Chitragupta (Sanskrit: चित्रगुप्त, romanized: Citragupta, 'rich in secrets' or 'hidden picture') is a Hindu deity who serves as the registrar of the dead.^[1] He is assigned with the task of maintaining the records of the actions of human beings in a register called the Agrasandhanī.^[2][3] Upon the death of a human and their arrival at Yamaloka, Chitragupta reads out their deeds, allowing the god of death, Yama, to decide whether they go to Svarga or Naraka (heaven or hell), depending on their actions on earth. Chitragupta is the seventeenth manasaputra of Brahma. He is believed to have been created from Brahma's soul and mind (chit) and thus is allotted the right to write Vedas like a Brahmin, and also assigned the duty of a Kshatriya.^{[citation needed]}

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Quick Facts Mantra, Weapon ...

Chitragupta
Chitragupta in Bangkok City Pillar Shrine Thailand.
Mantra	Oṃ Sri Chitraguptaya Namaḥa
Weapon	Pen and Dagger
Personal information
Parents	Brahma (father)
Siblings	Four Kumaras, Narada, Daksha
Consort	Nandini and Iravati

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Chitragupta came into being after Brahma, the creator, having established the four varnas — Brahmin (The Learned), Kshatriya (The Warriors), Vaishya (Merchant & Farmers) and Shudra (Labourer) — ordained Yama to keep record of the deeds — good and evil — of all life-forms born and yet to be born on earth, in the heavens above and in the lands below. Yama, however, complained, "O Lord, how can I alone keep record of the deeds of the beings born into 84 lakh yonis (84,00,000 life-forms) in the three worlds"

Brahma went into meditation for 11,000 years and when he opened his eyes he saw a man holding pen and ink-pot in his hands and a sword girdled to his waist. Brahma spoke:

Thou hast been created from my body (Kaya), therefore shall thy progeny be known as the Kayasthas. Thou hast been conceived in my mind (Chitta or Chitra) and in secrecy (gupta), thy name shall also be Chitragupta. Let the role of a Kayastha be followed by thee and thy progeny.

Brahma then enjoined him to dispense justice and punish those who violated the dharma.

In the Garuda Purana, Chitragupta is hailed as the "giver of letters" (Chitragupta namastubhyam vedaksaradatre). In the legends of Chitragupta as well as in the Vedas, he is referred to as the greatest king, while the rest are rajakas, or little kings.

चित्र इद राजा राजका इदन्यके यके सरस्वतीमनु।
पर्जन्य इव ततनद धि वर्ष्ट्या सहस्रमयुता ददत॥
^{(Rig Veda Book 8/ Hymn 21/ Stanza 18)[5]}

There are numerous temples dedicated to Chitragupta. Notable examples include:

• Chitragupta temple, Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh
• Chitragupta temple, Kayatha, Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh - Chitragupta is said to have been born in human form at Kayatha in Ujjain, which is also an important archeological site with evidence of cultures dating back to more than 4000 years, with a temple dedicated to him.^[6][7][8]

• Chitragupta temple, Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu - the oldest temple in South India dedicated to Chitragupta. Archaeologist have confirmed based on the inscriptions that the temple was built during the 9th century by the Medieval Cholas.^[9][10]
• Chitragupta Devalayam, Falaknuma, Hyderabad - built by Kayasthas employed by the Qutb Shahi's in early 18th century.^[11]