Lokas Or Planes: Yama Sabha

By Sri Swami Sivananda

The assembly-hall of Yama, the son of Vivasvan, was built by Visvakarma. That effulgent Sabha covers an area of one hundred Yojanas. It has the splendour of the Sun; it yields everything that one may desire to have from it. It is neither very cold nor very hot. It delights the heart.

There is no grief, and no decrepitude, no hunger, no thirst; nor there is anything disagreeable, nor there is any kind of wretchedness or distress. There can be no fatigue or any kind of evil-feelings in that Sabha. Every object of desire, celestial or human, is to be found in that hall; all kinds of enjoyable articles, as also sweet, juicy, agreeable and delicious things that are lickable, suckable or drinkable are all there in profusion. The garlands that are there are of the most delicate fragrance and the trees that stand (around it) yield whatever fruits are desired.

There are both cold and hot waters—they are all sweet and agreeable. There sit holy royal sages and stainless Brahmana Rishis. They all cheerfully wait upon Yama—the royal sage Trasadasyu, Kritavirja, Srutasrava, Dhruva, etc.—one hundred kinds of the Martya race, one hundred of Nepa, and one hundred of the Huya race, one hundred kings of the name of Dhritarashtra, eighty of the name of Janamejaya, one hundred of the name of Brahmadatta, one hundred of the name of Iri and Ari, two hundred Bhishmas, one hundred Bhimas, one hundred Prativindas, one hundred Nagas and one hundred Hayas.

These holy royal sages, all of great achievements and great knowledge of the Sastras, wait upon Yama in that assembly-hall. The performers of sacrifices, the Sandhyas, Yogins, the living Pitris, the wheel of Time, the illustrious conveyor of sacrificial Ghee (Agni), all sinful men and those that died during winter solstice, those officers of Yama who have been appointed to count the allotted days of everybody and everything, Kasa and Kusa trees and all plants in their spiritual form wait upon Yama. These and many others are the members of the assembly-hall of Yama. They are so numerous to be mentioned here. The Sabha is capable of going everywhere at will; it is wide of extent; it is beautiful. Visvakarma has built it after long continued asceticism. It is resplendent with its own effulgence. It is visited by the ascetics of severe penances, of excellent vows, of truthful speech, of pure and peaceful mind, and of heart sanctified by holy deeds, all of shining bodies and all attired in spotless robes, all adorned in bracelets and garlands, and with their own holy acts and with the marks of their orders.

Many illustrious Gandharvas and many Apsaras fill all parts of it with both instrumental and vocal music, and with sounds of dance and laughter. Sacred perfumes and sweet sounds and the celestial garlands are all there in crowds. Hundreds of thousands of virtuous men of celestial beauty and great wisdom always wait upon and worship the illustrious lord of all created beings.

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This was an excerpt from the book What Becomes Of The Soul After Death by Sri Swami Sivananda.

The death and dying and the life after death has always fascinated man. We want to now the truth behind near death experiences and become certain that there really is a life after death.

Many books have been written on the subject of death, but most of the works deal mainly with the astral or other spirit world. It has mostly been the study of the conditions in the Pretaloka which is merely one among the numerous supramundane planes or lokas beyond the grave. Spiritualism, seance and the testimony of recognised mediums have for most part featured prominently in all such works.

What Becomes Of The Soul After Death by Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj is a departure from the usual line in that it is based, to a great extent, upon authoritative scriptural texts and upon knowledge derived through reasoning, deep reflection and personal meditation. It throws a flood of light upon all aspects of life after death not adequately dealt with in other works. The book also gives valuable information about the different beliefs on this subject, of the various races and religions.

The book is dealing with rebirth, the soul, reincarnation, moksha, heaven and hell, karma and different lokas. It even includes death poems and death poetry, giving a complete picture and a new face of death. For more material see this link: What Becomes Of The Soul After Death.

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