> Yama is the God of Justice and Death.
–> He collects and maintains the full data of the karmic account of every human being in the material planets.
–> There are many yamas as one for every earth planet where the human beings live.
(How Yama knows the sins and good deeds of people on earth? READ HERE!)
–> As per the Vedic scripts, Yama was the one who died first and found the way to the celestial planets including Pitru Loka (world of ancestors). So, he became the fitting authority to decide the destiny of the deceased living beings – whether to send them to the hellish planets, heavenly planets or both.
–> Yama is the twin brother of YAMI (sister) and both are the twin children of Sun God SURYA or VIVASVAN and his consort SANJANA or SARANYU.
–> He has an associate called CHITRAGUPTA who maintains the records of the karma of every human being.
–> His two assistants are called CHANDA and KALAPURUSHA.
–> Yama is the controller of South direction.
–> The Beej Manthra for YAMA is:
Om Surya puthraya Vidhmahe MahaKalaya Dheemahi
Thanno Yama Prachodayath
(How the life in Heavenly Planets (Swarga Loka) will be? READ HERE!)
–> Yama is holdings the weapons – Danda, Noose and Mace.
–> Yama uses the vehicles Buffalo and Crow.
–> The consort of Yama is: Dhumorna.
–> Yama’s children are: Sunita and Yuthishthira.
–> Yama’s siblings are: Yami, Ashwins, Shraddha deva, Manu, Revanta, Shani and Tapati.
–> Yami is the twin sister of Yama. The river Yamuna is mentioned in some texts as the daughter of Sun god. So, River Yamuna devi is the sister of Yama.
–> The hymns 10, 14 and 35 in Rig veda speaks about Yama.
–> Puranas state that Yama has four arms, protruding fangs, and complexion of storm clouds, with a wrathful expression, surrounded by a garland of flames, wearing red, yellow, or blue garments.
(What are the happenings after a soul is taken by Vishnu dhoothas? READ HERE!)
–> Every deceased person has to meet two celestial kings after death: One is Yama and the other is Varuna deva.
–> According to Rig Veda, Agni (Firegod) is the friend and priest of Yama.
–> Soma and Ghee are the usual offerings to him.
–> Death, diseases and sleep are controlled by him.
–> Yama has two four-eyed, broad nosed, brindled, reddish-brown dogs to track down those who are about to die, and guard the path to Yama’s realm.
–> He and his sister Yami reside in the Yamapuri that is the topmost heavenly planet.
–> He has golden-eyed and iron-hoofed horses.
–> Katha Upanishad states that Yama is the teacher of Nachiketa, a brahmin boy:
Yama says: “I know the knowledge that leads to heaven. I will explain it to you so that you will understand it. O Nachiketas, remember this knowledge is the way to the endless world; the support of all worlds; and abides in subtle form within the intellects of the wise.” - Chapter 1, Section 1, Verse 14
–> Though he has fearful outlook, his merciful heart is exposed in the story of Satyavan – Savitri.
(The result of not performing death rituals by the sons of deceased! READ HERE!)
–> Krishna too mentions him in Bhagavad Gita (10-29):
“Among the dispensers of law I am Yama, lord of death”.
–> Srimad Bhagavatham states how the punishments are given by him in (3-30-20&21):
“As a criminal is arrested for punishment by the constables of the state, a personal engaged in criminal sense gratification is similarly arrested by the Yamadutas, who bind him by the neck with a strong rope and cover his subtle body so that he may undergo severe punishment. While carried by the constables of Yamaraja, he is overwhelmed and trembles in their hands. While passing on the road [to Yamaloka] he is bitten by dogs, and he can remember the sinful activities of his life. He is thus terribly distressed.”
–> Yama himself says that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead in Srimad Bhagavatham (6-3-12):
“Yamarāja said: My dear servants, you have accepted me as the Supreme, but factually I am not. Above me, and above all the other demigods, including Indra and Candra, is the one supreme master and controller. The partial manifestations of His personality are Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva, who are in charge of the creation, maintenance and annihilation of this universe. He is like the two threads that form the length and breadth of a woven cloth. The entire world is controlled by Him just as a bull is controlled by a rope in its nose.”
–> Garuda Purana Chapter 12 explains in detail the world (Yamapuri). These details have been explained in our other posts. One of such post is given below:
(YAMA’s COUNTRY AND COURT PROCEEDINGS – FULL DESCRIPTION! READ HERE!)