Varuna

In Vedic religion, Varuna (Devanagari: :Ivaruṇa; possibly from the root var, to bind) is a god of the sky who presides over rain and the celestial ocean. He also enjoyed supremacy as the god of the universal Law (or rta) in the early Vedas, though he was eventually usurped by Indra, the god of the storm. He is the most prominent Asura in the Rigveda, and chief of the Adityas.

Origins

The etymology of the name Varuna is uncertain, though it may follow from the Sanskrit root var, which refers to the act of binding or enveloping. As a theonym, Varuna quite likely dates from the Indo-Iranian age, although no Iranian continuation of the name has survived. The Mitanni names aruna and urvana may refer to the same early Indo-Aryan god. The name Varuna seems to derive from the PIE root *wer- or *wel-, meaning "to cover" (see also Vala, Vrtra).

In the classical Indo-European culture, deities were divided into two classes, asuras and devas. As time progressed and the Indian tradition further articulated its own mythology, the Asuras were elevated to the rank of sovereign gods and classified as Adityas, or sons of Aditi (infinity). Varuna was the most prominent of these gods, while other members of the Vedic pantheon who would eventually eclipse him in importance such as Indra, Agni and Soma, were subordinate devas. The eventual rise of the devas to prominence lead the asuras to be seen as Devas.

Cognate names of gods in other Indo-European languages have been suggested, but remain uncertain: notably Uranos, the sky god in Greek mythology, and also Vörnir, a giant of Norse mythology (from *verunyos?), the Slavic god Svarog, and velnias, the Lithuanian for "devil". Many of these matches have been contested by linguists, particularly the connection with Uranos is considered untenable.

Varuna may be loosely connected to Poseidon in Greek mythology or Neptune in Roman mythology. The planet Neptune is called Varuna in Hindu Astrology.^{[citation needed]} Kuiper Belt object 20000 Varuna, discovered in 2000, is named after the god Varuna. The name has also been linked to the Greek Ouranus (Latin Uranus). His role as lord of sea and land has drawn comparisons between the Greek Poseidon and the Roman Neptune.

Attributes

Varuna came to supremacy as the sky god of the Vedic pantheon by supplanting the elder god Dyaus. His ascendence to position above the other gods is not surprising, considering the importance of sky gods among the Aryan nomads. Inscriptions dated back to the fourteenth century found in Bogazkoy suggests that Varuna derives from Uru-Van-nas-sil, a Mittani deity prototypical of later sky gods.

Varuna was the foremost of the Adityas, sons of Aditi. As chief of the Adityas, Varuna has aspects of a solar deity. As the most prominent Asura, however, he is more concerned with moral and societal affairs than a deification of nature. Together with Mitra – originally oath personified — being master of rta, he is the supreme keeper of order and god of the law.

As a sky god, Varuna may either correspond to, or rule over, the dark half of the sky — or celestial ocean (Rasā), hence being also a god of rain — or represent the 'dark' side of the Sun as it travels back from West to East during the night. He alone allows the sun to shine on the firmament. The constellations are his holy acts, and the moon moves by his will. He developed to become more specifically the god of the night sky, with the stars representing his many eyes. The term used to refer to his eyes, spasa, later came to mean spy, and thus these celestial eyes came to represent his spies who oversee the moral actions of humanity. After further linguistic development, the word came to mean "noose" Varuna caused the sun to rise and set, and controlled the rains. Varuna kingdom is Sukha, referring to "happiness", on Pushpa-giri, the "flower mountain." Here he lives in a thousand-columned golden mansion where he sits to observe humanity.

In the Rigveda, Indra, chief of the Devas, is about six times more prominent than Varuna, who is mentioned 341 times. This may misrepresent the actual importance of Varuna in early Vedic society due to the focus of the Rigveda on fire and Soma ritual, Soma being closely associated with Indra; Varuna with his omniscience and omnipotence in the affairs of men has many aspects of a supreme deity. Varuna's omniscience and omniprecense are set forth explictly in the Rg Veda:

Varuna has extended the air above the trees; he has put strength in horses, milk in cows, will power in hearts, fire in waters, the sun in the heaven, and soma upon the mountain.

Varuna poured out the leather-bag, opening downward, upon the heaven and the earth and the mid-region. Thereby does the lord of the whole creation moisten thoroughly the expanse of breath, as rain does the corn.

No creature carries on without Varuna. His omniscience is further illustrated by the fact that he was the deity who initiated his son, the sage Rishi Vishishtha into the shruti, the esoteric knowledge which fills the Vedas and is only available to the spiritually advanced. There are no limits to Varuna's knowledge: he knows the a hundred thousand medicines, and foresees all destinies. Eventaully, Indra inherited this function of boon-giver.

The Atharvaveda portrays Varuna as omniscient, catching liars in his snares. The stars are his thousand-eyed spies, watching every movement of men. Early on, Varuna also grants wealth to his devout followers, averts evil, and protects cattle. He is also reponsible for steering the safe course of ships across water, which may foreshadow his later status as monarch of the waters. In the Vedas, Varuna is not directly connected to water, but instead represents water in the elements of ether and earth. He dug out the riverbeds, which flow by his command. Further, he sees to it that their entrance into the ocean does not lead to overflow. Varuna presides over the oceans and other large masses of water. He also governs the darkness, even though he is one of the Adityas, who rule over the suns.n

For a brief period, it seems that Varuna was hearlded as the supreme divinity in the Vedic religion. In the Rg Veda, he was frequently referred to by the title samraj, or "emperor", an title which was rarely used to refer to more popular gods such as Indra, who would eventually rise to unquestioned supremacy over the rest of the pantheon. Further, in the ritual prescriptions, the Rajasuya sacrifice was carried out for the sole purpose of elevating personal status . This sacrifice is said to belong to Varuna (as well as Mitra) who most likely performs it with the intention of raising to supremacy over the cosmos.

Partners and Rivals

Varuna and Mitra are the gods of the oath, often twinned or identified as Mitra-Varuna (a dvandva compound). Mitra represents the human side of Vedic religion, which is based in ritual contracts. Varuna, in contrast, is the sovereign of the cosmos, at once terrible and magical, omniscient and omnipresent. In one verse, Mitra and Varuna are addressed in the dual. Along with Mitra, he is called the lord of light.

Varuna is also twinned with Indra, the warrior god who presides over the storm, in the Rigveda, as Indra-Varuna. In Rg Veda 4.42, Varuna illustrates the connection between himself and Indra: "I, Varuna, am king...I, Varuna, am Indra [too]. While at first the two cooperate, the signs of conflict are present early on in the Rg Veda. For example, each fights to destroy the malevolent Dasas, however Varuna does this by way of his panoptic vision, while Indra lays low and attacks covertly. In the Rg Veda Indra is Varuna's rival, as the two grapple for supremacy over the universe. This struggle may parallel the strife between the Brahmin and Kshatrya castes in ancient India, as Varuna represents the spiritual qualities typically attributed to the former group and Indra embodies the militaristic values of the latter. Varuna is the king by divine right, just as the Brahmins are the highest caste by birth. Indra, like the Kshatrya, rule because of conquest and fortitude. Indra eventually overtakes Varuna, just as Varuna overtook Dyaus at the genesis of Vedic mythology.

Maya

Regardless of the fact that Varuna guards justice and truth, he maintains an ambiguity of character by relying on guile and trickery (maya) in order to carry out many of his functions. With maya, Varuna effortlessly carries out such tasks as providing rains and rivers, while Indra or the Maruts carry out such tasks with much stress and turbulence. Varuna uses his magical power of maya in order to create the numerous forms of the universe, as well as his own form. Rarely is Varuna portrayed in anthropomorphic form, which perhaps reflects his status as wholly transcendent universal monarch. Instead, his qualities usually relate to those of the sky over which he presides.

Varuna's relationship with Maya came to link him with the demonic aspects asuras later embodied. Varuna was closely related to chthonic gods such as Yama, Soma and Rudra. Varuna himself is described as Mayin, or crafty, as a result of his possession of maya, and is therefore approached with much trepidation. As such, his forms often embody Rudolph Otto's godly attributes of mystery, tremendousness and fascination. Varuna is often associated with snakes, barren cows, and ugly creatures in general.

Rta and Morality

Just as he controlled aspects of the natural world, Varuna was also responsible for the moral laws of the universe. Nothing happens in the universe without Varuna's knowledge, he knows everything and has total control over the fate of each and every human. With his thousand eyes, he was said to watch over human conduct, judging the merit of thier deeds. Merit is determined by adherence to rta, the moral order of the universe (similar to the later concept of dharma over which Varuna held dominion. As a corrolary, Varuna is also conceived of as the entity who metes out punishment to the wicked and sinful who violate rta. The wealth of criminals is directed toward him in offerings which took either of the following form: 1) throwing ill-gotten goods into the waters or 2) the bestowal of such wealth upon a learned priest (as commanded in Chapter IX, 244 of the Ins. of Manu.) Varuna is said to bind those who have transgressed in cords called pasa which he is said to hold. This often took the form of disease, which would not be restored until Varuna decided to relent. Prayers petitioning forgiveness for wrong doing were directed to Varuna, since wrongdoings disturbed the order of the universe which could only be maintained by Varuna. The Rg Veda reads:

What, Varuna, hath been my chief transgression, that though wouldst slay the friend who sings thy praises?

Tell me, unconquerable Lord, and quickly sinless will I approach thee with mine homage.

Free us from sins committed by our fathers, from those wherein we have ourselves offended. (VII: 86).

Devotion is typically portrayed in the Rg Veda as the only way in which to appease Varuna. Through sin he keeps humans mystified: they know of his unalterable existences, yet they do not know what they are specifically because his moral law remains undisclosed. Thus, Varuna maintains control over humans by binding them with his wrath and emancipating them with his grace. This function as a judge of morality and bestower of forgiveness seems to be the sole sources of Varuna's power, as he has no other outstanding qualities or acheivements attributed to him in Vedic myths. Although Varuna would fade out of currency, his principles would live on as rta came to be understood as dharma in later Hinduism.

Later Developments

As the Vedas progress, Varuna's role as the ethical overseer gradually diminish. Further, much like Poseidon, his territory was restricted to the oceans. Varuna later became acknowledged as the god of the celestial waters. Post-Vedic literature includes Varuna only as a minor character. In the epics and Puranas, his domain became more terrestrial, and he is said to have ruled over rivers, lakes and streams, although his primary dominion was theocean, under which he lived in a royal palace. He was also conceived of as keeper of the souls of the drowned. As such, Varuna is also a god of the dead, and can grant immortality. Later art depicts Varuna as a lunar deity, as a white man wearing golden armor and holding a noose or lasso made from a snake. Further, it is an impenetrable cobra's hood which forms his umbrella, named Abhoga. He rides the sea monster Makara often sculptured on buildings with a prominent gaping mouth. Originally, Makara was a fish, though he was later an aquatic serpent or a crocodile. He is attended by the nagas. Even later, Varuna's acknowledgements became limited, and usually only in his position as one of the Guardians of the directions. Here he represents the west, another affirmation of his relation to darkness. As ruler of the Western ocean he represented the origin of the rains which blow into India during the monsoon season. By this time, as a lord of only a quarter of the earth, or dikpala, his relegation to the position of a passive god was set firmly in place. Although Varuna fell out of importance in later Vedic religion, he left a lasting impression upon the Hindu traditions that followed, as the participation of human beings in the span of an orderly cosmos became an enduring aspect of the Hindu faith.

Varuna in Zoroastrianism

In contrast to the Indian tradition, Iran amalgamated the asuras into one supreme deity, Ahura Mazda, and reduced the devas to the level of demons. While the name Varuna did not persist in ancient Iranian culture, Varuna in his function as keeper of the cosmic order corresponds to Ahura Mazda, the supreme deity of the Avesta, the Zoroastrian holy book. In the Avesta, Mithra is twinned with Ahura Mazda just as Vedic Mitra is with Varuna. Further, the Avesta also connects Varuna with Visistha. Here, Asha Vahishta is one of the Amesha Spentas who assists Ahura Mazda in carrying out his will on earth. Such evidence bolsters the argument for Varuna's Indo-Aryan origin.

References

ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

• Bhattacharji, Sukumari. "Varuna." Encyclopedia of Religion. Mercia Eliade, ed. New York: MacMillan Publishing, 1987. 189-191.
• Embree, Ainslee T. ed. The Hindu Tradition. New York: Vintage Books, 1966. ISBN 0-394-71702-3
• Friedrichs, Kurt. "Varuna." In The Encyclopedia of Eastern Philosophy and Religion. Schumacher, S. & Woerner, Gert, eds. Boston: Shambhala, 1994. 400-401. ISBN 0-87773-433-X
• Knappert, J. Indian Mythology. London: Diamond Books, 1995. ISBN 0261666541
• Knipe. D.M. "Varuna" In The Perennial Dictionary of World Religions, Keith Crim, ed. San Francisco: Harper San Francisco, 1989. 783-784. ISBN 0-06-061613-X
• Moor, Edward. The Hindu Pantheon. New Delhi: Cosmo Publications, 2000. ISBN 81-7755-029-2
• Zaenher, R.C. Hinduism. New York: Oxford University Press, 1962.

See also

• Adityas
• Indra
• Maya
• Mitra (Vedic)

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