Kālindī

Kālindī is also called Yamunā and Yamānujā. She is one of the eight chief wives (mahā-patnī) of Bhagavān Śrī Kṛshṇa. She is the daughter of Sūrya in his form as Vivasvant, and the sister of Yama. She did tapas (austerity) on the banks of the Yamunā with one wish: to become the wife of Bhagavān Vishṇu. Bhagavān Kṛshṇa met her while on a trip to the forest with Arjuna, heard her story, and married her at an auspicious muhūrta (a time chosen for a rite).

Birth and name

Kālindī was born as the daughter of Vivasvant (Sūrya). So she is the sister of Yama Dharmarāja, and this is why she is named Yamānujā (“the younger sister of Yama”). She is also the presiding devī of the river Yamunā, and she bears the river’s name for that reason.

Her tapas and her marriage

Kālindī did tapas on the holy banks of the Yamunā, her mind fixed in meditation on Kṛshṇa. This tapas burned away the leftover pāpa (sin) of lives lived without Bhagavān Kṛshṇa. The Brahma Khaṇḍa calls this process pāpānoutāpa.

Bhagavān Kṛshṇa came with Arjuna to the Yamunā banks for a trip to the forest. He found her at her tapas and himself performed the pāṇigrahaṇa (the taking of her hand in marriage). Bhagavān Kṛshṇa says that all his marriages were acts of bhaktānugraha. They were done out of regard for the devotee, not out of any wish of his own.

Kālindī’s teaching on the secret of Rādhā

The Bhāgavata Purāṇa Māhātmya in the Skanda Mahā Purāṇa shows Kālindī in a new role. She is the one who tells the other queens the deepest secret of their eternal bond with Kṛshṇa.

After Bhagavān Kṛshṇa left the world of sight, his wives were overcome by the pain of parting. They had moved from Dvārakā to Vraja when Arjuna settled them there. They saw that Kālindī alone was free of this pain. They came to her without jealousy and asked why she was so calm.

Kālindī’s answer set out the teaching that Rādhā and Kṛshṇa are not two. Kṛshṇa is Ātmārāma, the one who rejoices in his own ātmā (self), and Rādhikā is his ātmā. Kālindī, like all those dear to Kṛshṇa, is an extension of parts of Rādhā. Rādhā is always united with Kṛshṇa. So none of them is ever truly parted from him. The feeling of parting comes only from not knowing this oneness.

Kālindī also told them what became of Rukmiṇī and the other chief queens. They longed to serve both Rādhā and Kṛshṇa. So they took another form and merged into Rādhā. Kālindī had seen this merging with her own eyes. She described the Vaṃśī (flute) as the sign of the love of Rādhā and Kṛshṇa. It is called “Candrāvalī” because it touches the moon-like nails of Śrī Kṛshṇa.

Then Kālindī told the queens where to find Uddhava. He was hidden among the creepers near Govardhana mountain, at Sakhīsthala in Vṛndāvana. She told them to hold a festival of praise at Kusumasaras (the Flower Lake), and through it Uddhava would become visible.

Sources

• Garuḍa Mahā Purāṇa, Brahma Khaṇḍa, Chapter 21
• Skanda Mahā Purāṇa, Vaishṇava Khaṇḍa, Bhāgavata Purāṇa Māhātmya, Chapter 2