In Hindu traditions, Yama is commonly described as the ruler or judge of Naraka, a realm associated with punishment after death. Yama is also known as the deity of death and appears in several Hindu scriptures and later religious traditions.
Naraka is not always presented as an eternal destination. In many Hindu accounts, souls experience consequences corresponding to their actions and may later be reborn. This differs from the idea of an everlasting hell found in some other religious systems.
Descriptions of Naraka vary across texts. Some Puranic accounts list numerous hells, each linked to particular actions and punishments. Yama’s role is sometimes connected with judgment, while other figures, such as his attendants, carry out parts of the process. Hindu beliefs are diverse, so regional and sectarian explanations do not all use exactly the same structure.