Saranyu

Saranyu
Goddess of clouds
Surya with consorts Saranyu (Sanjna) and Chhaya
Devanagari	सरण्यु
Sanskrit transliteration	Saraṇyu
Affiliation	Devi
Consort	Surya

Saranya (Saraṇyū) or Saraniya (also known as Saranya, Sanjna, Sangya, Randal) is the wife of Surya, and the goddess of clouds in Hindu mythology, the mother of Revanta and the twin Asvins (the Indian Dioscuri). She is also the mother of Manu, and of the twins Yama and Yami. According to Farnell, the meaning of the epithet is to be sought in the original conception of Erinys, which was akin to Ge.

Saraṇyū is the female form of the adjective saraṇyú, meaning "quick, fleet, nimble", used for rivers and wind in the Rigveda (compare also Sarayu).

1ab tváṣṭā duhitré vahatúṃ kṛṇotîtīdáṃ víśvam bhúvanaṃ sám eti1

1cd yamásya mātâ paryuhyámānā mahó jāyâ vívasvato nanāśa

2ab ápāgūhann amŕtām mártyebhyaḥ kṛtvî sávarṇām adadur vívasvate

2cd utâśvínāv abharad yát tád âsīd ájahād u dvâ mithunâ saraṇyûḥ

Tvastar prepares the bridal of his Daughter: all the world hears the tidings and assembles.

But Yama's Mother, Spouse of great Vivasvat, vanished as she was carried to her dwelling.

From mortal men they hid the Immortal Lady, made one like her and gave her to Vivasvat.

Saranyu brought to him the Asvin brothers, and then deserted both twinned pairs of children.

See also

• Chhaya: the shadow-image of Saranyu
• Hindu deities

References

• Hindu Goddesses: Vision of the Divine Feminine in the Hindu Religious Traditions (ISBN 81-208-0379-5) by David Kinsley
•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.