High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! In Vedic beliefs, Yam? is the first woman, along with her twin brother, Yama. The Rig Veda, in the tenth Mandala, contains a hymn in which they sing to each other. They were children of Surya, the Sun god, in his form as Vivasvat, and his wife Saranya's "shadow," Chayya. She is also known as Yamuna. Another name for Yami is Y?m?n?, which means 'night' in Sanskrit. She is often depicted black in colour, riding her vahana, a tortoise.