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Sanjna & Chhaya

Clouds & Fleetness

Shadow & Devotion

Also known as Prabha, Saranyu or Sangya, Sanjna is the goddess of clouds and the first wife of the sun god Surya. She is known for her beauty, virtue and ascetic power. The daughter of the craftsman god Tvashtr, she was married off to Surya. But she struggled endure her husband's dark, charred skin and his teja--his overwhelming heat, intensity, fiery energy and splendor. She leaves behind her personified shadow, Chhaya, and flees in the form of a mare.
Also known as Savarna meaning same kind, Chhaya is the goddess of shadow, being the shade or reflection of Sanjna created to take her place as the wife of Surya. When Sanjna flees, Chhaya is expected to look after Sanjna's children and pretends to be Sanjna. Chhaya has come to represent devotion, endurance and the duality of existance--light and shadow. She bestows karmic purification, resilience and protection onto her followers. While married to Surya, she sired her own children which include Manu, Shani and Tapati.

A Tale of Flight & Deception

When facing her husband, Sanja's eyes would dart about or she would close them entirely, these actions reflected in their twins Yama and Yami. Yama is the god of restraint, echoing Sanjna restricting her vision, while Yami is the goddess of rivers, mimkicking the pattern of her darting eyes. But Sanjna couldn't endure Surya's intensity any longer, bringing to life her shadow -a reflection of herself- before fleeing in the form of a white horse.
She instructed Chhaya to impersonate her and to care for her children... but she never expected Chhaya to mother children of her own.

In the beginning, Surya suspected nothing from this mirror of his wife and she gives birth to three children. These three were Manu, the progenitor of mankind, Shani, the god of karma and justice, and Tapati, god of the river Tapti. But she doesn't show Sanjna's children the same affection she has for her own children, neglecting them if not being cruel to them. Yama grows especially angry and resentful, his angry outbursts resulting in Chhaya cursing him! Surya diminishes the curse and becomes suspicious--after all, what mother could place a curse on her own child? When pressured, Chhaya reveals their deception as well as why Sanjna left. Flabbergasted, Surya seeks the aid of Tvashtr, Sanjna's father, who reduces his excessive teja and brightens his skin to a golden hue!

When Surya finds Sanjna, he turns himself into a stallion and pursues her, siring the Ashvin twins and Revanta, all retaining features of a horse! The Ashvins represent health and medicine, these liminal deities living as both horse and man and residing in both the mortal and immortal worlds. Meanwhile Revanta is the master of horses. Afterwards, Surya reveals his new appearance, satisfying Sanjna enough for her to return home with him. Some say Chhaya was abandoned by Surya after her deception while others claim she still lives happily as Surya's devoted second wife!


Elements



Family Tree


Relationships

Sanjna & Chhaya

First Wife

Towards Surya

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Surya

Husband

Towards Sanjna & Chhaya

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