Historical Geography of Ancient India c6.736

c6.736

Yamunā.—This river is mentioned in the Rgveda (X. 75; V. 52, 17; VII. 18, 19; X. 75, 5),² Atharvaveda (IV. 9, 10) and the Aitareya Brāhmaṇa (VIII. 14, 4). It is known as Kalindakanyā because it takes its rise from the Kalindagiri.³ According to the Rgveda (VII. 18, 19), the Tritsus and Sudās defeated their enemies on this river. The territory of the Tritsus lay between the Yamunā and the Sarasvatī on the east and the west respectively. According to the Aitareya Brāhmaṇa (VIII, 23) and Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa (XIII. 5, 4, 11), the Bharatas are famed as victorious on the Yamunā. The Pañcaviṃśa Brāhmaṇa (IX. 4, 11; XXV. 10, 24; 13, 4), Śiṅkhyāyana Śrautasūtra (XIII. 29, 25, 33), Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra (XXIV. 6, 10, 39), Lāṭyāyana Śrautasūtra (X. 19, 9, 10) and Āśvalāyana Śrautasūtra (XII, 6, 28) mention this river. Patañjali also mentions it in his Mahābhāṣya (1. 1. 9, p. 436; 1. 4. 2, p. 670). The Yoginitantra (2. 5. 139-140) and the Kālikāpurāṇa (Ch. 15, 8) refer to it. This river also known as the Kālindī occurs in the Bhāgavatapurāṇa (III. 4, 36; IV. 8, 43; VI. 16, 16; VIII. 4, 23; IX. 4, 30; IX. 37; X. 58, 22) as well as in the Mahīvastu (III, 201). Bāṇa in his Kādambarī (p. 62) also calls it the Kālindī because its water appears to be dark. It rises on the slopes of Bandarpunch, a peak situated on the watershed between the Yamunā and the Ganges. The shrine of Yamunotrī stands at the base of the Bandarpunch. The first and great western tributary of the Ganges is the Yamunā proper, which takes its rise in the Himalayan range below Mount Kamet. It cuts a valley through the Siwalik range and Garhwal before it enters the plains of northern India to flow south parallel to the Ganges; from Mathurā downwards it follows a south-eastern course till it meets the Ganges forming the famous confluence at Prayāga or Allahabad. In the district of Dehra Dun it receives two tributaries on the west side, the upper one of which is known as northern Tons. Between Agra and Allahabad it is joined on the left side by four tributaries, called Carmanvatī (modern Chambal), Kālisindh, Vetravatī (modern Betwa), Ken and Payaṣṇī (modern Paisuni). Many holy places are situated on this river. Śarabhaṅga, a disciple of Kāśyapa, was present at a great sacrifice held at a place between the Ganges and the Yamunā.¹ The Yamunā is known to the Chinese as Yen-mok-na. It served as the boundary between Śūrasena and Kośala, and further down between Kośala and Vaṃśa; Madurā, the capital of Śūrasena, and Kosambī, the capital of Vaṃśa standing on its right bank. The Yamunotrī which is eight miles from Kursoli is considered to be the source of the river Yamunā. It is identical with the Greek Erannaboas (Hiraṇyavāha or Hiraṇyavāhu). Yamunā is one of the five great rivers mentioned in early Buddhist texts.² It is modern Jumna. The Skanda Purāṇa mentions the Vāluvāhinī as a tributary of this river.