Yamunaji Temple

Yamaraja-Yamuna Mandira
This temple is known locally as the Yama-Yami Mandira and is dedicated to the brother
and sister duo, Lord Yamaraja and Yamuna Devi, whose father was the sun god Lord SuryaNarayana. There is a great Hindu festival held here during Karttik every year the day after Govardhana-puja and known as Bhaiy aduja or Yama-dwitiya, when brothers and sisters come here from all over Vraja to bathe together in the River Yamuna at Vishrama Ghata and then perform puja at the Yama-Yami Temple.
This festival is held in celebration of the time when Lord Yamaraja, came to visit his
sister on her birthday. Lord Yamaraja had been longing to meet his twin sister and finally got the opportunity during her birthday celebrations. Yamuna Devi received her brother in the most befitting manner and served him with a wonderfully prepared meal. Lord Yamaraja was so pleased with the reception and service of his sister; he asked her what benediction she wanted. The ever-merciful Yamuna Devi asked for a special boon, that if any brother and sister bathed together in the River Yamuna on her birthday, they would be freed from their sins and not be called to the court of Yamaraja at the time of death. Lord Yamaraja agreed to Yamuna Devi’s proposal saying, “So be it”. Therefore on this day, hundreds and thousands of brothers and sisters travel from all over Vraja to take their bath in the River Yamuna on this particular day.

Mahäräné Yamunä has the same darkish blue complexion as Kåñëa. She assists in the playful amorous pastimes of Çré Rädhä-Kåñëa Yugala in every respect, and flows on three sides of Våndävana. To fully support the rasa-viläsa of Priyä-Priyatama, she creates countless charming nikuïjas on both her banks with various kinds of dense trees and creepers laden with flowers and fruits. She is ornamented and beautified with divine ghäöas bedecked with jewels, and with various bowers made from kadamba, tamäla, ämra, bakula and other types of trees. The Divine Couple Çré Rädhä-Kåñëa perform water pastimes and boating pastimes with the sakhés in the waters of Çré Yamunä. This water is saturated with prema and is always decorated with seven-petalled lotuses. This Bhagavaté Yamunä, who serves the Youthful Couple eternally, is supremely worshipful. In Caitanya-candrodaya-näöaka (5.35) Çréla Kavi-karëapura glorifies Çré Yamunä-devé as follows (also quoted in Çré Caitanyacaritämåta, Madhya-lélä 3.28): cid-änanda-bhänoù sadä nanda-sünoù para-prema-pätré drava-brahma-gätré aghänäà lavitré jagat-kñema-dhätré pavitré-kriyän no vapur-mitra-putré
“I repeatedly offer prayers to Çré Yamunä, the daughter of the Sungod, who is the bestower of unnata-ujjvala prema for Nanda-nandana Çré Kåñëa, the transcendental sun. She embodies transcendental bliss and directly personifies the melted form of Parabrahma. Simply remembering her destroys all types of wickedness and great sins, thus rendering the heart pure. She bestows all auspiciousness upon the world, and can even infuse vraja-rasa into dry, desert-like hearts. May she purify us.” gaìgädi-tértha-pariñevita-päda-padmäà goloka-saukhya-rasa-püramahià mahimnä äplävitäkhila-sudhäsu-jaläà sukhäbdhau rädhä-mukunda-muditäà yamunäà namämi
“I offer obeisances time and again unto the beloved of Kåñëa, Çré Yamunä, whose lotus feet are always served by Gaìgä, Godävaré, Narmadä, Sindhu and other térthas. Çré Yamunä is glorious as it is she who bestows service that is saturated with rasa to Çré Rädhä-Kåñëa Yugala in Goloka-Våndävana. In her nectar-filled waters, Çré Rädhä-Mukunda remain immersed in an ocean of happiness.”

GODDESS JAMUNA TEMPLE
Tikariraj Ghat. A brown sandstone gateway leads to the Tikarirani Radha Krishna Temple, whose main tower is adorned with no less than eighteen small steeples. The temple was completed in 1871 by a Bihari queen named Indrajit Kunver. Beside it stands a small temple to the goddess of the Jamuna River and a Rama temple called Kausalendra. The Vrinda Vatika Garden is also here.