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Concept
Yamuna in Hinduism
Summary
Yamuna is a sacred river in Hinduism and the main tributary of the Ganges River. The river is also worshipped as a Hindu goddess called Yamuna. Yamuna is known as Yami in early texts, while in later literature, she is called Kalindi. In Hindu scriptures, she is the daughter of Surya, the sun god, and Sanjna, the cloud goddess. She is also the twin sister of Yama, god of death. She is associated with the deity Krishna as one of his eight principal consorts, called the Ashtabharya. Yamuna plays an important role in Krishna's early life as a river. According to Hindu scriptures, bathing in or drinking Yamuna's waters removes sin.
Yamuna's iconographic depiction is seen on temple doorjambs, paired with that of Ganga (the goddess of the Ganges), since the Gupta era. The Agni Purana describes Yamuna as black in complexion, standing on her mount, the tortoise, and holding a water pot in her hand. In an ancient painting she is shown as a beautiful maiden standing on the banks of the river.
In the Puranic literature, Yamuna is described as the daughter of the sun god Surya (though some say that she was the daughter of Brahma) and his wife Saranyu (Sanjna in later literature), the goddess of the clouds, and the twin sister of Yama, the god of death. Her other brothers include Vaivasvata Manu, the first man, the twin Ashvins, or divine physicians, and the planet Saturn (Shani). She is described as Surya's favourite child. As the daughter of Surya, she is also called as Suryatanaya, Suryaja, and Ravinandini.
A tale explains her name Yamuna: Sanjna was unable to bear her husband, the sun's heat, and its light and closed her eyes in his presence. Surya felt insulted and said that their son will be known as Yama ("restraint"), due to the restraint she showed. Thereafter, Sanjna tried her best to keep her eyes open, however she flickered them angering Surya again who proclaimed that her daughter would be Yamuna. Since Sanjna had tried to keep the eyes open, Yamuna was blessed that she would worshipped as a goddess and remembered throughout time.
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