Śveta and Yama

Chapter 236 of the Vishṇu Dharmottara Purāṇa tells how the ṛshi (seer) Śveta Maharshi was freed from death. Śveta worshipped Bhagavān Śiva in the liṅga all his life. When Yama came to take him, Śveta called on Bhagavān Śiva, and Bhagavān Śiva came out of the liṅga and destroyed Yama’s body. Since that day Yama cannot be seen.

Śveta Maharshi’s liṅga pūjā

Śveta Maharshi was a brāhmaṇa ṛshi. He gave his whole life to the pūjā (worship) of Bhagavān Śiva in the liṅga, the form of Śiva that has no human shape. He did this without a break. Every day he offered flowers, sandalwood paste, bel leaves, water and stotras (hymns of praise) to the Śivaliṅga.

His pūjā was more than a rite. All his mind was turned to Bhagavān Śiva’s presence in the liṅga. By this lifelong pūjā he gathered great tapas (austerity) and the full grace of Bhagavān Śiva.

Yama arrives with the pāśa

When the time of Śveta’s death came, Yama came himself to Śveta’s āśrama (hermitage). Yama is the lord of death and Dharmarāja, the judge who decides where each ātmā (soul) goes after the body dies. He carried his divine noose, the pāśa. When Yama throws the pāśa, it binds the life-breath and pulls the ātmā out of the body.

That Yama came in person shows how great Śveta was. A man with so much tapas and grace was worth the death-lord’s own visit.

Śveta calls on Bhagavān Śiva

Śveta saw Yama coming with the noose. He did not run, argue or bargain. He did what he had always done and turned to Bhagavān Śiva. He called on Bhagavān Śiva with full śaraṇāgati (surrender), from the very liṅga before which he had prayed all his life.

His call was calm. It was the call of a devotee who knows that Bhagavān Śiva is always present in the liṅga.

Śiva comes out of the liṅga

Bhagavān Śiva answered at once. He came out of the liṅga. The One who had no form became seen, and the One Śveta had worshipped stepped forward in divine form. The Purāṇa shows here that Bhagavān Śiva dwells in the liṅga and is present there for those who worship with true devotion.

Bhagavān Śiva stood before Yama. Yama rules over all mortals, but now he stood before Maheśvara himself. Bhagavān Śiva destroyed Yama’s body (śarīra) with his divine power.

From that moment Yama became adṛśya (unseen). He still does his work as Dharmarāja, the judge of karma, who sets in order the ātmās after death. But he does it without being seen. He does not appear in a visible form to the dying. This is why people do not see Yama come when their time arrives.

Śveta becomes a lord of the gaṇas

Bhagavān Śiva was very pleased with Śveta’s complete devotion. Śveta had kept up his liṅga pūjā for a whole lifetime, and he had surrendered fully at the hour of trial. Bhagavān Śiva gave him a great vara (boon), gaṇeśatva. This is the rank of a chief (Īśa) of the gaṇas, the host that serves Bhagavān Śiva.

Śveta rose from a human ṛshi to one of the lords of that host. He became a lasting member of the company at Kailāsa, serving Bhagavān Śiva for ever.

Sources

• Vishṇu Dharmottara Purāṇa, Pūrvārdha, Chapter 236