# यमदूत (yamadūta)

Canonical page: https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/yamaduta

यमदूत (yamadūta) is a Sanskrit word meaning a messenger of Yama, a crow, a race or family, the name of one of the nine Samidhs, an infernal spirit, a minister of Yama, a messenger of death. Its 11 recorded definitions are grouped into 5 contexts, among them Messenger of Yama, A Crow, A Proper Name (Son of Viśvāmitra).

- **Etymology:** E. यप्त YAMA, and दूत a messenger — E. yapta YAMA, and dūta a messenger
- **SLP1:** `yamadUta`  **IAST:** yamadūta  **Devanagari:** यमदूत
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamaduta
- **Declensions:** 48 forms — https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/yamaduta/declensions.md
- **Other headwords romanised the same way:** यामदूत (yāmadūta)

## Meanings by context

### Messenger of Yama (7 definitions)
- a messenger of Yama  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H3) [Printed book page 846,2] यम (yama) — दूत (—dūta) m. Y° 's messenger or minister (employed to bring departed spirits to Y° 's judgement-seat, and thence to their final destination), AV.; PārGṛ. &c. [ ID=170433 ]
- a messenger of Yama who escorts the souls of the dead to judgment and their final destination  
  *Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > यम (yama) दूत (yamadūta) [Printed book page 681 ] यम (yama) दूत (yamadūta) m. ( - तः (-taḥ) ) An infernal spirit, the messenger or minister of YAMA, employed to bring the souls of the dead to YAMA'S judgment seat, and thence conduct them to their final destination. E. यम (yama) YAMA, and टूत (ṭūta) a messenger. [ ID=31289 ]
- an infernal spirit, a minister of Yama  
  *Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > यमदूत (yamadūta) [Printed book page 610-a ] यम - दूत (yama-dūta) ( तः ) ((taḥ)) 1. m. An infernal spirit, a minister of Yama. [ ID=30850 ]
- 1. A messenger of death. 2. A crow.  
  *Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > यमदूत (yamadūta) [Printed book page 594-01 ] यम - दूत (yama-dūta) m. 1. a messenger of death; 2. a crow. [ ID=31319 ]
- 1. A messenger or minister of Yama who brings the souls of the dead to judgment. 2. A crow.  
  *Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > यमदूत (dūta) (yamadūta) [Printed book page 585-a ] यमदूत (dūta) (yamadūta) m. ( - तः (-taḥ) ) 1. An infernal spirit, the messenger or minister of YAMA, employed to bring the souls of the dead to YAMA'S judgment seat, and thence conduct them to their final destination. 2. A crow. E. यप्त (yapta) YAMA, and दूत (dūta) a messenger. [ ID=32518 ]
- a messenger of Yama  
  *Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > यमदूत (yamadūta) [Printed book page 429 ] यमदूत (yamadūta) m. Yama's messenger. [ ID=25844 ]
- messengers of Yama who encountered Vishnu's messengers at the death of Ajamila  
  *The Purana Index*
  > यमदूत (yamadūta) [Printed book page 3-014 ] Yamadūtas — met Viṣṇu dūtas at the death of Ajāmila, and argued that punishment depended on the character of one's action, and that Ajāmila a Brahmana deserved punish- ment for having forsaken his svadharma and led an evil life with a dāsi. Overpowered by Hari's dūtas, they reported Page3-015+ 26 to Yama (s.v.) and wanted to know the truth of the matter. Instructed by Yama as knower of Dharma and ordained by Hari, his messengers cherished Hari's glory, and did not go near his devotees. Bhā. VI. 1. 20, 40. 68; 3. 10-34. [ ID=11205 ]

### A Crow (1 definition)
- a crow  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a crow (as boding evil or death), MW. [ ID=170434 ]

### A Proper Name (Son of Viśvāmitra) (1 definition)
- a son of Vishvamitra  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > यमदूत (yamadūta) [Printed book page 768-2 ] Yamadūta, a son of Viśvāmitra. § 721 b (Viśvāmitrop.): XIII, 4 β, 250 (only B., C. has Mudgalaḥ ). [ ID=12560 ]

### A Race or Family Name (1 definition)
- a race or family  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > pl. N. of a race or family, Hariv. [ ID=170435 ]

### Name of a Samidh (Yamadūtī) (1 definition)
- the name of one of the nine Samidhs  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H3B) [Printed book page 846,2] यम (yama) — दूती (—dūtī) ( ई (ī) ), f. N. of one of the 9 Samidhs, Gṛhyās. [ ID=170436 ]

## Sources

Definitions from Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Index to the Names in the Mahabharata; Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899); Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary; The Purana Index; Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary.
Text from the Cologne Digital Sanskrit Lexicon, University of Cologne.

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