Saranyu is called the Goddess of Clouds and Dusk. The other names for Saranyu, the Hindu Goddess are Sangna, Sandhya, Sanjana, Sauri, Randal and Ravi Randal. She Saranyu along with Chhaya have the same consort the Hindu Sun God, Lord Surya. Her children are Yami (Lady of Yamuna), Revanta, Yama (Lord of Death), Ashvins and Shraddhadeva Manu (ancestor of humans). Saranyu is the daughter of Virocana (the daughter of Prahrada) and Vishvakarman / Tvastar.
Saranyu means ‘nimble’, ‘quick’ or ‘fleet’ and is used in the Rigveda for wind and rivers. Saranyu has also been called as ‘the swift-speeding storm cloud’.
Saranyu is also called the ‘Mother of the Ashvins’, the ‘Elusive Sky Goddess’, and ‘the Hindu Sky Goddess’. She is believed to be of retiring and shy nature, so she is seen hiding in the clouds and she leaves a cloned replica on view of herself.
The architect of the world, Vishwakarma, was her father. When Saranyu grew to become a young and beautiful woman, her father began searching for a suitable husband for her. The Sun God, Surya agreed to marry her and their marriage took place with great fanfare. Yama and Yami were born to Saranyu.
Surya’s radiance and bright glare was too much for Saranyu so she began to looking for an escape. So she cloned herself by creating Chhaya who was dark as compared to the sun. Saranya left the heavens and went to her father’s house. Surya didn’t recognize any change and took Chhaya to be his wife. Chhaya gave birth to Shani, her son. Saranyu, mad on knowing this, destroyed the physical body of Chhaya after which she became just a mere illusion in the glare of the Sun God, Surya.
