Yama

Also known as Kala meaning Time or Dharmaraja meaning King of Dharma or other titles such as the Restrainer, Twin or King of Ghosts, Yama is the god of death, justice and naraka (the underworld). He is also a Dikpala, acting as the guardian of the southern direction. His role is that of judging the souls of the dead, determining their fate after death. With the aid of Chitragupta, his scribe, Yama carefully examines the dharma and karma of the dead, judging the sum of their life and their deeds before sending them to svarga (heaven), naraka or to reincarnate. For his dark nature and relation to death, Yama is most associated with Zalikar or Azryth but this role isn't met with the same reproach in Sanjatanis myth as it sees in other cultures!

Several Devas oversee and maintain order and morality, but it is Yama who enforces it amid the dead making him the ultimate judge and enforcer of dharma and rta (cosmic order)! His judgement looms on the horizon of every soul--inescapable and inevitable. While Yama is both revered and feared, known to be stern and unwavering, he is an entity distinctly moved by righteousness and devotion! Compasionate, just and reasonable among the Devas, he urges every man towards moral behavior, representing restraint, control and justice.

Yama is a god born from the union of Surya and Sanjna, the eldest among their children. He also has a twin sister, Yami, who is the goddess of the Yamuna River--contrastingly a goddess of life. Their younger siblings include the Ashvins, Manu, Revanta, Shani and Tapati. Both Yama and Yami are honored together in the festival Yama Dwitiya or Bhai Dooj, occuring two days after the holiday of Diwali. It celebrates the bonds between brothers and sisters, Yama believed to visit Yami on this day every year to receive a special meal from her. It is believed that Yama will bless any brother who receives a tilak mark from his sister, granting them longevity! Most rituals devoted to Yama are made seeking a long and righteous life or protection from untimely death. They might offer prayers, recite his mantra the Yama Gayatri, light lamps and offer him sacrifices. In fact, despite being a dark entity, temples to Yama dot Bharatavarsa and beyond. Pilgrims gather in his halls every year, seeking the protection of their ancestors or praying for the wellbeing of the deceased.

Yama has a fierce visage and wrathful expression, holding a pasha (noose) and gada (mace) while fangs protrude from his mouth! He has the complexion of storm clouds while his clothing is usually red, yellow or blue. He might be accompanied by his attendants, the Yamadutas, and his vahana is a buffalo.