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Kal – Bikal Messengers Of Yama Who Come To Take The Dead

Kal – Bikal are two of messengers who come to take away the dead people from earth. The name of the messengers Kal and Bikal are mentioned in the Sarala Mahabharata. As per Garuda Purana, they are not seen by anyone. Only the person who is about to die can see the two attendants of Yama.

Kal – Bikal are black skinned – dark like coal with two burning eyes. They are stark naked and frightful. They have twisted mouths and angry red eyes. Their nails are sharp and look like weapons. Their hair stands stiff and erect. They come with whips and black ropes.

All the dirt from the body of the dead person is emptied out without the knowledge of the person by the messengers.

Next, the dead person gets transformed into a thumb-sized being shedding his sthoola sareera, gross body. The messengers of Yama capture the thumb-sized person the moment he looks around.

Just as a criminal is treated by King’s officers of justice, the body would be bound with a rope and dragged to Yamapuri.

While dragging the dead person, the two messengers of Yama would threaten him and frighten him describing the torments he has to eventually suffer and endure in hell. They talk about various hells. The thumb-sized body of the sinner would be groaning and making hopeless and helpless appeals for mercy with the messenger.

While the person cries out in agony the two messengers go on beating him mercilessly. All the while, the loud groans and sobs of his near relatives would be audible to the sinner in his little new body.

On the way, the dead person would trudge painfully trembling in fear, remembering his sinful deeds. He has no strength to walk but the messengers of Yama goad the person to walk fast along the hot sandy way while being whipped. Through darkness the dead person is taken to the abode of Yama.

At the palace of Yama, the dead first meets Vaidhyata, the porter of Yama, and then two attendants Kalapurusa and Chanda (or Mahachanda). First, the worldly deeds of the dead person are read by Chitragupta, who consults a massive register, the Agrasandhani. Based on this evidence Yama sits on his throne of judgement and pronounces the punishment.