DHARMARAJA (DHARAMRAI) Dharamrai (Dharmaraja) has been created by the Lord, therefore he does not come near a devotee and servant of the Lord. (Var Bihagra M. 4, p. 555) By the remembrance of the Name, all the troubles end and the papers of Dharamrai are torn. (Prabhati M. 5, p. 1348) Dharamrai has been ordered by the Lord to impart justice according to the True Dharma; the evil souls caught in duality are under your command. Those who are spiritual-minded, they remember the Lord, the treasure of qualities, the Dharamrai is at their service….. (Sri Raga M. 3, pp- 38-39) Dharmaraja (or Dharamrai) is Yama, the god of the death.
The spirits of the departed people dwell \’with him. He is the son of the sun-god (Vivaswat). His twin-sister is Yami. He is the father of Yudhishthira, therefore the latter is also called Dharmaraja. A soul, when it leaves the body, goes to the abode of Yama in the Iower regions.
The recorders Chitragupta read out the account from their registers in the presence of Yama who administers justice according to the deeds of the soul. Dharmaraja or Yama has a buffalo as his vehicle and carries a mace and a noose. He sends his messenger (Yama-dutas or Jamdut) for bringing the souls. According to the Sikh Scripture, Dharmaraja or Yama has no control over the true devotees of the Lord.
References :
1. Kohli, Surindar Singh (ed), Dictionary of Mythological References in Guru Granth Sahib, 1993
In Hindu mythology, Dharmaraja (also known as Yama) is the god of death and justice. He is responsible for maintaining cosmic order by judging the deeds of souls and determining their fate in the afterlife. Yama is often depicted as a stern but fair deity, riding a buffalo and wielding a mace. He resides in Yamaloka, where he keeps records of every individual’s actions, assisted by his scribe, Chitragupta. Yama is also considered the spiritual father of Yudhishthira, the eldest Pandava in the Mahabharata, who is sometimes referred to as Dharmaraja due to his adherence to dharma (righteousness).
