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an Dharmapala at the Field Museum in Chicago, Illinois ]] Yama ( lord of Death , whose first recorded appearance is in the Veda s. He is one of the most ancient beings in the world and parallel forms of one sort or another have been found all over Eurasia . He is known as Yima by Zoroastrians , and is considered to be Cognate with Ymir of Norse Legend and has become known as '''Emma''', or '''Emma-o''' (閻魔大王 ''Enma Dai-Ō''), in Japanese Buddhism . Some even claim that he also shares the same mythological roots as Abel . The spirits of the dead, on being judged by Yama, are supposed to either pass through a term of enjoyment in a region midway between the earth and the heaven of the gods, or to undergo their measure of Punishment in Naraka (or Jigoku ), the nether world, situated somewhere in the southern region. After this time they return to Earth to animate new bodies. In Vedic tradition Yama was considered to have been the first mortal who died and espied the way to the celestial abodes, and in virtue of precedence he became the ruler of the departed. In some passages, however, he is already regarded as the god of death. CHARACTERISTICS OF YAMA He is a Lokapala and an Aditya . In Art , he is depicted with Green or Red Skin , red clothes, and riding a Buffalo . He holds a loop of Rope in his left hand with which he pulls the soul from the corpse. He is the son of Surya (Sun) and twin brother of Yami , or Yamuna , traditionally the first Human pair in the Vedas. He was also Worship ed as a son of Vivasvat and Saranya . He is one of the Ashta-Dikpalas and represents the south. He reports to Lord Shiva the Destroyer, an aspect of Trimurti (Hinduism's triune Godhead). Three hymns (10, 14, and 35) in the Rig Veda Book 10 are addressed to him. Yama is also the lord of Justice and is sometimes referred to as Dharma , in reference to his unswerving dedication to maintaining order and adherence to harmony. In this capacity, he is normally depicted wearing a Chinese judge's cap in Japanese art. It is said that he is also one of the wisest of the Devas . In the Katha Upanishad , among the most famous Upanishads , Yama is portrayed as a teacher. He is the father of Yudhisthira , the oldest brother of the 5 Pandavas (Karna was born prior to Kunti's wedlock, so technically Karna is Yudhthira's older brother) and is said to have incarnated as Vidura by some accounts in the Mahabharata period. Garuda Purana mentions Yama often. His description is in 2.5.147-149: "There very soon among Death, Time, etc. he sees Yama with red eyes, looking fierce and dark like a heap of collyrium, with fierce jaws and frowning fiercely, chosen as their lord by many ugly, fierce-faced hundreds of diseases, possessing an iron rod in his hand and also a noose. The creature goes either to good or to bad state as directed by him." In 2.8.28-29, "...the seven names of Yama, viz Yama, Dharma-raja, Mrtyu, Antaka, Vaivasvata, Kala, Sarva-pranahara...". His wife is Syamala (3.17.4-5, 3.29.16, 24-25). In Buddhism , the Wheel Of Life Mandala is often depicted between the jaws of Yama. Yama was revered in Tibet as a guardian of spiritual practice. Yama's origin in Buddhist tradition comes from the following legend. A holy man was told that if he meditated for the next 50 years, he would achieve enlightenment. So this holy man goes off to a cave and proceeds to mediate for 49 years, 11 months and 29 days, until he is interupted by two theives who come busting in with a stolen bull. They cut off the bull's head, and when they see that this hermit has hanging out in the cave this whole time, they ignore his requests to be spared for but a few minutes, and they cut his head off too. Well, in his near-enlightened fury, this holy man becomes Yama, the god of Death, takes the bulls head for his own, and smites the two thieves, drinking their blood from cups made of their skulls. Still being enraged, Yama decides to kill everyone in Tibet. The people of Tibet, fearing for their lives, pray to the bodhisattva Manjushri, who takes up their cause. He transforms himself into Yamantaka, which is Yama times infinity. hey do battle, and everywhere Yama turns, there are infinite versions of himself. Yama is defeated, and turned into a protector of Buddhism. He is generally considered a wrathful deity, drop-kicking sinful dudes. SUBORDINATION TO SHIVA AND VISHNU Yama, although a controller, is still subordinate to the ultimate controllers Shiva and Vishnu . A story of Yama's subordinance to Shiva is well-illustrated in the story of Markandeya . {Link without Title} Yama is called Kala ("time"), while Shiva is called Mahakala ("greater time"). {Link without Title} Another story, found in the Bhagavata Purana , shows Yama's subordinance to Vishnu . The man Ajamila had committed many evil acts during his life such as Stealing , abandoning his Wife and Children , and marrying a Prostitute . At the moment of his death he involuntarily chanted the name of Narayana (the Sanskrit name for Vishnu) and achieved Moksha , becoming saved from the messengers of Yama. Although Ajamila had actually been thinking the name of his youngest son, Narayana's name has powerful effects, and thus Ajamila was released from his great sins. {Link without Title} YAMAS AS CODES OF CONDUCT In a related usage, a yama is a "restraint" or rule for living Virtuous ly. Ten yamas are codified in numerous Scripture s, including the Shandilya and Varaha Upanishad s, the '' Hatha Yoga Pradipika '' by Gorakshanatha , and the '' Tirumantiram '' of Tirumular . Patanjali lists five yamas in the '' Yoga Sutras Of Patanjali ''. The ten traditional yamas are: # Ahimsa : abstinence from injury, harmlessness, the not causing of pain to any living creature in thought, word, or deed at any time. This is the "main" Yama. The other nine are there in support of its accomplishment. # Satya : truthfulness, word and thought in conformity with the facts. # Asteya : non-stealing, non-coveting, non-entering into debt. # Brahmacharya : divine conduct, continence, celibate when single, faithful when married. # Kshama : patience, releasing time, functioning in the now. # Dhriti : steadfastness, overcoming non-perseverance, fear, and indecision; seeing each task through to completion. # Daya : compassion; conquering callous, cruel and insensitive feelings toward all beings. # Arjava : honesty, straightforwardness, renouncing deception and wrongdoing. # Mitahara : moderate appetite, neither eating too much nor to little; nor consuming meat, fish, shellfish, fowl or eggs. # Shaucha : purity, avoidance of impurity in body, mind and speech. In the '' Yoga Sutras Of Patanjali '', the Yamas are the first limb of the eight limbs of Raja Yoga . They are found in the Sadhana Pada Verse 30 as: # Ahimsa # Satya # Asteya # Brahmacharya # Aparigraha: absence of avariciousness, non-appropriation of things not one's own. YAMA IN POPULAR CULTURE '' depicting Enma]]
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