Yama

For other uses, see Yama (disambiguation).
Yama
God of Death[1]
A 19th-century painting of Yama on his mount
Other namesDharmaraja, Yamaraja, Yammui
Devanagariयम
AffiliationLokapala, Deva, Gana
AbodeNaraka (Yamaloka)
PlanetPluto[2]
Mantra
  • Om Surya putraya Vidmahe
    Mahakalaya Dhimahi
    Tanno Yama Prachodayat
  • Om Vaivasvadaya Vidmahe
    Dandahastaya Dhimahi
    Tanno Yama Prachodayat
WeaponDanda, Noose and Mace
MountBuffalo
Genealogy
Parents
SiblingsYamuna, Ashvins, Shraddhadeva Manu, Revanta, Shani and Tapati
ConsortDhumorna[4][b]
ChildrenSunita (daughter);
Yudhishthira (son)[a]
Equivalents
GreekHades
ManipuriThongalel[11]
NorseYmir[7][8][9]
RomanRemus,[9] Dis Pater, Pluto[10]
EgyptianOsiris, Sokar

Yama (Sanskrit: यम, lit. 'twin'), also known as Kāla and Dharmarāja, is the Hindu god of death and justice, responsible for the dispensation of law and punishment of sinners in his abode, Naraka.[12][13] He is often identified with Dharmadeva, the personification of Dharma, though the two deities have different origins and myths.[14]

In Vedic 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 the Upanishads, the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, and the Puranas.

Yama is described as the twin of Yami, and the son of the sun god Surya (in earlier traditions Vivasvat) and Sanjna. He judges the souls of the dead and, depending on their deeds, assigns them to the realm of the Pitris (forefathers), Naraka (hell), or to be reborn on the earth.

Yama is one of the Lokapalas (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]

Yama was subsequently adopted by Buddhist, Chinese, Tibetan, Korean, and Japanese mythology as the king of hell. In modern culture, Yama has been depicted in various safety campaigns in India.

  1. ^ Cyclopaedia of India and of Eastern and Southern Asia, Commercial, Industrial and Scientific: Products of the Mineral, Vegetable and Animal Kingdoms, Useful Arts and Manufactures. Ed. by Edward Balfour. [Dr.:] Scottish and Adelphi Press. 1873.
  2. ^ "Planetary Linguistics". Archived from the original on December 17, 2007. Retrieved June 12, 2007.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Mani was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Puranic Encyclopedia by Vettam Mani
  5. ^ Debroy, Bibek (2005). The History of Puranas. Bharatiya Kala Prakashan. ISBN 978-81-8090-062-4.
  6. ^ Daniélou, Alain (1991). The Myths and Gods of India: The Classic Work on Hindu Polytheism from the Princeton Bollingen Series. Inner Traditions / Bear & Co. ISBN 978-0-89281-354-4.
  7. ^ Lincoln 1975, p. 129.
  8. ^ Anthony 2007, pp. 134–135.
  9. ^ a b Mallory & Adams 1997, pp. 129–130.
  10. ^ Lincoln 1991, p. 33.
  11. ^ "Glimpses of Manipuri Language, Literature, and Culture". 1970.
  12. ^ "Yama". World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  13. ^ Shrinivasa M. (Jan 10, 2020). "A temple for Yamaraj in Mahoba district | Mysuru News". The Times of India. Retrieved 2020-12-13.
  14. ^ Dalal, Roshen (2010). The Religions of India: A Concise Guide to Nine Major Faiths. Penguin Books India. ISBN 9780143415176.
  15. ^ "Yama And Markandeya – Chapter – 1 "Introduction" – Wattpad". www.wattpad.com. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  16. ^ Arthur Anthony Macdonell (1995). Vedic Mythology. Motilal Banarsidass. p. 172. ISBN 978-8120811133.
  17. ^ Mani, Vettam (1975). Puranic encyclopaedia : a comprehensive dictionary with special reference to the epic and Puranic literature. Robarts - University of Toronto. Delhi : Motilal Banarsidass. p. 367. ISBN 978-0-8426-0822-0.


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