Lord Yamaraj is the the brother of Saturn (Sri Sanaiscarya). Yamaraj is not only the Lord of Dharma, but also the Lord of Death. He is often referred to in Sastra as the officer you will meet after dieing, who will judge your life and grant your next placement.
Yamaraj "Yama" is considered the first human, the first to die, and therefore the lord and judge of the dead.
Alternate/Different names of Yamaraj :
Yamaraj has dozens of alternate names, including Dharmarja (a name which describes his role as judge), Yama, Dherma, Pitripeti, Mritu, and Vivaswata.
Beliefs :
In the Vedas, Yamaraj (Yama) is said to be the first mortal who died and went to heaven, becoming its monarch. There is also a fake belief that yamaraj is the ruler of the hell.
However, in the Vedic times, the conception of hell had not fully developed. Yama is the god of death and holds charge of the several hells mentioned in the Puranas.
He is regent of the South, or Lower World. Yamaraj dewells in the infernal city of Yamapur or Yamalog, the place of departed souls.
Appearance :
Yamaraj wears red robes, and plays a flute. At times, Yama is depicted with a bull's head, flaming hair, and a club.Along with Yamaraj there are two dogs, each with four eyes to search the souls in all four directions. The dogs assist him in dragging the unwilling souls towards the hell
Mythology :
Yama possesses no power among the Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu:
The story goes like this.. Once upon a time there was a man who was unwilling to lie in the hand of Yamaraj. When the yamaraj came to receive the man's soul, he refused and ran to a Shiva temmple, he holds the Shiva Linga and stars uttering the "Maha Mritiunjaya" mantra of Lord Shiva.
After then Lord Shiva appeared and orders Yamaraj to leave the man, when he refuses Lord Shiva kills the Yamaraj and from then Lord Shiva was also known as Maha Mritiunjaya. Finally Yamaraj was given another life by Lord Shiva in request of othe gods.
There is another story of Ajamila, a Brahmin, who was saved from the clutches of Yamaraj by his continuous uttering of Narayana,the name of lord Vishnu. Thus, Yama is considered to have no control over one who utters Vishnu’s name at the time of his death.
Yama has a clerk named Chitragupta, who keeps record of the good and bad actions of mortals. When a person dies, he is conducted to Yama who calls upon Chitragupta to read out the account of his lifetime works . If the bad action wins the good, the person is taken to hell where he is tortured under the supervision of Yama else the soul is sent to the heaven.
He also has servitors known as the Yamaduttas. Dutta means messenger, and Yama means Lord of Death. So, they are the "messengers of the Lord of Death".
Yami is said to be Yama’s wife in some accounts, and his sister in others.
But most believe she is his wife.
The fourteenth day of the dark half of the month Aswini is called Yamaterpanam and is sacred to Yama. On this day, torches and flaming brands are kindled, and consecrated to burn the bodies of kinsmen who may be dead in battle and light them through the shades of death to the mansions of Yama.
Vechile (Bahan) : Buffalo
