The fifth and last day in the festival series of Diwali is celebrated in the name of Bhai Dooj. Actually its classical name is Yama Dwitiya. This date of Dwitiya is also dedicated to Yama. Among the five festivals, Bhai Dooj is the only festival which is clearly mentioned in the Vedas and thus it is the oldest and most authentic festival celebrated during Diwali, which is in its true form and with its real reason. There has been no change in it with time nor has its purpose changed.
This is the real festival of love, sacrifice and dedication between brother and sister, where the brother promises his sister to protect her modesty. Sisters invite their brothers, apply tilak to them, wish for a happy life and feed them.
The law of Bhai Dooj is derived from Rigveda.
Exactly the same rituals as described in Rigveda can be seen on Yama Dwitiya i.e. Bhai Dooj. This incident has been described in the Samvad Sukta of the tenth chapter of the Rigveda. In this Samvad Sukta, the conversation between Yama and his sister Yamuna (Yami) is recorded. Samvad Sukta puts forward the values and ideals of family in the Indian system and also underlines the dignity of every relationship.
Yama has been called a religion because he is the god who establishes dignity in human relationships. He not only establishes this code of conduct, but is also seen implementing it and following it.
Yama Dwitiya symbolizes which event?
The story is such that once Yamraj goes to Yami’s house. Yami and Yama’s father is Vivasvan i.e. Surya, but Yami, who has always been separated from her brother, considers him as her lover. When Yama reaches Yami’s house, she proposes his love to her. Then Yama tells him that we are children of the same father and the same mother. Your mother Sandhya is my mother too. So don’t propose love to me. Hearing Yama’s words, Yami becomes very disappointed and starts repenting. This decision of Yama has been seen with great greatness in the Rigveda and this story also becomes an example of the dignity of relations between brother and sister.
O chitsakhayam sakhya vavrityaam tirah puru chidarnavam jaganvan
Piturnapatma dadhit vedha adhi kshmi prataram didhyaanh. 1..
Na Te Sakha Sakhyam Vashtyetatsalakshma Yadvishurupa Bhavati
Mahasputraso Asurasya Veera Divo Dhartar Urviya Pari Khyan. 2..
Ushanti gha te amritaas etdekasya chittijasam martyasya
Ni te mano manasi dhayyasme janyuh patistanv1ma vivishyah. 3..
Na Yatpura Chakrima Kadha Nunamrita Vadanto Anritam Rapem
Gandharvo Apsvapya Cha Yosha Sa No Nabhi: Param Jami Tannau. 4..
Essence of Yum-Yami dialogue
This dialogue is from the time when the origin of man on earth was just beginning. Yami, with a view to furthering creation, requests a relationship with her brother Yama. Yama rejects it considering it morally inappropriate. This dialogue between the two deeply reveals the Vedic ideology and social norms.
Yami’s request (Rigveda 10.10.1-3):
Yami says – ‘We are born from the same parents, so together we should take the creation forward. It would be the wish of the Gods that we increase our lineage.’
Yama’s reply (10.10.4-6):
Yama says – “Even though we are children of one parent, it is our religion which does not allow this. Then Yami says ‘Who has seen the ancient rules being followed? Will the new world remain bound by the old rules?’
Here Yami puts forward the women’s thinking of the Vedic era, in which ample space has been given to self-determination and independent thought.
But, Yama gives his final answer in clear words, ‘This is immoral, we should follow the dharma and dignity established by the gods. What is inappropriate is inappropriate in every situation, it cannot be changed into appropriate.
How is Yama Dwitiya described in the Puranas?
A story of Yama and Yami is described in the context of different incidents in Vishnu Purana, Kurma Purana and Markandeya Purana. According to Vishnu Purana, one day Yama reached the house of his sister Yami. According to Bhagwat Katha, no one is happy when Yama (i.e. death) himself reaches his doorstep, but on the contrary, Yami was very happy to see her brother. Yami gave seat to Yama with great respect. Prepared dishes and fed him and made him very satisfied with the food etc.
Seeing such hospitality for the first time, Yama was very happy and asked Yami to ask for a boon. Yami did not ask for anything for herself but said that any sister who serves food to her brother on this day and welcomes him into her home should never fear death. Yama also said that any brother who visits his sister’s house on this day and honors her and takes care of her will not fear untimely death.
How did Yamuna become a river?
In the Puranas, the story of the formation of Yamuna river also seems to originate from this union of Yama and Yami. When Yama tells Yami that he is her brother and hence he cannot accept Yami’s love, Yami feels very sad. She starts regretting. Gradually his body melts and turns into water and from this stream of water emerges the Yamuna River. The antiquity of Yamuna river is much older than that of Ganga. After this story of Yama-Yami, the day of Yama Dwitiya, which falls after Diwali, has great significance. On this day, it is important for brothers and sisters to take bath in Yamuna together and it is believed that some food should be prepared and fed on the banks of the river. This tradition is going on in many areas of North India.
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