Who was the First Man Died According to Sanathana Dharma

Lord Yama is the Lord of Justice and is also considered as the guardian of Hell. He is a Bodhisattva as well as a part of Lord Shiva, Lord Yama in Indian mythology is referred to as the Lord of Death. Mahabharath describe him as the first man who died. The son of God Surya and Sanjana, Yama presides over the resting place of the dead. He is sometimes referred as Dharma, in reference to his unswerving dedication to maintaining order and adherence to harmony. He is also believed to be the wisest of devas. In the Katha Upanishad Yama is portrayed as a teacher. He is the father of  Yudhistara the oldest brother of the Pandavas. He is considered to have incarnated as Vidur by some accounts in the Mahabharata period. Yama is subordinate to the ultimate controllers Lord Shiva  and Lord Vishnu.

Yama is credited to be one of the most ancient beings of the world. A story of Yama sub ordinance to Shiva is well illustrated in the story of Markandeya. Yama is called Kala, while Shiva is called Mahakala. Another incidence, which shows Yama obedience to Vishnu, is as follows: A man Ajamila had committed many evil acts during his life such as stealing, abandoning his wife and children, and marrying a prostitute. At the moment of his death he involuntarily chanted the name of Narayana and achieved Moksha, saved from the messengers of Yama. Although Ajamila had actually been thinking the name of his youngest son, Narayana name had powerful effects, and thus Ajamila was released from his great sins.

As per Hindu myths Yama is assisted by Chitragupta who keeps complete records of actions of human beings on the earth. Lord Yama belongs to an early division of Vedic legends. His name means "twin", and in some legends he is paired with his twin sister Yami.

The next instance we have of a notable evasion of Yama is the case of a real devotee of Shiva. Markandeya, not the famous Hindu sage of the same name, was an ardent devotee of Shiva. He lay by the lingam all day worshipping and praying. Unfortunately Markandeya's life span, as written in Yama's Book of Destiny, was only a few years. When that time ended Yama sent his attendants up to get Markandeya but they, seeing the faithful man worshipping at the lingam, dared not touch him. They went back. Yama was inexorable in his resolve this time to get his victim and himself came up and tried to pry Markandeya away from the lingam to which he was then clinging. When Yama found that he could not get his victim to release the lingam he gathered his noose and flung it over both Markandeya and the lingam and started to drag them down to Kalichi. Shiva became aware of what was going on and became incensed at Yama's effrontery. He came down from Kailash, His abode, and kicked Yama to death. Markandeya was saved. All living creatures heaved a sigh of relief at this. With Yama himself dead there was no dying now. Everyone became immortal. But this was not to be. Soon the living places became so crowded that living itself became a hellish experience. Besides, with no fear of dying, everyone began to do just what he or she pleased. There was now no sense of right and wrong and no sin and virtue. So the gods got together and implored Shiva to restore Yama to life and to his grisly duties. This was done and everyone everywhere again had to go about cautiously, with the names of the Triad constantly at their lips to ward off Yama just in case their life span was over.

Yama is depicted as a man with dark green skin, wearing blood-red robes and with coppery eyes staring out of his grisly face. He rides his buffalo when he is traveling and he takes his mace and noose everywhere just in case there is an emergency and someone has to be cut off in the midst of his or her life.