History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c71.s1.625.1

v5.c71.s1.625.1

We have here a complicated blending of two theories The original theory of early Vedic times was that of Heaven and Hell which is also that of most religions Later on when the doctrines of *karma* and *punarjanma* came to be universally believed in India the theory of Heaven and Hell came to be modified by holding that the pleasures of heaven and the torments of Hell both came to an end some time or other and the author of sins was born again as an animal or a tree or a human being suffering from diseases and defects The fate of the departed soul after the death of the body will be touched upon in the section on Antyeṣṭi and Śrāddha, but in connection with the doctrine of Hell it is necessary to say something about Yama. In Ṛg. X. 58. 1 Yama is called Vaivasvata (son of Vivasvat, the Sun). Yama is at least an Indo-Iranian deity. Yama is eulogised in Ṛg. X. 14. He is called a king and is credited with the task of gathering together people (X. 14. 1); he is said to have been the first to make a way (to Heaven) which was followed by former ancestors of mankind (X 14. 2 'Yamo no gātum prathamo viveda. yatrā naḥ pūrve pitaraḥ pareyuḥ '). The soul when departing from this world is told that when he follows the paths of the ancient ancestors he would see the two kings Yama and Varuṇa. In Ṛg. X. 14. 13-15 the priests are asked to press Soma for Yama, to offer oblations to him and it is said that *yajña* reaches Yama, Agni being the messenger. In Ṛg. X. 135.