Varuna

See 20000 Varuna for the trans-Neptunian object.

In Vedic religion, Varuna () is a god of the sky, of rain and of the celestial ocean, as well as a god of law and of the underworld. He is the most prominent Asura in the Rigveda, and chief of the Adityas.

Vedic and Later Roles

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.

Varuna and Mitra are the gods of the oath, often twinned or identified as Mitra-Varuna (a dvandva compound). Varuna is also twinned with Indra in the Rigveda, as Indra-Varuna.

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.

The AtharvavedaShaunakiya Atharvaveda 4.16, corresponding to Paippalada 5.32. portrays Varuna as omniscient, catching liars in his snares. The stars are his thousand-eyed spies, watching every movement of men.

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 later became the god of oceans and rivers and keeper of the souls of the drowned. As such, Varuna is also a god of the dead, and can grant immortality. He is attended by the nagas. He is also one of the Guardians of the directions, representing the west.

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. He rides the sea monster Makara.

Name

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).

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 Veles, 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.

Kuiper Belt object 20000 Varuna, discovered in 2000, is named after the god Varuna.

Vedic and Later Roles

Name

Notes

See also

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Vedic and Later Roles

Name

Notes

See also