Chitragupta

This article is about the Hindu god. For the composer, see Chitragupta (composer).

Chitragupta (चित्रगुप्त)
Devanagari	चित्रगुप्त
Affiliation	Deva
Mantra	ॐ श्री चित्रगुप्ताय नमः (Oṃ shri chitraguptaay Namaḥ)
Weapon	lekhani (Pen), Katani (Ink)
Consort	Buddhi (wisdom), Riddhi (prosperity), Siddhi (attainment)
Symbols	Swastika

A large central panel portrays Yama the god of death (often referred to as Dharma) seated on a throne; to the left stands a demon. To the right of Yama sits Chitragupta, assigned with keeping detailed records of every human being and upon their death deciding how they are to be reincarnated, depending on their previous actions.

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. Upon their death, Chitragupta has the task of deciding heaven or the hell for the humans, depending on their actions on the earth. Chitragupta Maharaj (Chitragupta the King) is the patron deity of Kayasthas, a Hindu caste of India.

In scriptures

Yama's Court and Hell. The Blue figure is Yama with Yami and Chitragupta, 17th century Painting

• According to the Vedic scriptures, the souls of men after death receive rewards and punishments according to their sins and virtues, and hence it is believed that good and bad deeds of men are not destroyed. The souls of men after death go to Yamapuri, which is presided over by the deities called Yamas who keep records of men's actions and accordingly give them their dues. The principal Yama is called Yamaraja or Dharamaraja, that is, the ruler of Yamapuri or the king of laws.

• The Yama Samhita, an extract from the 9th chapter of Ahilya Kamdhenu, a work of Hindu Law, says that Dharamaraja complained to Lord Brahma about his difficulties in performing his most responsible duties of keeping records of the deeds of men and doing justice to them. Lord Brahma went into meditation. Chitragupta sprang from his body and stood before him bearing an inkpot and a pen. The god Brahma (creator) said: "Because you are sprung from my body (kaya), therefore you shall be called Kayastha and as you existed in my body unseen I give you the name of Chitragupta." He then assumed charge of Yamapuri. Dharma Sharma married his daughter Irawati to Chitragupta and Manuji, son of Surya (the Sun) married his daughter Sudakhina to him." Chitragupta had eight sons from the former and. four from the latter and these twelve sons became the progenitors of the twelve subdivisions of the Chitraguptavansi Kayasthas, namely Srivastava, Mathur, Gaur, Nigam, Ashthana, Kulshrestha, Suryadwaja, Bhatnagar, Ambastha, Saxena, Karana and Vaalmik.

• Padma Purana after stating the legend says: "Chitragupta was placed near Dharamaraj 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 Lord Brahma he was called Kayastha of numerous gotras on the face of the earth."

• 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.

• Vignana Tantra says the same thing.

• The same is the enjoinment of Lord Brahma to Chitragupta according to Brihat Brahma Khanda. He was named Kayastha having sprung from the body (kaya) of Lord Brahma. He was directed to perform all sanskars and to have writing as his profession.

• Garuda Purana describes the imperial throne of Chitragupta in Yamapuri holding his Court and dispensing justice according to the deeds of men and maintaining their record, in the following words: (There Dharmaraja, Chitragupta, Sravana and others see all sins and virtues remaining concealed in the bodies of men).

• The Mahabharata (Anusasan Parva, chapter 130) recites the teaching of Chitragupta requiring men to do virtuous and charitable acts and performing Yagya, saying that men are rewarded or punished according to their good or bad deeds.

Legends

Chitragupta came into being after 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?"

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 (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).

Chitragupta is considered omnipresent and omniscient,^{[citation needed]} believed to keep meticulous, complete and accurate records of the actions of all human beings from their birth till death. Chitragupta maintains record of the activities of all living beings, judges them based on good-deeds and misdoing, and decides, upon ones death, whether they will attain Nirvana, i.e., the completion of their life cycle and redemption from all worldly troubles or, receive punishment for their misdoing in another life form. We also know this in theosophical parlance as the "Akashic Records".

In the Garud Puran, Chitragupta is hailed as the first man to give the script.

"Chitragupta namastubhyam vedaksaradatre"

(Obeisance to Chitragupta, the giver of letters)

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

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 or other rituals. "Om tat purushaya vidmahe Chitragupta dhimahi tena lekha prachodayata."

The priests also pay reverence to Chitragupta: "Yamam Dharmarajya Chitraguptaya vain namah."

Chitragupta is the Athi Devathai for Ketu, one of the Navagrahas, and those who worship Chitragupta, would be bestowed with prosperity. Also the evil effects of Ketu during its transit period would be mitigated.

The birthday of Chitragupta is celebrated on Yama Dwitiya and Chitraguptajayanti Puja is performed on this day.

Chitraguptajayanti Puja

Chitragupta was born on Yama Dwitiya and his birthday is celebrated as Chitraguptajayanti. Puja including yajna is done on this day. The legend states that whoever performs this yajna is spared the punishments of hell, whatever his records of deeds on the earth be.

The process of Puja (worship rituals) starts in a similar fashion as other worships of Hindu gods and goddesses.

Chitragupta Puja: Process

Saamgri (Articles consumed in worship of Lord Chitrgupt)

1. Vastra (new cloth)
2. Kalash (A pitcher/pot)
3. Sakkar (Sugar)
4. Deep (Light)
5. Ghee
6. Cotton
7. Dhoop (Scent stick)
8. Phool mala (Flowers and garlands)
9. Chandan
10. Haldi (Turmeric powder)
11. Akshat (Raw rice, a scared article in Hindu Worship)
12. Agarbatti (Scent stick)
13. Ganga Jal (Water from the Holy Ganga)
14. Raksha (A pious red colored thread tied on wrist after worship)
15. Kumkum (A color used for [tilak])
16. Shankh
17. Mango Foliage
18. Camphor
19. Sweets
20. Fruits
21. Kasora (earthen bowl; could also use metal)
22. Pan (Betel leaf), should be with petiole
23. Supari (Betel nut), whole
24. Pen and Inkpots

Preparations

1. Wash the place for the god and spread a cloth (desk or any other place)
2. Wash and clean the god's idol or any other representation such as portrait
3. Respectively put Lord Chitragupta's idol and other gods as per devotion after washing
4. Place kalash and kasora with sugar, put mango foliage between kasora and kalash
5. Put Pan and Supari
6. Wrap rakhsha on all the pen and ink pot (ancient and new ones) ahead of placing before the god
7. Put [swastika] on papers

Conducting the pooja

1. Bathe the gods and decorate with tilak of Chandan, Haldi and Roli followed by Akshat
2. Offer flowers, deep, dhoop and praise Lord Chitragupt with agarbatti
3. Offer fruits and sweets
4. Start with Lord Chitragupta's Katha (the mythological story)
   • After completing the decorations, hold your hands and do a Naman before the god
   • Take the katha book and a flower in your hand and give a flower each to all listeners
   • After completing the Katha, ask listeners to offer their flowers in the service of the god
5. Following the katha, start Chitragupta Chalisa^[1]
6. Do the Aarti of Lord Chitragupta
7. Write names of gods (5 or 7 or 11) on the papers with Swastika (Two thoughts per kalam shayan has resulted in ambiguity in the order of this assignment. While the western hypothesis silence the pens after Diwali pooja, easterners do it after Yum-Dvitiya pooja. Written assignment should find an order with respect to kalam shayan)
8. When the writing assignment is over, put all the papers in the offering to the god. It is followed by kalam-shayan (which literally means "Resting of the Pens"). This ritual is not homogeneous as different rituals are observed in east and west part of north India
   • In the western hypothesis, pens are put to rest post worshiping the goddess Lakshmi on Diwali
   • In the eastern part of India (further east of Varanasi), pens are continued with writing; however, they are put on reast following the Chiragupta pooja
9. Do the Hawan (the holy fire). Organize and structure woods/stick in a hawan-kund or organize on open earth
   • Lit a Camphor in a spoon, drop it in the hawan kund chanting Gayatri Mantram
   • Put three/five Aahutis of cotton plugs in the hawan chanting Gayatri Mantram
   • Next, offer hawan-Saamagris in the Hawan kund chanting names of all gods and goddesses starting with Ganesh followed by Chitragupt, home god and village god
   • Chant "Om shri Chitraguptay namah Swaha" during rest of the Hawan
10. Do the aarti with camphor chanting the Chitragupt Aarti
11. The main person performing this worship (usually head of the family in home or the priest in temple) ties rakhsha, put tilak on his forehead and that of other participants, and then take the god's blessings and Prasaadam

Chitragupta Katha

The ancient story related to this, is now told. There was a mighty king, who had subjugated the whole world by his ambition to be the supreme king of kings. The stories of his cruel deeds had spread to all the corners of the world. His name was uttered only with great respect and a greater fear at heart, for everyone knew that his deeds were vile and extreme. His name was Sudass, the king of Saurastra, his capital, from where he ruled his vast empire with an iron fist. He was known to be one of most Adharmi (nearest meaning: irreligious and one who crosses the threshold of Dharma) and perpetrator of Paap (nearest meaning: sins). All through his infinite kingdom, it was known that their king had never ever done a Punya in his evil life. This king was fond of hunting and once on a hunting spree, was lost in the jungle. Unable to find his way out, and unknown to the fears of any kind, he decided to see what his jungles were like. He went on exploring the jungles when he heard the sound certain Mantras coming from North, he headed for the place where the mantras where being chanted. There he found a few Brahmins performing a yajna and few common people sitting to witness this. The king lost his cool on seeing a puja being performed without his consent. He thus spoke with thunder in his voice:

"I am King Sudass, the king of kings. Salute me you foolish men. Who are you and what are you doing here? I demand an answer."

The group of priests kept on chanting their mantra and paid no heed to the angry king, all the while people sitting at some distance and witnessing the yajna being performed kept mum, being afraid of the king. On being so ignored the king lost his cool and raised his sword to hit the head priest. Seeing this, the youngest of the priests stood up and spoke thus:

"Stop! King Sudass, stop! Don't turn this opportunity into a disaster. You have been sent here not to be condemned but saved."

On hearing these words the king got interested and said, "You, young boy have got great courage and knowledge for your age, will you elaborate on what you have just said."

The young priest said to the king, "O Sudass, you call yourself the king of kings, how mistaken you are! When you die you would be subjugated to such punishments that your pride will vanish in thin air. You want to know who these men are and what are they doing and what is the purport of my speech. Then listen:

We are the sons of Lord Chitragupta, whom the great Rigveda call the true king of kings, and whose title you are not worth stealing. We are Kayasthas and we are performing yajna to our Lord Yamaraj and our progenitor Maharaj Chitrgupta on this great day of Yamadwitiya. O King Sudass, whoever performs this puja is spared the punishments of hell. You can be free from hell if you will only submit to Yamaraj and Chitraguptaji, who has the record of all the sins that you have done in your vile life! Nothing in this world is hidden from Him and only He could save you. On one hand is salvation and on the other is hell. Come, join us or kill us all."

The king was left dumbfounded and followed the young priest as if in a trance. He then performed the puja with full devotion and the exact procedure. Thereafter he took the prasaad and went back to his kingdom with the other men.

With the passage of time there came the day when the Yamadoots came to take him away with them, to the Yamaloka. The Yamadoots tied the king's soul in chains and pulled it to the court of Yamaraja. When the bleeding and dilapidated king reached the court of Yamaraj, Lord Chitragupta opened the book of his deeds and thus spoke to Yamaraj. "O great Yamaraj, I can only see a life full of sins in his case, yet this king did perform our yajna in his lifetime? He performed the puja on Karthik shukla dwitiya and with full devotion and the right procedure. He performed our and your vrat on that day. Thereby, all his paaps have been nullified and according to the rules of Dharma, he cannot be sent to hell." Thus the king was saved from hell and till this day whoever performs the Chitraguptajayannti puja is spared the punishments of hell.

Chitragupta puja: This is celebrated on the same day of Bhaiduj that is two days after Diwali. This is the main puja of the Hindu Kayastha caste. This puja is famous for its value to education as it is also called as puja of Kalam-Dawat (pen-ink).

Puja Items

Sandalwood paste, til, camphour/kapoor, paan, sugar, paper, pen, ink, ganga water, unbroken rice, cotton, honey, yellow mustard, plate made of leaves, puja platform, dhoop, youghurt, sweets, puja cloths, milk, seasonal fruits, panchpatra, gulal (color powder), brass katora, tulsi leaves, roli, keasar, betul nut, match box, frankincense and deep.

Puja process

First clean the puja room and then bathe Chitragupt Ji's idol or photo first with water, then with panchamitra/or rose water, followed by water once more. Now put deepak (lamp) of ghee in front of the Chitragupt Ji. Make a panchamitra with 5 ingredients of milk, curd, ghee (clarified butter), sugar and honey. Place a few mithais, snacks and fruits as a prashad. Make guraadi (gur + adi = molasses + ginger). Make offerings of flowers, abir (red colour), sindoor (vermillion) and haldi (turmeric). Light the agarbatti (incense sticks) and lamps filled with ghee. Read the holy book of chitragupta puja. After the completion of katha, perform aarti. Now take plain new paper and make swastika with roli-ghee, then write the name of five gods and goddesses with a new pen. Then write a Mantra and your name, address (permanent and present), date (Hindi date), your income and expenditure. Then fold the paper and put before Chitragupt Ji.

File:Mantra.jpg

Chitragupt Puja and Dawat Puja

Chitragupt Puja is performed by Kayastha Parivar that believes in world peace, justice, knowledge and literacy, the four primary virtues depicted by the form of Shree Chitraguptjee. The puja is also known as Dawat (Inkpot) Puja, in which the books and pen are worshipped, symbolizing the importance of study in the life of a Kayastha. During the Chitragupt Puja, earning members of the also give account of their earning, writing to Chitragupt Maharaj the additional amount of money that is required to run the household, next year.

Temples

The only temple in South India dedicated to Chitragupta is located at Kanchipuram,^[2] Tamilnadu state, India.

Bhatnagar Sabha--Udaipur a group of Kayastha devotees in Udaipur, Rajasthan has built a grand temple of Chitragupta in Bhatnagar Sabha Community Centre, Sec. 14, Udaipur

References

1. ^ www.chitragupt.wordpress.com
2. ^ http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/fr/2003/04/18/stories/2003041801260800.htm

• Kayastha Samaj website ([1])
• Rig Veda
• The Yama Samhita
• Padma Purana
• Bhavishya Purana
• Vignana Tantra
• Garuda Purana
• The Mahabharata
• Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend (ISBN 0-500-51088-1) by Anna Dhallapiccola
• Chitragupta Chalisa website ([www.chitragupt.wordpress.com])

There is a 200-year-old temple of Chitraguptaji Maharaj at Alwar Rajasthan State, and there is a temple of Chitraguptaji at Khajuraho.

There are two temples (around 2 to 3 hundred years old) in Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh), one near Ram Janardan temple, and the other at the bank of Shipra River at Ram Ghat. There is also a Temple of Lord Chitrguptajee Maharaj at Foota Tal, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India. Regular Puja and aarti is performed here. Adjacent to it is Lord Shiva Temple, which belongs to the Khare family. Shri R. P. Khare and Smt. Shyama Devi Khare, brother and sister, inherited the Shiva Temple.

External links

• Kayastha.org-Kayastha No. 1 Community Site
• Chitragupt Samaj, United Kingdom