9. The river Yamunā in the Purāṇas

Yamunā is a sacred river in the Hinduism and the main tributary of the river Gaṅgā, the holiest river of the Hinduism. The river is worshipped as a Hindu goddess Yamunā. In the Purāṇa also, Yamunā is considered a famous river. Another name of Yamunā in the Purāṇa is Kālindī.^[1] She practised penance with a desire to obtain Lord Kṛṣṇa for her husband. The river Yamunā knows the sun god as her father. The Yamunā is renowned in the three worlds. She rushes into the river Ganges at Prayāga, carrying before her all the sacred pools and their sanctity.^[2] The rivers Yamunā and Ganges contain a million of sacred pools. They are more sanctified than an Aśvamedha sacrifice.^[3] It is a divine stream in Bhāratavarṣa from the Himalayas.^[4] It is a Mahānadī where Vidura met Uddhava.^[5] On its bank, Vaivasvata Manu performed tapas for progeny and Bharata celebrated his horse sacrifice. On its banks stands Madhuvana near Bṛṇḍāvana. Kṛṣṇa, his brother, and others played there and once defeated the Asura Vasta. Gopī girls bathed there as part of the Kātyayanī Vratam. King Nanda used to bathe here.^[6] Immersed in its waters, Saubhari performed penance. Kṛṣṇa sent away the reptile to the sea and made its waters drinkable.^[7] Akrūra, who took Kṛṣṇa and Rāma to Mathurā, had his bath on the way in this river. Inside the waters he saw both Kṛṣṇa and Rāma. Here Kṛṣṇa killed Haṃsa.^[8] On its bank Jarāsandha encamped to besiege Mathurā. Here, Kṛṣṇa had his avabhṛtha after the horse sacrifice. Here, again, Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna met Kālindī.^[9] During his pilgrimage Balarāma visited this.^[10] Yamunā was in floods when Vāsudeva crossed it for Gokula with the new born baby, Kṛṣṇa.^[11]