English
Dhanteras: King Hima's Son and the Lamp for Yama
Source: Popular folk katha (Dhanteras, Yama Deepdaan)
Long ago there was a king named Hima. After a long wait a son was born to him. The palace celebrated, and astrologers were called to read the child's horoscope.
When they read it, their faces fell. Only after much urging did they say softly, “Your Majesty, this boy will be virtuous, but on the fourth day of his marriage the chart shows the danger of a snakebite.”
The king and queen were heartbroken. They raised the prince with great care. In time he was married to a wise and devout princess, and she too was told of the prediction.
The young bride did not panic. She made up her mind: “I will not let my husband sleep that night, and I will not let darkness into this house.”
On the evening of the fourth day she piled all her jewellery, her gold and silver coins and ornaments at the door of the bedchamber. She lit lamps throughout the palace, in the courtyard, at the gate, in every corner. There was so much light it seemed day had dawned.
Then she sat beside her husband and told him stories and sang sweet songs, so that sleep would not come to him. The night grew deeper…
At midnight there was a faint rustle at the door. Yama himself, in the form of a serpent, had come to take the prince's life.
The serpent tried to go in, but the blazing lamps at the door and the glitter of the heap of gold and silver dazzled its eyes. There was so much light that it could not see the way ahead.
It climbed onto the pile of ornaments and sat there. From inside came the princess's sweet songs and stories. The serpent sat and listened, and listened…
The whole night passed like this. The princess did not stop for a moment, and the prince did not sleep for a moment. The lamps burned all night long.
Dawn broke, the first ray of the sun arrived, and the fateful hour passed. Yama quietly went back. The prince's life was saved.
In the morning the palace was filled with joy. King Hima blessed his daughter-in-law, whose wisdom, patience and lamplight had kept the lamp of his family burning. The prince too folded his hands in gratitude to his wife. That night had shown how love, patience and good sense together can turn aside even a great danger.
The story says that day was Kartik Krishna Trayodashi. From then began the custom of lighting a lamp in Yama's name at the door of the house on that evening, called Yama Deepdaan.
The lamp is placed facing south, since south is held to be Yama's direction. With it the family prays for the good health and long life of all its members.
And just as the heap of gold and silver adorned the door that night, buying new utensils, gold and silver on Dhanteras also became a sign of good fortune.
What this story teaches
Instead of fearing the dark, light a lamp. With patience, wisdom and wakefulness even a hard hour turns auspicious.
On the evening of Dhanteras a four-wicked lamp of dough or clay is lit outside the main door facing south; this is Yama Deepdaan. The story is part of popular tradition; in some versions the bride sings bhajans all night by lamplight, and in others Yama's messengers tell the tale to explain that this lamp removes the fear of untimely death.
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