Chitragupta
This article needs additional citations for verification. (April 2020) |
Chitragupta | |
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Mantra | Oṃ Sri Chitraguptaya Namaḥa |
Weapon | Pen and Dagger |
Personal information | |
Parents | Brahma (father) |
Siblings | Four Kumaras, Narada, Daksha |
Consort | Nandini and Iravati |
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Hinduism |
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Chitragupta (
Literature
Garuda Purana
The Garuda Purana describes the imperial throne of Chitragupta in Yamaloka, holding his court and dispensing justice according to the deeds of men, as well as maintaining their records.
Yama Samhita
Padma Purana
According to Padma Purana, "Chitragupta was placed near Yama to register the good and evil actions of all sentient beings, that he was possessed of supernatural wisdom and became the partaker of sacrifices offered to the gods and fire. It is for this reason that the twice-born always give him oblations from their food. As he sprang from the body of Brahma he was called Kayastha of numerous gotras on the face of the earth."
Bhavishya Purana
Bhavishya Purana states that God, the Creator, gave the name and duties of Chitragupta as follows: Because you have sprung from my body, therefore, you shall be called Kayastha and shall be famous in the world by the name of Chitragupta. Oh my son, let your residence be always in the region of the God of justice for the purpose of determining the merits and demerits of men.
Mahabharata
Legend
This section needs additional citations for verification. (March 2023) |
Chitragupta came into being after Brahma, the creator, having established the four varnas — Brahmin (The Learned), Kshatriya (The Warriors), Vaishya (Merchant & Farmers) and Shudra (Labourer) — ordained Yama 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. Yama, however, complained, "O Lord, how can I alone keep record of the deeds of the beings born into 84 lakh yonis (84,00,000 life-forms) in the three worlds"
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. 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 (Chitta or Chitra) and in secrecy (gupta), thy name shall also be Chitragupta. Let the role of a Kayastha be followed by thee and thy progeny.
Brahma then enjoined him to dispense justice and punish those who violated the dharma.
In the Garuda Purana, Chitragupta is hailed as the "giver of letters" (Chitragupta namastubhyam vedaksaradatre). In the legends of Chitragupta as well as in the Vedas, he is referred to as the greatest king, while the rest are rajakas, or little kings.
चित्र इद राजा राजका इदन्यके यके सरस्वतीमनु।
पर्जन्य इव ततनद धि वर्ष्ट्या सहस्रमयुता ददत॥
(Rig Veda Book 8/ Hymn 21/ Stanza 18)[5]
Temples
There are numerous temples dedicated to Chitragupta. Notable examples include:
- Chitragupta temple, Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh
- Chitragupta temple,
- Chitragupta Devalayam, Falaknuma, Hyderabad - built by Kayasthas employed by the Qutb Shahi's in early 18th century.[11]
References
- ISBN 978-1-4053-3475-4.
- ISBN 978-1-78074-672-2.
- ISBN 978-81-8475-277-9.
- ^ "Garuda Purana, Chapter 14".
- ISBN 9780700714636.
- ^ MK Dhawalikar; ZD Ansari (1975). Excavations at Kayatha. Pune: Lokasangraha Press.
- ISBN 81-7099-874-3.
- ISBN 978-81-941122-3-5.
- ^ "Shrine for Chitragupta". The Hindu. 18 April 2003. Archived from the original on 27 June 2003. Retrieved 2012-06-12.
- ISBN 978-81-7907-053-6.
- ^ "Chitragupta Temple in Hyderabad | Uppuguda Hyderabad". wiki.meramaal.com. 2018-03-17. Retrieved 2022-04-12.