By 
No time for reading the story? Give it a listen on Spotify.
This is the story of Yamuna and her brother Yamraj, whose deep love for each other created the tradition of Bhai Dooj. It’s a celebration of the strong and lasting bond between brothers and sisters.
Characters in the story:
Lord Yama: Lord Yama is the Hindu god of death and the ruler of the afterlife who judges the souls of the deceased and determines their fate in the next world.
Yamuna: Yamuna is highly venerated in the form of a river and as the goddess Yamuna. Yamuna was brought to Earth by the ascetic practice of the Seven Sages where she first descended on Mount Kalinda. Therefore, Yamuna is also known as Kalindi.
Lord Surya: Lord Surya is the Sun as well as the solar deity in Hinduism. He is traditionally one of the major five deities in the Smarta tradition, all considered equivalent deities in the Panchayatana puja and a means to realize Brahman.
According to legends mentioned in the Puranas, there were two devoted siblings named Yamuna and Yamraj. They were the children of Surya, the Sun God, and his wife, Sangya. However, Sangya struggled to live with Surya’s intense heat, so she created a look-alike named Chhaya to stay behind and care for her children while she left.
Although Chhaya tried her best, she couldn’t give Yamuna and Yamraj the same love their real mother would have. Because of this, the siblings grew very close, always looking out for each other. Yamuna adored her older brother and wished he could visit her more often. But as the Lord of Death, Yamraj had many responsibilities and rarely found time to visit.
Despite this, Yamuna never stopped inviting him. She would often ask him to come to her home, hoping one day he’d surprise her. Finally, on the special day of Kartik Shukla Dwitiya, Yamraj decided to set his duties aside to surprise his sister. Not only did he visit Yamuna, but he even opened the gates of the underworld, allowing trapped souls a brief moment of freedom—a rare act of mercy.
When he arrived, Yamuna greeted him with a radiant smile, placing a sacred tilak on his forehead and sprinkling him with Akshat, the holy grains. Her home was filled with the aroma of delicious food she had prepared just for him. They enjoyed a wonderful feast together, and Yamuna felt truly happy to have her brother by her side.
As he prepared to leave, Yamraj was so moved by Yamuna’s love that he asked if there was anything he could do for her. Her request was simple but meaningful: “Promise me, dear brother, that you’ll come to see me every year on this day. Let it be a day when brothers visit their sisters, receive their love, and, in return, the sisters will never fear you.”
Yamraj, touched by her words, agreed. To honor her even more, he added a special blessing: “On this day, if brothers and sisters bathe in the holy Yamuna River, they will always be safe from my wrath.”
And so, the tradition of Bhai Dooj was born. It became a day to celebrate the love, respect, and protection between siblings. To this day, it reminds us that no matter how far apart siblings may be, their bond remains strong and unbreakable, just like the love between Yamuna and Yamraj.
