Hindu mythology, Vedic and Purânic . ( 67 ) CHAPTER X. YAMA. Yama, the judge of men and king of the unseen world, was theson of Vivasvat (the Sun) and Saranya, the daughter of Tvastri;and was born before Saranya had become afraid of her glorioushusband. He was twin-brotherof Yami, and, in the opinion ofProfessor Roth, they were re-garded as the primeval pair fromwhom the human family hassprung. In another verse of theRig-Veda, they are described asthe offspring of the heavenlychoristers, the Gandharvas. Asthere were no others to perpet-uate the race, Yami entreatedYama to become her
Hindu mythology, Vedic and Purânic . ( 67 ) CHAPTER X. YAMA. Yama, the judge of men and king of the unseen world, was theson of Vivasvat (the Sun) and Saranya, the daughter of Tvastri;and was born before Saranya had become afraid of her glorioushusband. He was twin-brotherof Yami, and, in the opinion ofProfessor Roth, they were re-garded as the primeval pair fromwhom the human family hassprung. In another verse of theRig-Veda, they are described asthe offspring of the heavenlychoristers, the Gandharvas. Asthere were no others to perpet-uate the race, Yami entreatedYama to become her urged the fact that Tvastrihad formed them as man andwife in the womb ; and there-fore it was useless for him torefuse her request, as none canact contrary to the ordinancesof Tvastri. But Yama was firm, and resisted her overtures onthe ground that it was monstrous for those who are preachersof righteousness to act YAMA. * Muir, O. S. T., v. 289. F 2 The Vedic Deities. Yama was the first of mortals who died, and, having discoveredthe way to the other world, is the guide of those who depart thislife, and is said to conduct them to a home which is made securefor them for ever. He is a king, and dwells in celestial light inthe innermost sanctuary of heaven. He grants bright homes tothe pious who dwell with him.* In the Rig-Veda, Yama is nowhere represented (as he is inthe later mythology) as having anything to do with the punish-ment of the wicked. Nevertheless he is still to some an objecti if terror. He is said to have two insatiable dogs, with four eyesand wide nostrils, which guard the road to his abode, and whichthe departed are advised to hurry past with all possible dogs are said to wander about among men as messengers,no doubt for the purpose of summoning them to the presence oftheir master, who in another place is identified with death, andis described as sending a bird as the
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