Yama’s Dark Gifts: Death and Damnation

Sometimes, irrespective of whether one is religious, occasionally religious or utterly irreligious, one tends to wonder if there is truly a need for organized religion, especially since history clearly indicates that far too many crimes and acts of violence are committed in the name of faith. Perhaps our ancestors came up with religion simply to get people to toe the line and put the fear of God in them to get the good folks within civilized society to behave themselves.

Thou shalt not steal or the omnipotent one who sees all will cause your ill – gotten gains to turn into dust. Thou shalt not bring harm upon others or the misery you are guilty of spreading will boomerang and bite you on your bungling bottom. Thou shalt not rape or maggots will feed upon your erring male appendage even whilst you live out the remainder of your stinking life in abject pain. Thou shalt not murder for to do so would mean incurring eternal damnation that includes but is not limited to being roasted over flames, having the skin flayed off your back, and other ingenious forms of torture meted out over the course of eternity. All designed to make the bad guys wet their pants.

In Indian Mythology, this is where Yama comes in. Belonging to an impressive lineage he is the son of Surya and the grandson of Twastha. Rising rapidly through the ranks of the Devas he became one of the Lokapalas along with Indra, Varuna and Kubera. These were the original Guardians of the Galaxy, with Yama watching over the South which later became conflated with the nether regions and saw him eventually presiding over the realms of the dead.

Another name for Yama is Dharma on account of his infallible morality, spotless conduct and rigid adherence to his duty. There were murmurs of incest with his twin sister Yami, but the hymn in the Rig Veda that alludes to it is incomplete, content to suggest as is par for the course with these things, that it was Yami who tried unsuccessfully to tempt her brother to sin and wound up becoming the river Yamuna for her pains, entrusted with the odious burden of cleansing other people of their sins. As for her brother, he remained revered and respected, though he occasionally received flak for the thankless task of handling soiled souls and all.

Once the soul had been severed from the body it would journey past the dreaded river of pus, Vaiterani to reach Yama’s domain and await judgment. The truly virtuous and enlightened ones having been deemed worthy of salvation would be granted passage to the fabled delights of heaven. Those who have danced with their inner angel and demon both will be released back into the cycle of birth and rebirth till they make up their minds whether they want to embrace goodness or make the descent into darkness in order not to unduly tax their examiners. Only the evillest of evil souls will find themselves booted to the infamous torture chambers of the thousand hells of Yama and subjected to the gruesome ministrations of the Yamaduttas, who are his terrifying enforcers.

It is certainly not the worst way to deal with evildoers and gets points for elegant simplicity as well as the lack of fuss and muss, things sorely lacking in our fine democracy where the long arm of the law is decidedly limp, thanks to a corrupt system where the rich and powerful literally get away with murder, while the poor are reduced to hoping that they are not hanged for being in the wrong place at the wrong time or mowed down by imported cars while huddled on the pavement. Rapists get away with bragging rights intact because it is almost always the victim’s fault. This world is not even a safe place for children, animals, the old or disabled.

When confronted with such unpalatable truths, one cannot help but hope that Yama is out there somewhere. Waiting and watching, with his dark gifts on hand. That way, everyone gets exactly what they deserve. And we can all sleep peacefully at night.

Anuja Chandramouli is a new age classicist and a bestselling author whose debut was one of the top 5 books in the Indian-writing category on Amazon India in 2013. Her latest title, Yama’s Lieutenant and The Stone Witch, will be out later this month with Penguin Random House. Anuja is based out of Tamil Nadu.