Yama (Sanskrit:यम,lit.'twin'), also known asKāla andDharmarāja, is the Hindu god of death and justice, responsible for the dispensation oflaw and punishment of sinners in his abode,Naraka.[12][13] He is often identified withDharmadeva, the personification ofDharma, though the two deities have different origins and myths.[14]
InVedic tradition, Yama was considered the first mortal who died and espied the way to the celestial abodes;[15] as a result, he became the ruler of the departed.[16] His role, characteristics, and abode have been expounded in texts such as theUpanishads, theRamayana, theMahabharata, and thePuranas.
Yama is described as the twin of the goddessYami, and the son of the godSurya (sun) (in earlier traditionsVivasvat) andSanjna. He judges the souls of the dead and, depending on their deeds, assigns them to the realm of thePitris (forefathers),Naraka (hell), or to be reborn on the earth.
Yama is one of theLokapalas (guardians of the realms), appointed as the protector of the south direction. He is often depicted as a dark-complexioned man riding a buffalo and carrying a noose or mace to capture souls.[17]
The word "Yama" means 'twin' (Yama has a twin sister,Yami), and later came to mean 'binder' (derived from "yam"); the word also means 'moral rule or duty' (i.e.dharma), 'self-control', 'forbearance', and 'cessation'.[18][19][20]
Yama is also known by many other names, includingKala ('time'),Pashi (one who carries a noose') andDharmaraja ('lord ofDharma').[14]
Yama and Dharmadeva, the god personifying the concept ofDharma, are generally considered to be one and the same person.[3][14] AuthorVettam Mani speculates a reason for this identification:
"Vyasa has used as synonyms for Dharmadeva in the Mahabharata the words Dharmaraja, Vṛsa and Yama. Now among the synonyms for the two there are two words in common- Dharmaraja and Yama. This has led to this misunderstanding. Because Kala weighs the evil and good in man he got the name Dharmaraja. Dharmadeva got that name because he is the incarnation of Dharma. The real name of Kāla is Yama. Dharmadeva got the name Yama because he possesses 'Yama' (control of the self for moral conduct)."
Mani believes that Yama and Dharmadeva are two different deities, citing that the Puranic scriptures depict at least two different legends about the deities —
Yama is the judge of the dead, while Dharmadeva is one of thePrajapatis (agents of creation).[3]
Yama is the son of sun godSurya and his wifeSanjna, while Dharmadeva is born from the chest of the godBrahma.[3]
Yama is married to Dhumorna.[17] On the other hand, Dharmadeva is married to ten or thirteendaughters ofDaksha.[3]
Yama has a daughter Sunita.[17] Dharmadeva fathered many sons from his wives. He also fatheredYudhishthira, the eldest of thePandavas.[3]
The deity Yama with fangs and holding a daṇḍa (a rod). He stands on a lotus covered dais, behind which lies a buffalo, his vahana (conveyance).
Yama depicted in youthful form
InHinduism,[21] Yama is the lokapala ("Guardian of the realms") of the south and the son ofSurya.[22] Three hymns (10, 14, and 35) in the 10th book of theRig Veda are addressed to him.[23] In Puranas, Yama is described as having four arms, protruding fangs, and complexion of storm clouds, with a wrathful expression; surrounded by a garland of flames; dressed in red, yellow, or blue garments; holding a noose and a mace or sword; and riding a water-buffalo.[24] He holds a noose (pāśa) ofrope in one hand, with which he seizes the lives of people who are about to die. He is also depicted holding a danda (which is a Sanskrit word for "staff").[25] Yama is the son of Surya andSaranyu. He is the twin brother ofYami,[26] brother ofShraddhadeva Manu and the step brother ofShani and his son was Katila.[27] There are several temples across India dedicated to Yama.[28] As perVishnu Dharmottara, Yama is said to be represented on a buffalo, with garments like of heated gold, and all kinds of ornaments. He has four arms with the complexion of rain clouds. Dhumorna, his wife, is represented sitting on the left haunch of Yama and she has the colour of a dark blue lotus.[29]
Dharma-raja, a form of Yama, presides over a "hell" of punishments for the wicked; bazaar art,c. 1960.
In theRigveda, Yama is the son of a solar deityVivasvat andSaraṇyū and has a twin sister named Yamī.[20][30] He is cognate to theAvestan Yima, son of Vīvanhvant. The majority of Yama's appearances are in the first and tenth book. Yama is closely associated withAgni in the Rigveda. Agni is both Yama's friend and priest, and Yama is stated to have found the hiding Agni. In the Rigveda, Yama is the king of the dead, and one of the two kings that humans see when they reach heaven (the other beingVaruna). Yama is stated to be a gatherer of the people, who gave dead people a place to rest. Out of the three Rigvedic heavens, the third and highest belong to Yama (the lower two belong toSavitr). Here is where the gods resides, and Yama is surrounded by music. In the ritual sacrifice, Yama is offeredsoma andghee, and is invoked to sit at the sacrifice, lead the sacrificers to the abode of the gods, and provide long life.[20]
In the dialogue hymn between Yama and Yamī (RV 10.10), as the first two humans, Yamī tries to convince her twin brother Yama to have sex with her. Yamī makes a variety of arguments, including continuing the mortal line, thatTvashtar created them as a couple in the womb, and thatDyaush andPrithvi are famous for their incest. Yama argues that their ancestors, "the Gandharva in the waters and the watery maiden", as a reason not to commit incest, thatMitra-Varuna are strict in their ordinances, and that they have spies everywhere. By the end of the hymn, Yamī becomes frustrated but Yama remains firm in his stance. However, by RV 10.13.4, Yama is stated to have chosen to leave offspring, but Yamī is not mentioned.[20][31]
Vedic literature states that Yama is the first mortal, and that he chose to die, and then proceeded to create a path to the "other world", where deceased ancestral fathers reside. Due to being the first man to die, he is considered the chief of the dead, lord of settlers, and a father. Throughout the course of Vedic literature, Yama becomes more and more associated with the negative aspects of death and eventually becomes the god of death. He also becomes associated with Antaka (the Ender), Mṛtyu (Death), Nirṛti (Decease), and Sleep.[20]
Yama has two four-eyed, broad nosed, brindled, reddish-brown dogs,Sharvara and Shyama, who are the sons ofSaramā.[20][32] However, in the Atharvaveda, one of dogs is brindled and the other is dark. The dogs are meant to track down those who are about to die, and guard the path to Yama's realm. Scholars who adhere toTheodor Aufrecht's interpretation of RV 7.55 state that the dogs were also meant to keep wicked men out of heaven.[20]
TheVājasaneyi Saṃhitā (the White Yajurveda) states Yama and his twin sister Yamī both reside in the highest heaven.[20] The Atharvaveda states Yama is unsurpassable and is greater than Vivasvat.[20]
The Taittirīya Aranyaka and theĀpastamba Śrauta state that Yama has golden-eyed and iron-hoofed horses.[20]
In theKatha Upanishad, Yama is portrayed as a teacher to theBrahmin boyNachiketa.[22] Having granted three boons to Nachiketa, their conversation evolves to a discussion of the nature of being, knowledge, theAtman (i.e. the soul, self) andmoksha (liberation).[33] From the translation by Brahmrishi Vishvatma Bawra:[34]
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.
A depiction of Yama and Savitri from the Vana Parva
In the epicMahabharata, Dharmadeva (who is identified with Yama) is the father ofYudhishthira, the oldest brother of the fivePandavas.[3] Yama most notably appears in person in theYaksha Prashna and theVana Parva, and is mentioned in theBhagavad Gita.[22]
In theYaksha Prashna, Dharmadeva (Yama) appears as ayaksha (nature spirit) in the form of a crane to question Yudhishthira and test his righteousness. Impressed by Yudhishthira's strict adherence todharma and his answers to the riddles posed, Yama reveals himself as his father, blesses him, and brings his younger Pandava brothers back to life.
The Yaksha [Yama] asked, "What enemy is invincible? What constitutes an incurable disease? What sort of man is noble and what sort is ignoble"? And Yudhishthira responded, "Anger is the invincible enemy. Covetousness constitutes a disease that is incurable. He is noble who desires the well-being of all creatures, and he is ignoble who is without mercy".
In theVana Parva, when Yudhishthira asks the sageMarkandeya whether there has ever been a woman whose devotion matchedDraupadi's, the sage replied by relating the story ofSavitri and Satyavan.[22] After Savitri's husband Satyavan died, Yama arrived to carry away his soul.[22] However, Yama was so impressed with Savitri's purity and dedication to dharma and to her husband, he was convinced to instead bring Satyavan back to life.[22]
Tirtha-Yatra Parva
In the Tirtha-yatra Parva (Book 3, Varna Parva, CXLII), Lomasa tells Yudhishthira "in days of yore, there was (once) a terrible time in theSatya Yuga when the eternal and primeval Deity [Krishna] assumed the duties of Yama. And, O thou that never fallest off, when the God of gods began to perform the functions of Yama, there died not a creature while the births were as usual."
This led to an increase in the population and the Earth sinking down "for a hundred yojanas. And suffering pain in all her limbs." The earth sought the protection ofNarayana, who incarnated as a boar (Varaha) and lifted her back up.[35]
Of the celestial Naga snakes I am Ananta; of the aquatic deities I am Varuna. Of departed ancestors I amAryamā and among the dispensers of law I am Yama, lord of death.
Yama and his abode are frequently mentioned in thePuranas. Some Puranas like Agni Purana and Linga Purana mention him as son ofRajni and Surya.[38][39]
As long as Vidura played the part of a śūdra, being cursed by Maṇḍūka Muni [also known asMāṇḍavya Muni], Aryamā officiated at the post of Yamarāja to punish those who committed sinful acts.
— Canto 1, Chapter 13, Verse 15
Vidura, a devotee ofKrishna, is the main protagonist in the third canto. In thiscanto, after being thrown out of his home by KingDhritarashtra (his older half-brother) for admonishing theKauravas' ignoble behaviour towards thePandavas, Vidura went on apilgrimage where he met other devotees of Krishna such asUddhava and the sageMaitreya, the latter of whom revealed Vidura's true origin to him:
I know that you are now Vidura due to the cursing of MāṇḍavyaMuni and that formerly you were King Yamarāja, the great controller of living entities after their death. You were begotten by the son ofSatyavatī,Vyāsadeva, in the kept wife of his brother.
— Canto 3, Chapter 5, Verse 20
Krishna also states Yama punishes sinners, as relayed to Vidura (again, an incarnation of Yama) by Maitreya during their conversation about the origin and creation of themultiverse:
Thebrahmanas, the cows and the defenceless creatures are My [Krishna's] own body. Those whose faculty of judgement has been impaired by their own sin look upon those as distinct from Me. They are just like furious serpents, and they are angrily torn apart by the bills of the vulturelike messengers of Yamaraja, the superintendent of sinful persons.
— Canto 3, Chapter 16, Verse 10
A detailed account of the punishment of a sinner upon their death is also provided, beginning with their seizure and journey to Yamaloka (i.e. Hell):
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.
In the sixth canto, Yama (not asVidura nor withAryama in the post; see third and fourth canto) instructs his messengers, theYamadutas, when questioned about who has supreme authority in the universe since there are so many gods and demigods:
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.
In the tenth canto,Krishna andBalarama travel to Yama's abode to bring back the dead son of their Guru,Sandipani Muni:
Lord Janārdana took the conchshell that had grown around the demon’s body and went back to the chariot. Then He proceeded to Saṁyamanī, the beloved capital of Yamarāja, the lord of death. Upon arriving there with Lord Balarāma, He loudly blew His conchshell, and Yamarāja, who keeps the conditioned souls in check, came as soon as he heard the resounding vibration. Yamarāja elaborately worshiped the two Lords with great devotion, and then he addressed Lord Kṛṣṇa, who lives in everyone’s heart: "O Supreme Lord Viṣṇu, what shall I do for You and Lord Balarāma, who are playing the part of ordinary humans?"
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Suffering the bondage of his past activity, My spiritual master’s son was brought here to you. O great King, obey My command and bring this boy to Me without delay.
Yamarāja said, "So be it," and brought forth the guru’s son. Then those two most exalted Yadus presented the boy to Their spiritual master and said to him, "Please select another boon."
Chapter 2.29–30: Yama has a daughter called Sunita and a grandson called Vena, who turned his back on dharma
Chapter 20: The various hells of Yama are described along with their concomitant sins
Chapter 30.64–68: Yama chastises his mother for cursing him (to his father)
Chapter 35.11: Yama is destroyed by Shiva after coming to claim the soul ofMarkandeya (and at the behest of the Gods is revived afterwards)
Chapter 48.4: Krishna describes himself asBrahma,Vishnu,Shiva,Indra, and Yama ("I am Yama who restrains the universe.")
Chapter 105: Descriptions of the "terrible servants of Yama" are given
Chapter 126.42.50: Descriptions of the agony of death for sinners including being caught by Yama with His noose, and the tortures suffered in His abode
Chapter 24 (book 4): Yama is killed in battle byKarttikeya; onShiva's orders, Yama is revived by Nandi.
Riding on his terrible buffalo, the god of Death Yama hastened to that place. He was holding his sceptre (rod of chastisement). His physical body was yellow in colour. In prowess he was comparable to none. He was unparalleled in brilliance, strength and power of demanding obedience. His limbs were well developed and he wore garlands.
In theGaruda Purana, Yama and his realm where sinners are punished are detailed extensively, including in the twelfth chapter called 'The Realm of Yama'. In this text, the name of Yama's wife is Syamala.
In theVishnu Purana, Yama is the son of sun-godSurya (namedVivasvan in the Vedas, also means 'sun') and Sandhya (namedSaranya in the Vedas, is another name), the daughter ofVishvakarma (namedTvastar in the Vedas) emerged from the navel ofVishvakarman.[48] During a conversation with his servant, Yama states that he is subordinate to Vishnu.[c] While establishing the relationship between Vishnu and Lakshmi, the Chapter 8 of Book 1 describes Dhumorna as Yama's consort.[50]
Varying information about Yama's consorts and children are found in Hindu texts. TheMahābhārata, theVishnu Purana and theVishnudharmottara describe Dhumorna (also known as Urmila) as his consort.[51][52] In theGaruda Purana, Syamala is the name of Yama's wife. According to some other texts, Yama has three consorts—Hema-mala, Sushila and Vijaya.[6][53] When identified with Dharmadeva, he also married 10 or 13 daughters of the godDaksha.[54]
According to theBrahma Purana, the name of Yama's eldest daughter is Sunita, who is the mother of the king Vena. Sobhavati, the wife ofChitragupta, is sometimes mentioned to be Yama's daughter. In the Mahabharata,Yudhishthira, the eldest Pandava, was blessed by Dharma to his motherKunti.[22]
In addition to his depiction in movie and television adaptations of scriptures such as in the television series, Yama has also been depicted in road safety campaigns in India, particularly to warn against the dangers of riding motorcycles without helmets.[55]Dharma Raja has been depicted as a character in "The Star-Touched Queen" and "A Crown of Wishes" by Roshani Chokshi.
^Other names of Yama's consort include Urmila and Shyamala.[5] Yama is also sometimes depicted with three consorts Hema-mala, Sushila and Vijaya.[6]When identified withDharmadeva, he is married to 10 or 13 daughters ofDaksha.
^Yama told his servant, “Do not touch those who are devoted to Vishnu. I am the lord of all the others except these. I am not really independent, I work under the supervision of Vishnu. He is also capable of punishing me. Even the gods worship the lotus-like feet of Vishnu. Stay away from the devotees of Vishnu.”[49]
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