Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism

who have died. In the epics and Puräæas

he becomes the overseer of a vast com-

plex of hells (NÄRAKA), each specializing

in particular punishments for specific

sins committed. He sends his servants to

fetch the dying soul and becomes a

symbol of terror, from which devotion to

Vi•æu saves. He is also called Dharma-

räja, Daæõadhära, Pretaräja, death, time,

and ender.

yama

(‘rule’, ‘universal moral duty’, ‘major

observance’)

Their number is usually given as ten,

although the lists differ between various

writers. One such list enumerates the

following: continence (brahmacarya);

compassion (däya); forbearance (k•änti);

charity (däna); truthfulness (satya); in-

tegrity (akalkatä); non-violence (ahiƒsä);

non-stealing (asteya); kindness (mäd-

hurya); and self-restraint (dama).

In the YOGASÜTRAStheir number is

given as five (complemented by five

NIYAMA). (See appendix 4, The

Eightfold Practice of Yoga: A•fläöga

Yoga.)

Yamunä, also Kälindï,

Süryajä, Triyämä

A major river in northern India, which

joins the GA¢GÄ at Präyäga

(Allahäbad). She is sacred especially to

VAIÆŒAVAS, whose holy cities of

Mathurä and Vøndävana are situated

on her. In the Puräæas she is said to be

the daughter of the Sun by his wife

Sanjñä. Yamunä is often represented in

art as a female goddess figure, often

paired with Gaögä.

Yamunäcärya (10th century)

The second of the äcäryas(masters) of

ŸRÏRA¢GAM, and a grandson of NÄTHA

MUNI, the immediate predecessor of

RÄMÄNUJA. He was the author of

the Ägamaprämänya in which he

established the validity of the Vai•æava

ÄGAMASas sources of orthodox religion.

yantra (‘loom’)

A symbol of the Goddess (DEVÏ), used as

a meditation device in ŸÄKTISM. It usual-

ly consists of a combination of triangles

and other geometric figures. On it are

inscribed the monosyllabic mantras that

constitute the body of the Goddess. The

design is intended to focus on the

centre, usually formed by the sign ŸRÏ

and a dot, the mantra-body of the

Goddess. There are many different

yantras, the most celebrated being the

Ÿrï Yantra, whose construction is pro-

vided in several tantric texts.

Yäska

The author of the NIRUKTA, the oldest

explanation of obsolete and uncommon

words in the Veda.

yama 212

The Ÿrï-Yantra (the Yantra of the

illustrious one) consists of nine

superimposed triangles, converging on

the central spot (bindu); the latter

symbolizes the unmanifested potentiality

of all things; the triangles symbolize the

successive stages of creation, emanating

from thebindu.

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