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Have you heard of the Dharmaraj mandir at Chamba in Himachal Pradesh? It is the only temple where Yamraj (the God of Death) is worshipped. It is believed that the subordinates of yamraj (Yamdoot) reach this place after taking the soul ( Atma)  with them. Yamraj, as the ultimate judge, then decides based on the people’s karmic values. He is the one who decides whether the Atma will go to heaven or hell. If someone enters the temple in their end days, they can seek blessings of yamraj.

The birth of Yamraj and Yami

As per Rigved, Yamraj is son of Devi sanjana and Sun god. It is said that yamraj and Yami were the first twins born on this earth. As every life born on earth dies similarly, yamraj and Yami’s deaths were already destined. As per Ancient Veda, when yamraj died, he was the first man to leave his soul from the Earth. Yamraj is the first mortal. After his death, he connected to death and found ways to reach another world. Presently, it is well known as the abode of our ancestors (pitru). Being a mortal, he is called the first among the dead. As Yamraj’s story deepens, his connection with death and its aspects grows to the next level.

The fiery appearance of Yamraj Ji

We have always known Yamraj Ji to have a darker complexion and big red eyes. One who has a black mustache and arrives on a buffalo named Mahisa. His scary look frightens people. But yamraj never had this look during his birth. As per Purana, he was very handsome. Due to his elegant look, many females from heaven and earth were attracted to him. But one day, Yamraj forgot his duties and was just grooming himself. As a result of the consequences, no one died on earth. People felt they were immortal. But it was difficult for Mother Earth to carry an immense load on her. So frustrated, she pleaded with shivji for help. Shivji thought of teaching yamraj a good lesson. He called yamraj to Kailash and asked him to get water from a nearby river. So that shivji can quench his thirst. When yamraj was filling water for lord shiva, he saw his complexion in the water.

He was astonished to see a giant man with a black mustache and red eyes. A person with a dreadful look and giant horns on his head. Soon, he realized it was his complexion, he ran back to shivji, but till then, shivji was deeply engrossed in his meditation. Seeing his new look, he got frightened and worshipped lord Vishnu. After many years of deep penance, Vishnu Ji appeared and asked for a boon. Yamraj asked for his beautiful look a long time ago. Hearing this, lord Vishnu exclaimed he could not give him his features back. But he can remove the horns from his head and tie them to another animal. That animal will be Yamraj ji’s vehicle. This will remind him daily of his duties that he ignored and sidetracked and remember the consequences of it. And so, even today, Yamraj Ji is shown in this scary look sitting on a demon buffalo named Mahisha.

The story behind Four letters

As per Garuda Puran, a person can see his entire life in a flashback a few minutes before his death. At that time, the man senses that his death is near. But apart from this, Yamraj Ji sent four letters (messages) to us throughout our lives, a highlight of our nearing death.

In old times, a man named Amrit was afraid of death. So, for this reason, he started seeking penance to appease the god of death and went into a state of profound meditation. After many years, Yamraj Ji blessed Amrit and asked him to seek any blessing (wish). To which Amrit said whoever has been born has to die one day. But how to decrease the fear of death? For this, yamraj sends him letters so that he will do good for his family and die peacefully.

Yamraj Ji listened to him and warned him that he must start packing as soon as he got the message. Many years went by, and Amrit was living happily with his family. His hair grew white, but he was never afraid of death as no letters were received from Yamraj. Eventually, his teeth fell off daily, and his eyes began losing vision. But he wasn’t afraid of anything as he received no letter yet. After some years, he had a heart attack. His body was paralyzed. Everything said he was in pretty serious condition. But still, Amrit was not bothered about anything. His death was nearing because he had received no letter from Yamraj Ji yet.

One day, yamraj came to take him. Seeing him, Amrit got scared and shivering. Yamraj ji told Amrit to accompany him. Amrit got angry with him and accused him of breaking his promise. He has cheated Amrit. Yamraj smiled and told Amrit that he had sent not only one but all four letters to him. Amrit was far from his duties and didn’t even realize it. Amrit was astonished to hear this. He told Yamraj, but he had never received any letters from Yamraj Ji.

Yamraj replied that he did not send the letters on paper but sent them on his own body. But he kept ignoring it. It was the first sign many years ago when his hair grew white. Then, his broken teeth were the next sign. Then, the third was losing eyesight, and the fourth was when his body stopped functioning. But he still did not understand. Yamraj ji took Amrit’s soul with him after saying these words. It is said that when fear of death gets lesser, a person goes away from god, and when he ignores the four letters of yamraj, he comes under Yamraj’s control.

Avatars of Yamraj

Yamraj is worshipped as the god of death and justice. Once, he was born as a human being on earth. But not to destroy bad karma but because of a curse Yamraji received. Yamraj ji is poised as an essential character in Mahabharat in this avatar. He was born as the president of Kurukshetra, the uncle of Pandavas and Kauravas, and in Mahabharat after Shri Krishna, one of the most prominent Pandava consultants and the avatar of Yamraj Vidhur. As per the first adhyay of Shrimad Bhagwatam, because of the Mandavya curse, yamraj was born on earth as Shudra.

Vidhur was not a Kshatriya since birth; his mother was enslaved. As per Mahabharata Adi Parva, jewelry was stolen from a king’s palace one day. The thieves hid the jewellery in Rishi mandups ashram. At that time, Rishi Mandavya was in penance. When the kingsmen reached his place in search of the gold, they caught and arrested the thieves and took Rishi Mandup along with them.

When the King asked the Mandavya about the jewelry, he shut his mouth. The king orders his men to press him with the tip of the trident and kill him. Right Before the punishment, the king learned that Mandup was a prominent saint. He apologized to him and respectfully sent him off to his place. Mandup did not go home; instead, he went to Yamraj’s place. He asked yamraj what bad karma he did to receive such treatment at the royals. Yamraj made him realize that in his childhood, Rishi Muni pressed an ant and killed him.

This was the result of that karma. Hearing this, Rishi Muni got angry because yamraj, without any reason, gave him the fruit of his deeds that he did not do it intentionally. Rishi Muni cursed yamraj to take the form of a human on earth and get the fruit of his bad karma. This is why he was born as Vidhur and kept battling many difficulties his entire life.

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