Chitragupta
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Chitragupta (Sanskrit: चित्रगुप्त, rich in secrets) is a Hindu god assigned with the task of keeping complete records of actions of human beings on the earth, and upon their death, deciding as regards sending them to the heaven or the hell, depending on their actions on the earth. Chitragupta Maharaj (Chitragupta the King) is the patron deity of Kayasthas, a Hindu jāti of India.
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[edit] The legend
The Hindu mythological tradition states that Yama, the Hindu god of death, used to get confused when deciding the fate of dead people and sending them to hell or heaven, in the absence of any records of their actions on earth. Yama narrated his predicament to Brahma and prayed for assistance.
At the instance of Brahma, Lord Shiva commanded Chitragupta maharaj to assume responsibility for this task. Lord Chitragupta is considered a perfect professional and is believed to keep meticulous, complete and accurate records of the actions of all human beings from their birth till death. We also know this in theosophical parlance as the "Akashic Records".
[edit] Birth
Lord Chitragupta came into being after Lord Brahma, the Creator, having established the four varnas — Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra — ordained Dharamraj ( also called Yamraj, the god of death) to keep record of the deeds — good and evil — of all life-forms born and yet to be born on earth, in the heavens above and in the lands below. Dharamraj, however, complained, "O Lord, how can I alone keep record of the deeds of the beings born into 84 lakh yonis (life-forms) in the three worlds?"
Lord Brahma went into meditation for 11, 000 years and when he opened his eyes he saw a man holding pen and ink-pot in his hands and a sword girdled to his waist. Lord Brahma spoke: “Thou hast been created from my body (Kaya), therefore shall thy progeny be known as the Kayasthas. Thou hast been conceived in my mind (Chitra) and in secrecy (gupta), thy name shall also be Chitragupta.” Brahma then enjoined him to dispense justice and punish those who violated the dharma (duties).
In the legends of Shree Chitraguptaji Maharaj, he is referred to as The Supreme King of great prowess, while the rest are rajakas or little kings.
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- चित्र इद राजा राजका इदन्यके यके सरस्वतीमनु ।
- पर्जन्य इव ततनद धि वर्ष्ट्या सहस्रमयुता ददत ॥ RIG VEDA 8/21/18
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In the Garud Puran, Chitragupta is hailed as the first man to give the script.
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- "Chitragupta namastubhyam vedaksaradatre"
- (Obeisance to Chitragupta, the giver of letters)
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The Rig Veda mentions an invocation to be made to Chitragupta before offering sacrifice. There is also a special invocation to Chitragupta as Dharmraj (Lord of Justice) to be made at the performance of shradh ot other rituals.
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- "Om tat purushaya vidmahe Chitragupta dhimahi tanno lekha prachodayaat."
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The priests also pay reverence to Shri Chitragupta :
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- "Yamam Dharmarajya Chitraguptaya vain namah."'
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[edit] Aarti or praiseing worship of the Lord
श्री चित्रगुप्त जी की आरती
जय चित्रगुप्त यमेश तव, शरणागतम शरणागतम।
जय पूज्य पद पद्मेश तव, शरणागतम शरणागतम।।
जय देव देव दयानिधे, जय दीनबन्धु कृपानिधे।
कर्मेश तव धर्मेश तव, शरणागतम शरणागतम।।
जय चित्र अवतारी प्रभो, जय लेखनी धारी विभो।
जय श्याम तन चित्रेश तव, शरणागतम शरणागतम।।
पुरुषादि भगवत अंश जय, कायस्थ कुल अवतंश जय।
जय शक्ति बुद्धि विशेष तव, शरणागतम शरणागतम।।
जय विज्ञ मंत्री धर्म के, ज्ञाता शुभाशुभ कर्म के।
जय शांतिमय न्यायेश तव, शरणागतम शरणागतम।।
तव नाथ नाम प्रताप से, छुट जायें भय त्रय ताप से।
हों दूर सर्व क्लेश तव, शरणागतम शरणागतम।।
हों दीन अनुरागी हरि, चाहे दया दृष्टि तेरी।
कीजै कृपा करुणेश तव, शरणागतम शरणागतम।।
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[edit] The family of Lord Sri Chitragupta Ji
[edit] Temples
There are several temples in India, particularly in South India, enshrining the Lord Chitragupta. The most famous of them is located at Kanchipuram [1], Tamilnadu state, India.
http://www.hindubooks.org/temples/tamilnadu/kancheepuram/page19.htm
[edit] References
- Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend (ISBN 0-500-51088-1) by Anna Dhallapiccola
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