According to the Hindu beliefs, the kingdom of death is governed by the god called Yama. He was identified as a man with the green body, wearing red cloths, with a crown on his head, cudgel and net in his hands. He usually mounts on a water buffalo. God of death is known as by many names, namely are Antaka – the one who ends, Mrytyu – death, Pasin – the one who has a net, Pretaraja – king of the deaths, Śradhadeva – god of the deaths’ worship ritual and Dharmaraja – the king of dharma. Initially the god was considered as a just ruler residing in the third, which means the highest heaven and, referring to the Vedic literature, those who had lived an honest life, proceeded to his kingdom with joy. However, gradually he became a fear evoking figure. In Puranic literature, he is called “a judge of people, ruling the hells where suffered the sinners”. After leaving the body, the soul sets off for the four hours and forty minutes lasting journey to Yamapura, the underworld residence of Yama. He was conducted by two four-eyed dogs which are Yama’s messengers, roaming among the people and looking for the death souls. The entrance to the court room in the palace called Kalci, it was guarded by a doorman named Vaydhata. Inside the court room the soul stands in the front of Yama’s secretary Citragupta who normally reads out the deeds, the bad and the good, from the big book of registry. Due to these deeds, Yama gives a verdict whether the soul will go to the forefathers’ kingdom or to one of twenty one hells. To Yama is dedicated a festival called Yamatarpana. It is celebrated on the fourteenth day after the Full Moon in the month of Asvin (the seventh month of the Indian calendar, covering second half of September and second half of October). In that day people burn and sacrifice the torches to illuminate the path of the death souls.
Edited by Ven Sophorn, IKAS
Santiniketan, March 13, 2010
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