ॐ Hindu Of Universe ॐ
“God’s light is within you, It never leaves you.”
Lord Yama Dharmaraja
Real Story of Dharmaraja (Yama) Hindu God with Chitra Gupt
The world where we are living today is not our eternal home. We have been trapped here due to the blunder we did in Satlok, the real abode of all souls. It is a truth that the religious belief of devotees is always blind. Moreover when it comes to the faith in the world of butcher Brahm Kaal who is the owner of 21 universes where naive souls are misled by the effect of trigunmayee Maya means souls are trapped in the web of Brahm Kaal where Rajogun Brahma, Satogun Vishnu, Tamogun Shiva bind the soul to this materialistic world it is very difficult to judge what is the true way of worship with which souls can attain salvation?
Devotees tend to worship demigods based on overheard folktales, generation after generation. It is also to be remembered that holy scriptures of all religions certify that God is one who has created the entire universe but due to a lack of true spiritual knowledge devotees worship several deities who cannot provide souls any benefit rather their worship leads them to remain trapped in the vicious cycle of birth and death.
As per God’s rule, every deed of the soul is recorded and accounted for in the court of Dharmaraja (Yama). It is said one who does bad deeds is punished and one who does auspicious deeds is rewarded.
In this article, we will analyze the worship of a deity known as Dharmaraja (Yama) who keeps account of every soul and will understand
How does Dharmaraja (Yama) keep a record of our deeds?
What happens in the court of Dharmaraja (Yama)?
Whether Dharmaraja (Yama) is a worshipable deity or not?
Whether salvation can be attained by the worship of Dharmaraja (Yama)?
Who can save devotees from Dharmaraja (Yama)?
Moving ahead first of all let us know – Who is Dharmaraja (Yama)? The following will be discussed.
Who is Dharmaraja (Yama)?
Who is Chitra Gupt?
What happens at the court of Dharmaraja (Yama)?
Satguru nullifies the account done by Dharmaraja (Yama)
Almighty took Swami Ramanand Ji to the court of Dharmaraja (Yama)
Almighty took pious soul Garibdas Ji to the world of Dharmaraja (Yama)
Dialogue Almighty Kabir and Dharmaraja (Yama) regarding true spiritual knowledge provided to Garud.
Peachings by Almighty Kabir to Hindus and Muslims as What happens at the court of Dharmaraja (Yama)?
Is Dharmraj a worshipable God and provider of salvation?
Who is the worshipable God?
Who is Dharmaraja (Yama)?
As the name itself says Dharam + Raj which means a God who rules Dharma i.e. truth. According to Hinduism Dharmaraja (Yama) /Yamraj is believed to be the God of Justice and Death who keeps account of all deeds of creatures and accordingly everyone gets a reward or punishment. It has been mentioned in Suksham Veda ie. in the nectar speech of Sachidanandghan Brahm
Tumne us dargah ka mael nahi dekha || Dharmaraja (Yama) ke darbaar me til til ka lekha ||
Dharmaraja (Yama) is the Chief Justice in one of the 21 universes of Brahm Kaal who keeps account of all deeds of every creature. He is responsible for the dispensation of law and reward and punishment to creatures. According to Karma, souls are sent to heaven, hell and 84 lakh life forms. Dharmaraja (Yama) is shown in idols and pictures as mounting on a Buffalo. Dharmaraja (Yama)’s abode is Narak’ (Yamlok) and he is affiliated with Lokpals, Ganas (guardian of the realms). Son of Lord Surya and Sanjana Devi Dharmaraja (Yama) is the brother of Shani Dev and Yami is often depicted in pictures and idols as holding a noose and mace to capture souls. When the allotted life duration of a creature in human life gets complete, he/she dies. Dharmaraja (Yama)/Yamraj sends his messengers (Yamdoots) to take out the soul from the body and present it to the court of Dharmaraja (Yama) to get his account done. The creature gets helpless and dies. In record-keeping, Dharmaraja (Yama) is associated with Chitra Gupt.
Who is Chitra Gupt?
According to God’s law two messengers of Dharmaraja (Yama) named Chitra (picture) and Gupt (secret) accompany every creature who silently prepare a record of every deed of the creature. When the soul gets human birth then he promises in the court of Dharmaraja (Yama) that this time while in human birth he will fulfil the sole purpose of human birth which is to take refuge in an enlightened saint and do true worship to attain salvation. But Brahm Kaal, owner of 21 universes, is a butcher. He has made such an arrangement in his 21 Universes that after birth the soul gets trapped in his Trigunmayee Maya and forgets his promise made to God. Then he/she does all arbitrary worship which is against the injunction of holy scriptures, hence useless. The soul wastes his/her precious human birth and goes empty-hand after death. Then on the basis of deeds written down by Chitra Gupt the account of virtues and vices of every soul is done in the court of Dharmaraja (Yama) and accordingly he is either rewarded or gets punishment.
Respected Garibdas Ji Maharaj tells is his nectar speech
Chitragupt ke kagaz mahi, Jeta upjya saain ||
Chitra and Gupt these two are writers of Dharmaraja (Yama). They keep a secret account of every soul. The entire account of every soul in Kaal’s world is with Chitra Gupt. They prepare a secret movie of all deeds of souls and fax/e-mail one copy to the court of Dharmaraja (Yama). God has put a chip in all souls where the entire details of the soul get recorded, God has a record of all infinite births of every soul. A silent movie is prepared of every act by Chitra Gupt. All this happens according to the law made by Satpurush which means God Kabir.
Now the curiosity arises to the readers as to what happens at the court of Dharmaraja (Yama). Let us understand.
What Happens at the Court of Dharmaraja (Yama)?
When the allotted duration of human birth finishes, Yamdoots come and take away the soul forcibly from the body. The person gets helpless and he dies. All his near and dear ones cannot do anything and neither accompanies him/her. Yamdoots torture the soul a lot. People who have wasted their whole life in doing evils like consumption of intoxication, corruption, eating meat, looking at foreign women with bad intentions, gambling, drinking alcohol or Hookah, smoking etc. and in doing unscriptural worship suffer a lot.
It has been mentioned in Suksham Veda
Sanshay sokh sarai mein sutak din rati ||Aur jeevit jag mein jooti pade phir Jam tode chati ||
God Kabir through this nectar speech is telling that without doing the true worship the creature suffers a lot in Kaal’s world and later messengers of Dharmaraja (Yama)/Yamraj means Yamdoots take him after death and give him a hard time. They take souls from a path to the court of Dharmaraja (Yama) which is burning hot. The soul has to walk barefoot and bear the warmth which is highly painful and hence suffers. On the way, he sees many good souls who have done charity and righteousness eating food. The soul demands food but Yamdoots do not let him eat. When the soul gets thirsty and asks for water Yamdoots do not even allow him to drink water. It is very painful. They tell him that you have not done auspicious deeds and charity therefore you will not be provided anything. They beat him harshly and say we will take you to the court of Dharmaraja (Yama) and do your account.
While the soul is on the way the automatic system of Brahm Kaal works. He is cursed to eat the grime of one lakh souls every day and produce 1.25 lakh every day. The soul flies high above automatically leaving Yamdoots hand and goes to a secret place where there is Tapatshila which is a very hot burning stone where Kaal roasts the soul like Popcorn, takes out grime from souls and eats them. This is very painful. The soul howls and cries loud and becomes unconscious. Dharmaraja (Yama) and even the Yamdoots are also unfamiliar with this secret place and this procedure since Brahm Kaal remains unmanifested and does all evil deeds by hiding. They think the soul goes to God.
After the soul is roasted, he/she comes back to the court of Dharmaraja (Yama). In the court of Dharmaraja (Yama) when the soul is questioned why did he not do true worship for which he was provided human birth? He starts giving excuses that no one told him about God.
Note: It is the law of God that He definitely tells about Himself and to perform true worship through some or the other source to every soul while he is in human birth but all are misled in
Kaal’s world hence do not believe and continue to perform unscriptural worship and waste precious human birth. Here God says
Ye dam tootey pinda photey wo lekha Dargah mahee ||
When one dies the messenger of Yamdoot catch him/her and take to the court of the chief justice of 21 universes called Dharmaraja (Yama). Those who do not do true worship, will be questioned ‘Show us, how much is your devotional earning with human birth you obtained? Then he/she lowers his head out of shame. He/She remembers that when I was given human birth I had promised that I will remember God, will find Tatvadarshi sant and do true devotion to attain salvation. He/She remembers his/her promise even in mother’s womb.
This is God-given spiritual knowledge. In Satsang soul is made to recall all that is forgotten, God tells
Us samrath ki reejh bhulayee ab kol kutumb se raata ||
Garb ke andar vachan bhare they kahan gayee wo bataa ||
God tells that I heard your voice even in mother’s womb and gave you birth, protected you from death in womb otherwise many die there as well also mother dies but trigunmayee Maya of Kaal makes you forget everything as soon as you are born you get trap in Kaal’s web, get painted in Kaal’s colour.
When the soul starts giving excuses then Dharmaraja (Yama) runs the movie of the deeds of that soul prepared by Chitra Gupt and tells him that he is lying ‘look so and so devotee has told you about God and to do true worship but out of ignorance and arrogance you did not agree’. Now that you did not keep your promise and have wasted human life so based on your account maintained by Chitra Gupt you are entitled to either relish in Heaven or suffer in Hell or go in the lives of 84 lakh life forms. The soul becomes helpless and out of shame lowers his neck, then he regrets but nothing can be done at that time. He has to suffer. All this process takes 13 days.
People with virtues who have done something good in their human life like Charity, righteousness, sacrificial ceremony, etc. are sent to heaven where they stay till the time they have their Virtues. Those souls who are punished and are entitled to go to Hell are tortured by Yamdoots. In hell souls are burnt in hot oil, messengers of Yama break their claws, or urinate in the mouths of those who have drunk alcohol while being in human birth. Sinners are tormented in a crusher, sometimes hung upside down, sometimes tied to a burning pole. There are many kinds of suffering. After that, they are also sent back to earth in the lives of 84 lakh creatures according to their Karma to pay off their sins.
This vicious cycle goes on until the soul comes into the shelter of Satguru. Satguru provides the way to get rid of all this and the way to attain God. He relieves souls/true worshipers from these pains and saves them by the blessing of the Almighty who nullifies all sins of creatures and provides them salvation.
Let us study evidence that says Satguru nullifies the account done by Dharmaraja (Yama).
Satguru Nullifies the Account Done by Dharmaraja (Yama)
A complete guru is God Himself who provides true worship to seekers with which they come out of Kaal’s trap. Satguru is the knower of all holy scriptures. Respected Sant Garibdas Ji Maharaj glorifies the power of Satguru.
Satguru jo chahe so karahi, chaudah koti doot Jam darahin ||
Satguru can do everything. Yamdoots fear Satguru. It has been said
Dharmaraja (Yama) tera lekha lega phir kya baat banayega ||
Lal khamb se bandha re prani bin Satguru kaun chudawega ||
When Dharamraj will take your account then you will not be able to do anything, You will be tied with a burning hot red pole and only Satguru can relieve you from that suffering. God Kabir says
Jam Jaura se dare mite karam ke lekh || Adli asal Kabir hai ye Kul ke Satguru ek ||
Almighty Himself plays the role of Satguru with whom even Yamraj gets afraid. He as Satguru nullifies the sinful account done by Dharmaraja (Yama).
Garib, jooni sankat met hi, andhey mukh nahi aaye || Aisa Satgutu saiye, Jam se let chudai ||
Garib, Jam Jaura Jase dare, Dharamrai ke doot ||
Chauda koti na chump hi, Sun Satguru ki koot ||
Saint Garibdas Ji Maharaj has glorified the efficiency of Satguru. He says that Satguru, who met me in Jinda Baba form, is the complete God. He can do everything. One should take refuge in Satguru who has the power to relieve souls from the clutches of Yamdoot 14 crore messengers of Yam (Yamdoots) and even death fear Him
Oot Bhoot Jam traas niwarey, Chitragupt ke kagaz phade ||
Satguru finishes the pain of ghosts and Kaal. The childless person is called ‘Oot’ then he becomes a ghost. He troubles people and is uncontrollable even by Tantrik but he quits the place fearing Satguru or His representative, meaning the enlightened Saint. Satguru has the authority to tear off the pages of evil deeds of creatures written by Chitra Gupt due to which the seeker does not have to bear sins, all his sinful deeds end, hence he/she leads a happy and prosperous life.
Garib, Kaal dare kartar se, Jai Jai Jai Jagdish ||
Jaura Jodi (joote) jhadta, Pag raj dare sheesh ||
Kaal jo peesey peesna, Jaura hai panihaar ||
Ye do asal majdoor hai, mere Satguru ke Darbaar ||
Garibdas Ji says that Kaal fears the Almighty and cannot take away Kabir Sahib’s devotees. He has to seek His permission. Yam and death do not come near true worshippers. They apply the dust of the foot of Almighty on their forehead. They fear His true mantras. Death and old age are His servants.
Garib, Jam Jaura Jase dare, mite karam ke ank ||
Kagaj kire Dargah dai, Chaudah koti na chump ||
Satguru nullifies the account done by Dharmaraja (Yama) and tears off pages of sinful deeds.
Guru ki Sharnaa lije bhai Jate jeev Narak Nahi Jaai ||
Guru Kripa kate Yam Phansi, Vilamb na hoye mile Avinashi ||
Sant Garibdas Ji Maharaj says ‘O human! Take refuge in Guru then the creature will not go to hell. Either he will be liberated or will obtain human birth (male/female). Again Satguru will be met in human birth. In this way, by acquiring a Guru and doing true worship, emancipation is attained. By the blessing of Guru, the punishment of sinful deeds imposed by Dharmaraja (Yama)/Yamraj gets nullified and Param Akshar Brahm/Satpurush is attained.
Every creature in Kaal’s world is practising wrong including Dharmaraja (Yama) and Chitra Gupt and are trapped in Kaal’s web. It has been mentioned in Suksham Veda
Chitra Gupt Dharamrai gavein, Aadimaya Onkaaraa hai |
Koto Saraswati laap karat hai, aisa Paar Brahm darbaraa hai ||
Chitra and Gupt and even Dharmaraja (Yama) worship Onkar meaning Brahm Kaal and are trapped in his web spread by Aadimaya means Durga. The deities enjoy the melodious voice of Goddess Saraswati who is the daughter of Lord Brahma and they also are trapped in Kaal’s web. Sant Garibdas Ji has said that ‘in Satlok which is the residence of Paar Brahm, millions of such Saraswati sing melodious songs.
Dhruv Prahalad Agadh ag hai, Janak Bidehi jor hai ||
Chale viman Nidan bitya, Dharmaraja (Yama) ki bandh tode hai ||
Similarly several great men like Dhruv, Prahalad, King Janak remained trapped in Kaal’s world. None was blessed to have Satguru. Therefore, it has been said in Tatvagyan that
Aatam praan udharahin, aisa Dharm nahin aur ||
Meaning if someone relieves the soul from birth and death then there is no bigger righteousness than that. Only the supreme saint/Satguru can do this amazing work.
Few great men were blessed by the Almighty who took them to the court of Dharmaraja (Yama) and showed them the set-up of Kaal’s world. Let us study.
Almighty Took Swami Ramanand Ji to the Court of Dharmaraja (Yama)
Almighty Kabir descended 600 years ago in Kashi, Varanasi, India for the welfare of human beings. At that time He took Swami Ramanand Ji of the Vaishno cult in His refuge. He made him His guru. Swami Ramanand Ji was the worshiper of Lord Vishnu. He had good knowledge of Vedas and Gita and used to consider his worship to be superior and a provider of salvation.
God Kabir playing a divine spectacle as a weaver gave him true spiritual knowledge which Swami Ji initially did not believe. God said to Swami Ji that your worship cannot relieve you from the web of Kaal. Swami Ji used to believe that going to Heaven means the attainment of salvation. God Kabir asked him to chant mantras which he used to do every day and let’s see where you can reach. Swami Ji did
meditation and with his accomplishment reached Trikuti and got stuck there. He could not go beyond. It has been told in Sukshma Veda
Yog yukt pranayaam kar jeeta sakal shareer Ramanand Ji ||
Triveni ke ghaat mein ye atak rahe balveer ||
Moving ahead of Triveni, three paths are formed. God in a 5-year-old boy form was along with Ramanand Ji. He told Swami Ji this is your path but now you cannot go beyond. When you die then you will go from this route, this front path goes to Brahmrand. It crosses the upper Brahmlok and goes ahead and this is the left one that goes towards the sages’ side of ‘Sumeru’ mountain. Your practice is that of Lord Vishnu. You will go in this tunnel. This is one cave straight ahead. Ahead of this cave inside all their cities, offices are made.
First, comes the world of Dharmaraja (Yama), the Chief justice of Brahm Kaal. He will decide how many are your virtues and how many are sins. Where was your practice? In which world was your interest? Then you will go ahead. After getting your account done then you will go straight down to the world of Vishnu then that gate will close and you cannot come back. You will stay in Vishnu Ji’s world as will be your deeds. You will stay there till the duration of your virtues will remain then you fall in 84 lakh life forms and look this is the path in front. You try to open with your mantra, the path in front of Brahmrandra. This gate will not be opened by you. Swami Ji got confused.
Then Ramanand Ji uttered all the mantras ‘Hare Krishna, Hare Ram, Sita Sita, Radhey Radhey Shyam and Om, Om Bhagwatey Vasudevya NamaH’. That path in front of Brahmarandra did not open.
God Kabir chanted the two-word mantra Satnam and took the soul of Ramanand Ji to the upper world. He showed him Kaal’s secret place where he roasts souls and eats them. Then God took the soul of Ramanand Ji and reached Satlok. Then Swami Ji believed Kabir is God and took refuge. To the world, he accepted being the Guru of Almighty on His order itself. Then his welfare happened.
Another great man was the pious soul Garibdas Ji who was taken to the court of Dharmaraja (Yama) by Almighty Kabir. Let us now read about his experience.
Almighty Took Pious Soul Garibdas Ji to the World of Dharmaraja (Yama)
Ref: Speech no. 16-36 from Sant Garibdas Amargrath ‘Achla ka Ang’
God Kabir takes His devotees to Satlok just like ‘Alal’ bird who flies and takes the Elephant. The seeker who takes initiation from an enlightened saint and chants Satnam and Sarnaam then the melodious sound of Satlok is heard inside his body. Hearing that charming voice of Satlok, the true seeker loses all interest in Kaal’s world and never aims to accumulate materialistic comforts here.
God Kabir descended in the whole body from Satlok and met respected Garibdas Ji Maharaj in Jinda Baba form when he was grazing cattle on his farm in village Chudani, district Jhajjar, Haryana when he was 10 years old in March 1727 (Vikrami Samvat 1784) in the month of ‘Falgun in Shukla paksha, Dwadashi’. He made him familiar with true spiritual knowledge then took the pious soul above in the court of Dharmaraja (Yama) (Chief Justice of Brahm Kaal). His body was so highly radiant. As soon as God went, Dharmaraja (Yama) stood from his chair and bowed to him as a lower officer stands and bows in front of a higher officer. To prove His ability and to make Garibdas Ji His witness, God scolded Dharmaraja (Yama). Let us read their conversation. God said
Dharmraj ke darbar me dei Kabir talak ||
Mere bhule chuke Hans ko pakdiye mat kajakh ||
‘O Kajak means Devil! Do not catch my (Kabir Sahib’s) devotee who has taken name initiation from Enlightened Saint and does true worship.
Bole Purush Kabir se Dharmraj kar jod ||
Tere Hans ko pakdu nhii maine dohayi lakh karord ||
Dharmaraja (Yama) apologized to God Kabir and promised not to catch hold of His true worshiper. Since Dharmaraja (Yama) is the God of Justice and it is his duty to give reward and punishment according to deeds of souls he asked Almighty Kabir
Madhari jaari narha jo bhaang tambakhu khahin ||
Pardaraa par ghar take in jinko lun ak naahee ||
Dharmaraja (Yama) tells his arrangements- ‘All those who have done evils before coming in the refuge of enlightened Saint like bribery, consumption of intoxicants, adultery, slaughtering, drinking, smoking etc. Shall he catch them or shall spare them as per his law? Then Dharmaraja (Yama) requested
Dharmrai vinti karein phir suniyo purush kabir ||
Jinko to pakadnaa pade aur jadni pade janjeer ||
Dharmaraja (Yama) says according to my law I have to catch them and punish
Karmon se tirat the ab jo sharan Kabir ||
Jinko nishchay marunga mein katun bal takseer ||
Meaning I have to punish them for their earlier sins. Now they are in your refuge so I will not catch ones who have taken your mantra and will only catch those who do not do true devotion.
God Kabir ordered him that ‘My Sarshabad, Sarnam is like a magnet and my ‘Hans’ (devotee) is like an iron. I will meet my devotee secretly. He will prostrate to me and will get my audience. He will be my soul and I will liberate him/her from your prison. You have made him ignorant, hence they commit sins. Beware do not take account of one who says ‘I have taken initiation from Kabir Sahib’.
Pehle kiye so baksh hun aagey kare na koi ||
Kabir kahe Dharmrai se naam ratein mum soee ||
Whatever sins they have committed before coming into my refuge I will cross all. You bring their account to me. There will not be any burden on you. Then God says
Karm bharm is brahmand ke pal me karu nesh ||
Jinh hamari dohayi di karo humare pesh ||
God Kabir told Dharmaraja (Yama) ‘The sins which my devotees have done before coming to my refuge out of ignorance in this Kaal’s world I will forgive all within seconds and further he or she will not commit any sin. ‘O Dharmaraja (Yama)! whoever will chant my mantra I will forgive his sins. Do not take account of those who tell you that we are disciples of Kabir Sahib. Send them to my place at Trikuti. I will do their account. (At Trikuti there is an embassy of all. Similarly one is of God Kabir).
Note: Yajurveda Chapter 8 Mantra 13 provides evidence that Param Akshar Purush/Satyapurush/Supreme God forgives even the grave sins of true devotees.
Shivmandal Brahmapuri chahe Vishnulok mein ho ||
Humre gun bhule nahi to aan chudawub tohe ||
Merciful God Kabir assures that in case any of my disciples by mistake has left devotion and goes to the world of Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva or any other place in Kaal’s world. If he/she withdraws from the happiness of even heaven and remembers me then I will liberate that pious soul from there as well.
Teen lok ka raaj jeev ko jai koi de ||
Aur lakh badhai kya kare jai nahi naam se leh ||
God tells us once a devotee gains knowledge that Post, power here in three worlds is all useless unless the soul gets initiation.
Indra Kuber Ish ki padwi Brahma Varun Dharamraya ||
Vishnunath ke pur khun jake phir bhi janam maran mein aaya ||
God explains that in spite of attaining the post of Indra, being in the world of Brahma, Vishu, etc you had been in recurrence. So it is all a waste.
Merciful God Kabir took the King of Birds in the refuge, the Vehicle of Lord Vishnu in Treta Yuga and provided him with true spiritual knowledge.
Let us study the dialogue held between Almighty Kabir and Dharmaraja (Yama) regarding the same.
Dialogue Almighty Kabir and Dharmaraja (Yama) Regarding True Spiritual Knowledge Provided to Garud
Ref: Kabir Sagar, Chapter 11 Garud Bodh on Page 65 (625)
God Kabir told Dharmaraja (Yama) that He gave true spiritual knowledge to the King of Birds meaning Garud who is the vehicle of Lord Vishnu. He was shocked to hear the glory of the eternal world, Satlok and Satpurush. It was hard for him to believe. Garud Ji told God Kabir that we have been misled till now.
God Kabir introduced Himself ‘I am Kabir, the creator of entire universes. I am a resident of Satlok. You have been confused by Kaal Brahm’. God Kabir told Dharmaraja (Yama) that He gave evidence from Vedas and Puranas to Garud Ji and proved to him that Brahm Kaal is the father and Goddess Durga is the mother of Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh (evidence Devi Purana, Skand 3). Garud Ji believed every single word uttered from the lotus mouth of God Kabir and accepted that who knows the creation of Brahm Kaal, Goddess Durga, Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva can only be the creator. No one to date has told this eternal truth.
God Kabir told Dharmaraja (Yama) that after getting familiar with true spiritual knowledge Garud Ji pleaded to take him in His refuge. God Kabir told Garud Ji that he needs to inform Lord Vishnu about the same because we all have to live together and transparency is a must to be maintained. If I will give you initiation secretly then it would hurt you.
God Kabir gave evidence of Rigveda Mandal 10 Sukt 161 Mantra 2 and 5 to Garud Ji stating the capability of the Almighty that only He can increase the age of true worshippers who have fallen seriously ill and are nearing death. He will bless that dead soul and will make him live. No other God Brahm Kaal, Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva etc can do this since they can only provide work done. Their powers are limited.
Garud Ji went to Lord Brahma and told him that there is some other Supreme power than you who is all capable. You all are mortal. Arrogant Lord Brahma used to consider himself ‘Prajapita’ meaning creator of all and knower of Vedas therefore did not agree with Garud Ji.
God Kabir told Dharmaraja (Yama) that ‘Then Lord Brahma called a meeting where Lord Vishnu, Lord Shiva, Indradev, all deities and sages were present. None of them agreed with the facts told by Garud Ji that everyone in Kaal’s world is mortal. Finally, Goddess Durga was called to reveal the truth. She said that you all are perishable. In reality, a complete God is someone else who is immortal and the nurturer of everyone.
Listening to this the court adjourned and everyone left. Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva did not agree and told Garud Ji to examine the way he wanted and prove they all have limited power and can only provide work done.
God Kabir told Dharmaraja (Yama) that after this Garud Ji came to him seeking help. I told him that there is a 12 years old son of a Brahmin in ‘Bang’ country (present Bangladesh). He only has three days left until death. I wanted to take him in my refuge and told him about the limited powers of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva who cannot increase your age but he did not agree with me. He is at unrest. You take him to deities who will not be able to do anything. Then you come to me. I will tell you what you should do.
Garud Ji took the child to Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva who requested them to increase his life but all in vain. Then they decided to go to Dharmaraja (Yama) who keeps an account of everyone. He also told his helplessness that his age cannot be extended. It is impossible. Considering it the prestige issue, Trinity God asked Dharmaraja (Yama) to provide a solution then Dharmaraja (Yama) told that If you will give your age to the child then only his age can be increased. Listening to this they accepted their incapability and said ‘only the Supreme God can increase his age’. All left the Court of Dharmaraja (Yama).
Kabir Sahib further told Dharamdas that ‘Then Garud Ji requested me. I told him to bring nectar water from Mansarover. There you will meet a devotee named ‘Shravan’ who will help you. Garud Ji brought the nectar water of Mansarover from Shravan and gave it to the child. Then that child believed Kabir is God and took refuge. His welfare happened; later he became the permanent resident of the eternal world Satlok and attained emancipation.
Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva asked Dharmaraja (Yama) that how did that child survive even after his age was over? Dharmaraja (Yama) replied that this happened with the power of the Supreme God. Only He can extend age. I and You all have limited powers and cannot do the same. Even after seeing the reality arrogant Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva did not accept.
Note:- God Kabir met Garud Ji in Treta Yuga. The influence of Lord Vishnu still remained in him, hence could not be liberated at that time. He will be born again then the Almighty will bless him and will take him in His shelter and provide salvation.
Moving ahead let us know what God Kabir used to preach to Hindus and Muslims about their wrong practice and what punishment they will get in the court of Dharmaraja (Yama).
Peachings by Almighty Kabir to Hindus and Muslims as What Happens at the Court of Dharmaraja (Yama)?
600 years ago when God Kabir descended on earth and played the divine spectacle of a weaver He used to preach to both Hindus and Muslims regarding their wrong practice and the punishment they will get in the court of Dharmaraja (Yama) for the same.
Hindus worship ‘Mata Masani’ and Muslims worship ‘Dargah’ built in memory of some saint/faqir. They have become firm on them. If one tries to make them understand they get ready to break heads. They do not listen to God’s knowledge. Hindus got trapped in Temples and Muslims in Mosques. They have raised the barrier of religion. The purpose of God was that all should do true worship and leave arbitrary worship.
Ref: Holy eternal scripture of Sant Garibdas Ji ‘Raag Kafi Shabad ‘.
Nahi hain daramdara wahaan to nahin hai daaramadaara || tek ||
Us dargah mein dharmaraya hai , lekha lega saara || 1 ||
Mullah kukain bang sunaavain, na bahra kartara ||2 ||
Tiso roje khun karat ho, tumhe kyun kar ho didara ||3 ||
Mool ganvay chale ho Qaji, bhariya ghor angaara ||4 ||
Bhavjal dub gaye ho bhai, tumhra kijaiga munh kaara ||5 ||
Meaning:- God Kabir used to say that no one has specific authority in the court of Dharmaraja (Yama) meaning no one’s recommendation works there. All decisions are made only based on deeds. The whole account of virtues and sins done in human birth by the soul will be taken into consideration. Both Hindus, as well as Muslims, practise wrong. They cannot be blessed by God/Allah. The way of worship of both is against holy scriptures. They will be punished in the court of God. There are 12 crore Yamdoot who torture the soul and present him in the court of Dharmaraja (Yama) after death. Respected Garibdas Ji tells both Hindus and Muslims to do true worship of the Almighty and make your human birth successful.
God Kabir used to tell Muslim religious gurus, Qazis.
Kashi jora deen ka, ye kaji khilas karant || Garibdas us sarie mein ye jhagde aan padant ||
Sun Kaji raji nahee aape Aleh Khuda ||Garibdas kis hukam se tene pakad pachadi gaye ||
Meaning: Almighty Kabir Ji tells in his nectar speech that there is no mercy in Dharmraj’s Court. He keeps account of every deed creature has performed on earth. God Kabir reprimands Muslims who announce Ajaan in a louder voice that ‘Is your Allah deaf? Why are you yelling so loud? Worship with full faith in a normal way. On one hand, you keep fast for thirty days during Ramadan. You do not even drink water the whole day and on the other hand in the evening you kill innocent creatures and eat meat. God used to ask ‘with whose order do you slaughter? How will you attain Allah? Slaughterers will have to pay heavy fees in the court of Dharmaraja (Yama). God/Allah who created the universe in six days and sat on the throne on the seventh day you obey His orders. He is Allahu Akbar. By not doing so you are only ruining your Karma and even wasting the Virtues you had done before. This is not a way of devotion, this is a trap of Kaal and Dharmraj will punish you for this heinous sin.
Similarly, God is explaining to Hindus
Ved padhen par bhed na jane , yeh baanchain puraan athaara ||6 ||
Jad koon andhey patte khavavai , bisare sirajanahaara ||7 ||
Meaning:- Hindus do idolatry, offer to stones. Ignorant Pandits read Vedas and Gita but nowhere in Vedas, it has been written to do idol worship. They perform arbitrary worship. They have forgotten the creator. They also slaughter in the name of offerings to deities. They are sinners of God.
Ujad khedai bahut basaaye , bakara jhota maara ||8 ||
Ja ko tau tum mukti kahat ho , sau hain kachche baara ||9 ||
Mans machhariya khaate paande , kis vidhi rahiye aachaara ||10 ||
Syaun jajman nark kyun chaale , boode syun parivara ||11 ||
Chhati tori hanen jam kinkar , laagya jam ka laara ||12 ||
Das Garib kahai be kaajee, na kaheen vaar na paara ||13 ||
Hindu hadire poojey hee, Muslim puje ghore ||
Doho deen dokhe pade ye ho gaye kathin kathore ||
Hindu to dewal bandhey, yeh Muslim bandhey maseet ||
Saheb dar pahunchey nahee, ye padi bharam ki bheet ||
Shat dal dono deen ki, bhali bibhuti baat ||
Mein meri ke karne phir khawe jam ki laat ||
Shat dal dono deen ka, dil mein dosh na dhaar ||
Satguru ka koi ek hai yu jam ka sab sansaar ||
Adam udaharan sang hai kar parteet pehchaan ||
Hriday mathey ki kahi pujey jad pashan ||
God Kabir Ji also reprimands Hindu that you don’t even know your Scriptures and perform devotion against it. How will you attain Salvation? Instead of worshipping the Supreme God, you all are performing idolatry. God Kabir tells Hindus that ‘you have started eating meat how will you attain God? Many of you who did not worship Supreme God has been sent to hell and even in future as well whoever will perform arbitrary devotion, Dharmraj will put them in hell and messengers of Yama will torture souls there.
Aforesaid, clearly gives the message that the soul out of ignorance does sins and then suffers in the court of Dharmaraja (Yama). He does not have a way out.
Dharmaraja (Yama) seems to be very powerful, but is he worshipable and a provider of salvation? Let us find out
Is Dharmraj a Worshipable God and Provider of Salvation?
Dharmaraj is not a worshipable God and he is not immortal. No holy scripture certifies to worship Dharmaraja (Yama). He himself is destructible. It is useless to worship any deity other than the Supreme God. To please Dharmaraja (Yama) ignorant devotees chant mantras
ॐ kं आं व वै व वताय| धमर ाजाय भRतानु ह कृ ते नमः
There is no evidence of this mantra in any holy scriptures. The same is prohibited in Holy Srimad Bhagavad Gita Chapter 16 Verse 23-24. Gita Chapter 17 Verse 23 clarifies the only mantra to chant is ‘Om-Tat-Sat’ which is coded; only enlightened saint decodes it, chanting which salvation is attained, Rest all mantras are worthless.
It has been mentioned in the nectar speech of Sachhidanandghan Brahm that the worship of Trinity Gods Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva is useless and cannot provide seekers emancipation. Then how can other deities like Dharmraj or Yamraj be worshipable?
Innocent seekers due to a lack of true spiritual knowledge simply waste their precious human birth in doing arbitrary worship which is useless. Dharmaraj is not a salvation provider, he is not even immortal. He is also in the cycle of birth and death.
In Shrimad Bhagavad Gita Chapter 8 Verse 16 Kaal (Jyoti Niranjan) is saying that ‘O Arjun! All the worlds up to Brahmlok are subject to repeated creation and destruction. But O son of Kunti, those who do not know this, they even after attaining me are reborn’.
Hence, devotees are advised to immediately quit unscriptural worship and make efforts to find out who is the worshipable God who can provide salvation? .
Let us study evidence that provides information – Who is the worshipable God?
Who is the Worshipable God?
Dharmaraja (Yama) who holds an important post in Kaal’s world is like an ordinary worker in God’s court. It has been said
Dharmaraja (Yama) darbani chera, Sur-Asuron ka kare (nibeda) nibera ||
Sat ka raaj Dharamrai karahin, apna kiya sabahein dand bharahin ||
Dharmaraja (Yama) of Kaal’s world (Justice who provides reward and punishment to everyone based on deeds) is like an ordinary worker in the court of Param Akshar Brahm. He decides basis deeds but he himself is a demon. Creatures suffer because of his decision. It has been told
Dharmaraja (Yama) aadi yugadi chera, Chaudah koti katak dal tera ||
Dharmaraja (Yama) means Justice of Brahm Kaal is the servant of God Satpurush. There are 14 crore Dharrmdoot in the army of Dharmaraja (Yama) who take out souls from the body at the time of death and produce them in his court. He has an army of 14 crore soldiers.
Respected Sant Garibdas Ji Maharaj has glorified Almighty Kabir who is all capable of nullifying the account written by Dharmaraja (Yama) and liberates souls from Kaal’s trap. He is only worshipable. It has been said
Adli aarti asal jamaana, Jam Jaura metun talbanaa ||
Dharmaraja (Yama) par humri dhaayee, Naubat naam chadho le bhai ||
Chitra Gupt ke kagaj keerun, jugan jugan metun takseerun ||
Adli gyan adal ik raasaa, Sunkar Hans na pave trasaa ||
Ajrail jorawar dana, Dharamrai ka hai talwana ||
Metun talab karun tagira, Bhentein daas Garib Kabira ||
God Kabir is all capable who calls off even Yamraj’s summon and death of a true worshipper. Garibdas Ji who obtained true spiritual knowledge from God Kabir has said that ‘I (Kabir Saheb) have authority over Dharmaraja (Yama) who is the Justice of Brahm Kaal. I can only dismiss his order’.
God tells his true worshippers to chant Satnam and defeat Yamdoots. I will tear off your pages of sinful deeds written by Chitra Gupt meaning I will destroy all your sins of innumerable births. When the soul understands this decisive concept of mine and becomes firm in my devotion then pious soul does not suffer torture in the world of Yam and attains salvation after his true worship gets complete. It is said
Panch tat nahin gun teena, Baad bind nahin ghat seena ||
Chitra Gupt nahin kritim bajji, Dharamrai nahin pandit Kaji ||
Dhundukaar anant jug beete, Ja din kagaj kaho kon cheete ||
Ja din the hum takhat khawasaa, Tan ke paji sewak dasaa ||
Sankh jugan parlo prawana, Satpurush ke sang rahana ||
Das Garib Kabir ka chera, Satlok amrapur dera ||
Sant Garibdas Ji says ‘Before creation neither there were Chitra Gupt the two writers who could write the virtues and vices of human beings nor there was the creation of Kaal. At that time Dharmaraja (Yama) the Justice of Kaal was also not present and neither there was Priest, the Hindu Guru nor Kaji-Mullah the Muslim Gurus.
Sant Garibdas Ji has said ‘You preach Chitra and Gupt write the auspicious and non-auspicious deeds of everyone. At the time when the world of Kaal was not formed, for infinite Eras, there was complete darkness here at that time who wrote the auspicious and non-auspicious deeds of everyone?
Sant Garibdas has specified his situation as well in case someone might question ‘where was Garibdas Ji? ‘This question has also been answered that at that time God Kabir had created the entire creation in Satlok. At that time I was near His throne as a servant. I have acquired an immortal body since then. There were Holocausts for millions of years here in Kaal’s world. This evidence is in writing. I used to be with Satpurush Kabir Sahib. I am His servant and my native place is Satlok.
Evidence from Veda (Rigveda Mandal no.9 Sukt no. 86 verse 26, Rigveda Mandal no. 9 Sukt no. 54 Verse 3, Rigveda Mandal No. 9 Sukt 86 Mantra No. 26-27, Rigveda Mandal No. 9 Sukt 54 Mantra
No. 3, Yajurveda Chapter 29 Mantra 25) and Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 8 Verse 3 and 8,9,10, Chapter
15 Verse 17, Chapter 13 Verse 15-17 and 33) etc. also provide evidence that God Kabir is only worshipable. He is the provider of emancipation.
Similar shreds of evidence are found in pious Guru Granth Sahib, pious Quran Sharif (Surat Al Furkan 25: 52-59, Surah Al Anbiya 21:104, Surah-Al-Ikhlas Verses 1-4) as well as in the holy Bible (Iyob 36.5 Orthodox Jewish Bible –(OJB))
Hence, it is proved that only Kavir Dev is worshipable.
Conclusion
Aforesaid proves that Dharmaraja (Yama) in spite of holding a strong position of Chief Justice in one universe of Brahm Kaal who does the account of all creatures is himself trapped in the web of butcher Kaal. He is in the vicious cycle of birth and death. The Garud episode proves his helplessness: he cannot increase the age of souls whereas the Supreme God/Satpurush is all capable. He can do everything. He can increase the age of true worshipers.
It is also proved In spite of being a magistrate of the universe Dharmaraja (Yama) can’t handle the account of devotees who have taken Initiation from an enlightened saint and worship Kabir Sahib. It is also proved that Almighty Kabir Sahib can save devotees from the suffering of hell and can also save them from Dharmaraj.
Readers are advised that the same Supreme God Kavir Dev has descended on earth and is playing a divine spectacle in the cover of Sant Rampal Ji Maharaj. He is the Savior and liberator of the world. Devotees should abandon all useless arbitrary practices like worshipping Dharmaraja (Yama) and other demigods in Kaal’s world and should take refuge in him and get their welfare done. All should do true worship and attain emancipation.
Yama is the Hindu god of death, king of ancestors, and final judge on the destination of souls. He is also known as the ‘Restrainer’, Pretaraja or ‘King of Ghosts’, Dharmaraja or ‘King of Justice’, and as Daksinasapati is considered the regent of the South Quarter. Yama may also be referred to simply as ‘Death’ – Antaka, Kala or Mrtyu. Due to his responsibility for good decision-making based on records of a person’s deeds, the god is particularly associated with the rule of law. Yama is also present in Iranian mythology, traditional Chinese and Japanese mythology, and elements of Buddhism.
Yama’s Family Relations
Yama is the son of the sun god Vivasvat (or Visvavasu in other versions) and his mother is Saranyu-Samjna (Conscience). He is the brother of Manu or Vaivasvata and he also has a twin sister, Yami (or Yamuna). Yama and Yami are, in some myths, the first humans and creators of the human race but in other versions Yama is the first human to die and so the first to pass into the next world. Yama is considered the father of Yudhisthira, one of the five Pandu princes. His wives are Hemamala, Vijaya, and Susila.
Yama as Judge of Souls
Unlike the god of the dead or the underworld in other cultures, Yama is not always described as a punisher of the wicked. The god is feared by some, though, especially because of his two great hounds. These fearsome creatures have four eyes and they guard the path which the dead must take to reach Yama. The dogs are sometimes sent to the world of the living in order to beckon souls to Yama. In other versions, a bird performs this duty, calling the dead to the god’s city of Yamapura, deep in the murky underworld. In yet another version, Agni (the Hindu god of fire and son of Yama and Yami) leads the dead to Yama.
When souls arrive in Yama’s Kalici palace, they are first met by Yama’s porter Vaidhyata and then two attendants Kalapurusa and Chanda (or Mahachanda) usher them to an audience with the great god. First, their worldly deeds are read out by Yama’s scribe Citragupta, who consults a massive register, the Agrasandhani. Based on this evidence Yama sits on his throne of judgement (Vicarabhu) and considers the three options he has at his disposal. The first and best is to be given immortality by drinking soma and sent to live forevermore with the wise and saintly pitrs or Manes, to whom Yama is king. Here the good will enjoy eternal happiness and shine as stars in the celestial heavens. The second option is to be sent back into the world and be reborn in order to, as it were, have another go at leading a good life, although not necessarily as a human. The third and worst option is to be sent down into the 21 levels of hell; the lower the level, the worse the punishment.
Yama’s Curse
Yama appears in an unflattering episode in the Puranas. Attempting to kick his mother Samjna (or in another version Chaya, one of his father’s maids), Yama succeeded only in receiving a curse from his would-be victim. He was condemned to have a terribly wounded leg which never healed and became infested with maggots. Fortunately for Yama, his father gave him a cock which ate all the vermin in his leg and eventually he recovered, even if his permanently damaged leg thereafter gained him the name of Sirnapada or ‘shrivelled foot’.
Yama in Art
In Hindu art, Yama is often portrayed with green or blue skin and wearing red robes. His vehicle is a buffalo (or elephant) and he often carries a mace or rod —which was made from a part of the sun— and a noose, the latter symbolic of his role as a catcher of souls. Indeed, he is sometimes known as Pasi, ‘the noose-carrier’.
In Tibet, where Yama is known as Gsin-rje, the god is often represented with a demonic face and viciously stamping on somebody. Yama appears in similar pose on reliefs at Angkor Wat, Cambodia. Finally, he is a familiar statue figure in many Chinese temples where he is known as Yen-lo wang.
Why Lord Yama Lost His Handsome Looks?
We all know about Yamraaj, the God of death in Hindu Mythology. He is also known as Yama God of death. Since childhood, we have heard stories about Yamraaj’s Yamlok and his assistant Chitragupt. No matter how different the story was, there was one thing that remained constant. These were the scary looks of Yamraaj that were told to us in those stories. Lord Yamraaj has been explained as a black-skinned, scary God. He tends to have a buffalo as his vehicle. Moreover, a signature marking of Lord Yamraaj is their big scary eyes and a huge black moustache on their face. However, let us tell you that this was not always the case.
According to mythological stories, it is believed that Lord Yama used to be one of the most handsome God in Hinduism. You might be wondering now, if he was one of the most handsome Gods, then why is he portrayed as scary now? Well, there is a whole story behind it. Well, for starters, let us tell you that it was given as a punishment to Lord Yama. Now, let us uncover the secret behind Lord Yama losing his beauty.
Lord Yamraj – God of Death
Who is Yamraj? Whenever someone talks of Lord Yamaraj, we immediately imagine a huge man with sharp features and a terrifying moustache riding a buffalo. But it wasn’t always like this. His depiction is of a scary god in the Puranas, but the Vedas show him as a deity of incomparable beauty. So, what happened that led to Yama taking up these scary manners? Let’s find out.
The Beginning of Yama-raaj’s Story
Yama was one of the most handsome deities with beautiful looks. Such was his glamour that even apsaras would want his attention. These weren’t just facts about Yamraj, but real truth. He was so lost in appreciating his looks every day that the attractive God slowly started forgetting the duties of Earth. When the people on Earth found out about this, they rejoiced in the knowledge of living forever. This, however, caused a huge burden on the resources and exhausted Mother Earth, asking for the help of the God of Destruction, Shiva. That’s when Lord Shiva decided to teach Yama a lesson in humility.
How Lord Shiva taught Yamraj a lesson?
He called the arrogant God over to Kailasha and asked him to fetch water from a nearby pond as Shiva felt thirsty. On reaching the pond, it was shocking to see his reflection in the still water. He bent down to stare back at the dark-skinned man with a huge moustache and fiery eyes, too stunned to move. Finally, Yama regained his senses and ran back to Shiva, pleading for mercy. The Lord looked at the now-defaced God and merely shook his head and went back to his meditation.
What happened to Lord Yamraj?
Yama ran from one God to the next, but no one could seem to fix his problem. In desperation, he decided to pray to Lord Vishnu. After praying for many years, Lord Vishnu finally answered the troubled God’s call. He asked, ‘What is your wish, Yama?’ To which Yama replied, ‘Please bless me back, my handsome form.’ Lord Vishnu shook his head and replied, ‘I can only do you one favour. Your horns will shift to another creature that shall be your vehicle, but the rest of the looks you will have to endure. This shall remind you to never be unproductive at your job.’ Hence, Lord Yama, God of death, was given the buffalo as his vehicle while retaining the scary physical form that we know today.
Conclusion
So, this was the mythology associated with Lord Yama losing his beauty. This story provides us with a great lesson in learning. It tends to tell us that each and every individual must do and fulfil their duties sincerely. Moreover, there is nothing above doing one’s duty in the world. Moreover, another lesson that this story teaches us is that people should not get too obsessed with materialistic or worldly things. These things are termed to break, vanish or change form. One must pay attention to things that are more important. This includes their duty, responsibility, and also their behaviours. If one is able to get over the greed of materialistic pleasing things, then that individual is able to attain peace and is also able to live a much happier and content life.
We all know that each and every Hindu mythological story tends to teach us something. Thus, these are the teachings that we must learn and take into consideration in our daily lives. If you liked this blog and want to read more such blogs, then check InstaAstro’s website or download the app for the same. There, you can find many more interesting and informative blogs that will help you extinguish your curiosity. Moreover, you can also talk to some of India’s best astrologers, who will provide you with solutions and answers to all your questions.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is Lord Yamraj’s vehicle, and what is its name?
The Lord Yamraj’s vehicle is a black buffalo. Moreover, the Yamraj buffalo’s name is Paundraka.
2. Who killed Yamraj?
There are two theories about the death of Yamaraj. Some theories are that Yamraj has been killed by Kartikey, the young son of Lord Shiva and Parvati. While others say that Yamraj can never die as he is a God.
3. Who is the most handsome god in hindu mythology?
In Hinduism, many Gods have been given the title of being extremely beautiful. The most beautiful god in the world include Chandra Dev, Yama, Goddess Lakshmi and Goddess Durga.
4. What is lord yama wife name also, who is the father of Yamraj?
Lord Yama is said to have had a total of three wives. These include Hema-mala, Sushila and Vijaya. Moreover, Lord Yama was the son of Surya Dev.
5 Are lord Yama and Shani siblings?
Yes, Lord Yama and Shani Dev are siblings. However, between them, Shani Dev is the elder son of Surya Dev. Thus, he is older than Yama.
6. Why is Yama the God of death?
According to some mythological stories, Yama was termed the first mortal to die. Thus, he became the God of death.
Yama, is the Hindu god of the dead. The story goes that he was the first man on earth. His twin sister Yami was the first woman. According to the Rig Veda, she approached him to make a child. He refused this incestuous union on moral grounds. So he died childless. This meant he was trapped forever in the land of the dead for only an offspring left behind in the land of the living can help the dead return to the land of the living by producing children of their own and rotating the wheel of rebirths.
Yama became king of the dead. Whenever a person died, he arrived in Yama’s kingdom where Yama determined the biology and circumstances of his next life based on the karmic balance sheet maintained by his accountant Chitragupta. Yama rides a buffalo, that is moving slowly but surely and single-mindedly towards us from the moment we are born. The distance between Yama’s buffalo and us is determined by the karmic balance sheet in Yama’s hand. Ultimately, his noose will claim us. We will die. All of us. King or beggar. Yama carries out his duty so impersonally that he is renowned as Dharma, god of righteous conduct, too.
Yama ensures the cycle of rebirths rotates in a determined rhythm in the Hindu world. Buddhists and Jains also believe in the cycle of rebirths though the details vary. All three believe it is possible to break free from the cycle of rebirths through devotion according to Hindus, meditation according to Buddhists and austerity according to Jains. This leads to the Hindu moksha, the Buddhist nirvana and the Jain kaivalya.
Cultures did not see death in the same way. The Greeks also had a god called Hades who ruled the land of the dead. But he acted differently. When a Greek man died, he was cremated with a coin in his mouth and honey bread in his hand. The coin was payment for Charon who ferried his ghost across Styx to the land of the dead. The bread was to distract Cereberus, the three headed dog who guarded the gates of the netherworld. Inside, the dead man was tried by three judges. If he was good, he was sent to joyful Elysium; if he was bad, he was punished in terrible Tartarus; if he was neither good nor bad, he was sent to the unexciting Asphodel fields. And in these places the dead lived for all eternity.
The Egyptians believed that death was followed by an eternal life in the land of Osiris provided one’s body was intact (a belief that led to the practice of mummification), one knew the way and the spells needed to overpower potential hurdles in the path (a belief that led to the production of the hymns in “book of the dead”) and one’s heart was good (a belief, that expressed itself in the story of the dead man’s heart, was weighed against Maat’s feather of goodness by Thoth, the divine scribe).
The Israelities, who escaped from Egyptian slavery thanks to Moses, had a relatively tame site for the dead called Sheol, a dusty dry underworld in which good and evil souls commingled in a state of continual thirst, waiting for the messiah. But when they settled in the land of Palestine, around 1500 B.C. the seed of “Hell” was planted in their worldview after they witnessed the pagan child sacrifices carried out in the Valley of Gehinnom. So profound was the impact of events in this valley that the word “Gehinnom” also became the Arabic and later Islamic word for “hell fire” – “Jahannum”. For the Muslims in Jahannum will burn all those who reject the holy word of the Koran, which is the word of God. The rest will rejoice with Allah in Heaven or Jannat surrounded by angels.
The idea of Heaven and Hell in the Judaic mindset truly evolved after the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem and the exile to Babylon around the 5th century BC where the Israelites came in touch with the followers of the Persian prophet Zoroaster. The Zoroastrians saw life on earth as a reflection of battles between the forces of good and evil. All good things came from Ahura Mazda and all bad things came from his archenemy Angra Manyu. When a man died, he was asked to cross a bridge, which separated the land of the living from the land of the dead. The bridge widened or narrowed depending on the choices made by the man during life. These thoughts eventually made their way through Judaic worldview into Christian and Islamic theology. Along the way, ideas were also taken from the Greeks and the Egyptians. The Vikings also contributed: the word “Hell” has its origin in the name of the Nordic goddess Helas, ruler of the forbidding, dark, cold, windswept nether region Niflheimer. Incidentally, the Christian world “Paradise” comes from the Persian word meaning “royal garden.”
Hindus also believe in Heaven and Hell. But when one goes into the details, the Hindu Heaven and the Christian/Islamic Heaven is quite different. In a Bollywood film, Hindu heaven is where Indra rules, gods drink and nymphs entertain while in Hollywood films, the Christian heaven is seen as a place where angels play harps. The serenity of the latter contrasts the excitement of the former. Besides, according to the Puranas, entry into Hindu heavens is the result of good deeds and not by following a “Book” or a prophet. Hindus have many heavens, one greater than the other. There is the heaven of Indra and “greater” heavens like the heavens of Vishnu or Shiva. For a follower of Shiva, Shiva’s heaven is the “highest heaven” while to devotees of Vishnu, Vishnu’s heaven is higher. The idea of multiple heavens, from where one can be cast out, is totally different from the single Paradise of Christians and Jannat of the Muslims.
Clearly, different cultures have seen death differently and so have approached life differently. Now, imagine this: one group of people believe that this life is just one of the many lives we have to live. Then there are those who believe that this is the only life we have. How can one expect the two groups to see eye-to-eye on one’s approach to life? The missionary believes that this is the only life one has to “save the soul” and this explains the “missionary zeal” to convert, an idea that is uniquely Christian and Islamic. Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, however, believe life and death are alternating events in a karmic merry-go-round and so they are in no hurry to be “saved”. Herein lies the root of conflict between ideologies of Hindus on the one hand and of Christian/Muslims on the other, one that leads sometimes to violent confrontations. Respecting another’s understanding of death, hence life, is not easy — no matter what reformists may believe — for such a step is seen as the first in many steps that ultimately leads to invalidating one’s own belief system, making it just “a” truth, not “the” truth.
Hindu God of Death: Who is Lord Yama in Hinduism?
In Hinduism, the god of death is Yama, who is also known as the god of the underworld. First described in the Vedas, an ancient collection of hymns, poems, and philosophical writings compiled from 1500-500 B.C.E., Yama is worshipped as the first man that died. The earliest mention of Yama is in the first Veda known as the Rigveda. Early descriptions of Yama show him as a good-natured guardian of the deceased ancestors. In later mythology, Yama became known as Dharmaraja, the judge of justice for the good and evil deeds of the dead, and the determiner of retribution for those deeds. He is symbolic of the realistic natural elements of life and death which no living being can escape.
In Hinduism, the female goddess of death is Kali. She is a fearsome entity who is known for wearing a necklace of skulls and a skirt made of amputated arms. She is frequently depicted carrying the head of a man in one arm and in another arm holding a bloody knife. Though she is a feared deity she is also revered as a goddess who radiates the love of a mother. Kali is imbued with the energy of the feminine and is worshipped as a goddess of fecundity (fertility) and ingenuity. Kali is the counterpart to Yama, both representing the natural role of death within the cycle of life and reality.
God of Death In Buddhism
Yama is also the guardian of the dead in the Buddhist tradition, predominantly in Japan, China, and Tibet. Hinduism and Buddhism both derive from Ancient Egypt, and many of the teachings of both philosophies are related. In Buddhism, Yama is known as ”Lord of the Hell Realms” and symbolizes the impermanence of life on earth. Rather than a judge of a person’s morality in life, Yama reminds people that their karma, the results of their deeds and actions, will determine their place in the afterlife. In Mahayana Buddhism (as in Hinduism), Yama is fearsome but not evil. According to Buddhist mythology, the image of Yama was defeated by a wrathful Yamantaka, who thus transformed Yama into a protector of the Buddhist tradition, known as a Dharmapala. Yama is also worshiped as a reminder to honor the sacredness of the life force and for Buddhists to practice devotedly.
Lord Yama In Art Depiction
Lord Yama the Hindu god of death has numerous representations in Hindu art. Yama is often described as a majestic god and is often depicted as either black, green, or blue, with red or gold clothing and red eyes. He often carries a mace, which is an ancient fighting weapon, or a noose. Lord Yama uses the noose to round up the souls of the dead for judgment. Yama frequently rides a buffalo, with the pigeon and crow serving as his messengers. The entrance to Yama’s god kingdom is guarded by a pair of fearsome four-eyed dogs.
Why is Yama Worshipped?
Hindus worship many gods. Yama is revered because he determines the destination of souls. He does not punish souls to death but determines justice upon the good and evil souls of the recently deceased. Yama symbolizes the natural process of life and death which no living being can escape.
How did Yama become god of death?
Yama is the child of Surya the sun god and his wife Sanjana, the goddess of consciousness. When Sanjana closed her eyes to Surya’s brightness, Surya was angered and cursed the son she would bear. The child Yama became the annihilator of creatures and then the god of death.
What are Yama powers?
Yama was bestowed the power of choosing what afterlife the deceased souls will enter. Yama renders judgement and determines if a soul will go to heaven, be reincarnated back to earth, or enter one of 21 realms of hell known as Naraka.