An image of divine brilliance created through strokes of his brush by the painter Kailash Raj, the subject of this watercolour painting is goddess Yamuna, one of the Hindu river goddesses, the beloved of Sri Krishna and the Ishta (tutelary) deity of the Pushtimargi sect, a sub-sect of Vaishnavism.
Goddess Yamuna in her physical appearance, ornamentation, attire, and expressions looks like Krishna’s doppelganger- an artistic device used to express the inseparability of the two. As mentioned in the Yamunashtakam- a hymn dedicated to goddess Yamuna, her body is blue with the touch of Sri Krishna, and her thoughts are forever dedicated to the lotus feet of Krishna. The love and dedication of Devi Yamuna also find a place in the Bhagavata Purana which describes her marriage with the dark-skinned lord. The garland seen in Yamuna’s hand in this painting is a reminder of the exchange of garlands that occurred on the banks of the river Yamuna. As the consort, lover, and devotee of Krishna, Yamuna shares her affection for the lord with anyone who takes a dip in her waters, purifying them and filling their heart with her heavenly love for Sri Krishna. Due to her unconditional devotion, Yamuna came to be revered as a deity and Swamini (mistress) of the Nathdwara shrine of Krishna in Rajasthan, where she is worshipped alongside Krishna and Vallabha Mahaprabhu.
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