KAILASA Library/Who is THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM - The many dimensions of THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM/Lord YamaSign in
Who is THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM - The many dimensions of THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Lord Yama

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Lord Yama riding a buffalo with attendants
  • Yama is the Hindu God of death, king of all ancestors, and final judge on the destination of souls. Yama or Yamarāja, 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.
  • He is responsible for good decision-making based on records of a person’s deeds.
  • In the Vedas, Yama is said to have been the first mortal who died. By virtue of precedence, he became the ruler of the departed, and is called “Lord of the Pitrs (all ancestors)”.
Sūrya and Bhooma Devi as a cow; Rishis and the birth of Prithu from Vena's corpse

King Vena and his son, Prithu

  • Vena was a great king. However, he became evil and corrupt. The world became so gloomy and dark that the Earth-Goddess Bhooma Devi decided that she would not provide crops to humans anymore.
  • She took the form of a cow and went into hiding. Meanwhile, a group of Rishis killed Vena out of anger. They then rubbed the thigh of his corpse, and took out all the evil from his body. Afterwards they rubbed Vena's arm, and the good Prithu emerged.
  • Prithu was Vishnu incarnate, and as soon as he was born, Vishnu's Sharanga (bow) fell from heaven into his hands. However, Bhuma Devi still refused to give crops to people. But she finally yielded to Prithu, but in return Prithu was to be her eternal guardian. This is why Bhuma Devi is also known as Prithvi.