Yami.

Goddess of Graveyards

and Sorrow

Gupta era carving of Goddess Yamuna(right) and her attendants(left)
Devanagari
Sanskrit transliteration Yamuna
Affiliation Devi,River goddess
Abode Suryaloka
Mount tortoise
Personal Information
Parents Surya(father) and Saranyu(mother)
Siblings Yama, Shani,Tapi river,Bhadra
In the Vedas, Yami is associated with her twin brother and partner Yama, the god of death. Later, she is associated with the god Krishna as one of Ashtabharya,[2] his consort as well and plays an important role in his early life as a river. Bathing and drinking Yamuna's waters is regarded to remove sin.

Yamuna's iconographic depiction is seen on temple doorjambs, along with that of Ganga (the goddess of the Ganges), since the Gupta era.[1] The Agni Purana describes Yamuna's iconography. She is depicted as black in complexion and stands on her mount, the tortoise, holding a water pot in her hand.[3] In an ancient painting she is shown as a beautiful maiden standing on the banks of the river.

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 and the twin Ashvins, divine doctors.[4][1] and the planet Saturn (Shani).She is described as Surya's favourite child.[5] As the daughter of Surya, she is also called as Suryatanaya, Suryaja and Ravinandini.[1]

As a companion of Yama, Yamuna is often called Yami in the Vedas. Yama/Yami probably originates the Sanskrit word meaning twins of both sexes. In later literature, she is known as Yamuna and Kalindi ("the dark one").

The name Kalindi may be derived from her association with Yama, the Lord of death and darkness as Kala.[4] Another source suggests that she derives the name Kalindi from her "earthly" source, the mountain Kalinda.[8] Some legends also explain Yamuna's darkness and thus her name Kalindi. The Vamana Purana narrates the tale how the originally clear waters turned black. Distraught by the death of his wife Sati, Shiva wandered the whole universe. The god of love Kamadeva shot Shiva with the arrow Unmadastra, that made Shiva restless and excited. Ever thinking of Sati, an excited Shiva jumped into Yamuna to overcome the sexual urge in his mad frenzy, turning her waters into black by his sorrow and unfulfilled desire.[3] Another legend describes that Krishna defeated and banished the serpent Kaliya in the Yamuna. While the dark serpent entered the waters, the river became dark.

Yami was the first woman, along with her twin brother, Yama in Vedic beliefs.[9] Yama and Yami are a divine pair of creator deities.[10] While Yama is depicted as the Lord of Death, Yami is said to be the Lady of life

The river is called Yamuna and the goddess generally Kalindi in sources related to Krishna. She is also, according to some sources, a form of Nila Devi.

In an myth related to Krishna's birth, Krishna's father Vasudeva was carrying the new-born Krishna to safety was crossing the Yamuna River, he asked Yamuna to make a way for him to cross the river, which she did by creating a passage. This was the first time that she saw Krishna whom she marries in later life.[16] Yamuna wanted to touch the feet of the baby which she did at deeper depths of the river and as a result the river became very calm.

Krishna also spent most of youth in Vrindavan on the banks of Yamuna, playing the flute and playing with his lover Radha and the gopis on the banks.[4] It is said that Kalindi fell in love with Him as she saw His Eternal love with Radha.

Nice info Silvu.Thanks for sharing.