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Yama (in India, Nepal, Tibet, China, South Korea and Japan) is the lord of death. He began in Hinduism and was later adopted into Buddhism. Then, placed into Chinese mythology and Japanese mythology, as well. He was first recorded in the Vedas.

"Great King Yama" belongs to an early stratum of Vedic mythology. In Vedic tradition Yama was considered to have been the first mortal who died and espied the way to the celestial abodes, and in virtue of precedence he became the ruler of the departed.

Yama's name can be interpreted to mean "twin", and in some myths he is paired with a twin sister Yamī.