During the months of Aashvayuja and Kaartika, do the teeth of Yama, the deity of death, grow long leading to a lot of deaths in the world?

[An online spiritual discussion was conducted on December 06, 2020, in which several devotees participated. Some of the questions of devotees answered by Swāmi are given below.]

[Reply to a question by Smt. Ramasundari.] Swāmi replied: I do not believe all such poetic imaginations. Death happens when its time comes, as said by the Veda (Mṛtyurdhāvati pañcamaḥ). Yama, the diety of death, does his duty promptly, as per the order of God. Yama is the spiritual Guru of the spiritual seeker, Naciketā, mentioned in the Veda. Yama’s brother Śani is the diety of spiritual knowledge (Jñāna kāraka). Their father, Sūrya, was the first disciple of God in learning spiritual knowledge, as said in the Gītā (Imaṃ vivasvate yogam…). In the Purāṇams, several verses were created later on and inserted. They are called prakṣipta ślokas. Any concept should therefore be accepted after deep analysis through logic and not blindly accepted without logic, as said by Śaṅkara (śrutimatastarko'nu-sandhīyatām). Then it is possible to discriminate between the truth, as told by God Himself, and falsehood (sadasadvivekaḥ). Perhaps, people are confused about this concept. The actual truth is that people taking a cold-water bath in these two months shiver and put their teeth out of their lips! Yama is seen by good people to be of a golden color and is seen by sinners to be of a black color. Such ugly statements made about him will bring punishment in hell. Such statements cause unnecessary fear in the minds of the innocent public.

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