Asura Varuṇa (Bhaga < Bonga -- Santali) upholder of

oath -- Sreenivasa Rao (2012) and Ramachandra Narayan

Dandekar (1939)
Varuṇa is Sun, Bhaga and is cognate with sing bonga, 'sun' (Santali). Uṣas, divinity dawn, is
Bhaga's sister.
pāˊśa2 m. ʻ noose, snare, cord, fetter ʼ RV., pāśaka -- m. lex., pāśī -- f. ʻ rope, fetter ʼ
Śiś., °śikā -- f. ʻ leather strap on plough ʼ Kr̥ṣis. [~ spāśa -- . -- √paś2] Pa. pāsa -- m. ʻ sling, tie,
fetter ʼ, °aka -- m. ʻ a bow (for dress) ʼ; Pk. pāsa -- , °aya -- m. ʻ noose ʼ, pāsiyā -- f. ʻ little do. ʼ;
Kt. pōš ʻ trap, net ʼ; Kho. (Lor.) paš ʻ bird -- snare of a horsehair noose, noose ʼ (but phaš in
BelvalkarVol 95); WPah.jaun. pāśiyā ʻ snare ʼ, (Joshi) pāśī ʻ hanging ʼ; Ku. pã̄so ʻ suffocation
by hanging ʼ (whence pasyūṇo ʻ to throttle ʼ); N. pāso ʻ net ʼ; A. pāh ʻ fringe of short hair ʼ, pāh -
- zāl ʻ fishing -- net ʼ; B. pāsʻ noose ʼ; Or. pāsa ʻ net ʼ; Mth. pās ʻ net ʼ, kes -- pās ʻ lock of hair ʼ;
H. pās, pāsā, pã̄sā m. ʻ noose ʼ, pāsī f. ʻ hobble for a horse ʼ; OG. pāsaü m. ʻ noose ʼ, Ko. pāsu;
Si. pasa ʻ sling, net (to capture wild animals) ʼ. -- Ext. with -- ḍa -- in Bi. pasrā ʻ fishing -- net
ʼ.(CDIAL 8133)
Rebus: pāśa1 m. ʻ die, dice ʼ MBh., °aka -- m. Mr̥cch. [Poss. with Lüders PhilInd 120 hyper --
sanskritism from MIA. pāsa(ka) -- < prāsaka -- m. ʻ die ʼ lex. (cf. prāsyati ʻ lays a wager ʼ
TāṇḍBr. and prāsa -- ). It does not appear in any language differentiating pr -- from p -- or -- s --
from -- ś -- . Moreover the meaning ʻ lump of metal ʼ in N. H. M. may indicate a different origin]
Pa. pāsaka -- m. ʻ die ʼ, Pk. pāsaga -- m., Ku. pã̄so, N. B. pāsā; Or. pasā, (Bastar) pāsā ʻ game
of dice ʼ, OAw. sāri -- pāṁsā; H. pāsā m. ʻ die ʼ (→ P. pāsā m.), G. pāsɔ m., M. phāsā m. (infl.
by forms of pāśa -- 2 ~ *spāśa -- with p -- ~ ph -- ?), Si. pasa -- äṭa. -- N. pāso ʻ head of an iron
instrument (such as axe or spade) ʼ rather than < parśvadha -- ; Or. pasā ʻ iron ring through
which plough iron is thrust ʼ; H. pāsā m. ʻ lump, cube, lump of metal ʼ; M. pās f. ʻ silver ingot,
iron share of harrow ʼ.(CDIAL 8132)
Pāśa is held as a weapon, by Ganeśa, Yama and Varuṇa. Varuṇa's vāhana is mangar, makara
associated with the ashes of a funeral pyre. (See Santali glosses). Varuṇa associated with Pāśa
and Makara is thus the arbiter of a mortal's life-activities, the upholder of oath. As an Indus
Script hieroglyph/hypertext, makara is rendered rebus: dhmakara 'forge-blower, blacksmith'.
The ashes of the forge-blower are thrown into a tank in which mangar> makara, alligators live.
The ashes live on with Varuṇa's vāhana.
Thus, Pāśa and makara associated with Varuṇa are associated with metalwork: pās f. ʻ silver
ingot, iron share of harrow ʼ (Marathi) and dhmakara 'forge-blower, blacksmith'.
mákara m. ʻ crocodile ʼ VS.Pa. makara -- m. ʻ sea -- monster ʼ; Pk. magara -- , mayara<-> m. ʻ
shark ʼ, Si. muvarā, mōrā, Md. miyaru. -- NIA. forms with -- g -- (e.g. H. G. magar m. ʻ
crocodile ʼ) or -- ṅg<-> (S. maṅgar -- macho m. ʻ whale ʼ, maṅguro m. ʻ a kind of sea fish ʼ →
Bal. māngar ʻ crocodile ʼ) are loans from Pk. or Sk. or directly from non -- Aryan sources from
which these came, e.g. Sant. maṅgaṛ ʻ crocodile ʼ.(CDIAL 9692)

1
varuṇḥ वरुणः [वृ-उनन् Uṇ.3.53] 1 N. of an Āditya (usu- ally associated with Mitra); Bṛi.
Up.1.4.11. -2 (In later mythology) The regent of the ocean and of the western quarter
(represented with a noose in hand); यासाां राजा वरुणो याति मध्ये सत्यानृत्ये अवपश्यञ्जनानाम्; वरुणो
यादसामहम् Bg.1.29; त्वां तवश्वेषाां वरुणातस राजा ये च दे वा ये च मिात ः Ṛv.2.27.1; प्रिीचीां वरुणः पाति Mb.;
अतिसक्तिमेत्य वरुणस्य तदशा भृशमन्वरज्यदिुषारकरः Śi.9.7. -3 The ocean. -4 Firmament. -5 The
Sun. -Comp. -अङ्गरुहः an epithet of Agastya. -आत्मजः N. of the sage Jamadagni; ििः सुिास्ते
वरुणात्मजोपमाः Mb.7. 155.45. -आलयः, -आवासः the ocean. -ईशम्, -दे वम्, -दै विम् the Nakṣatra
Śatabhiṣaj. -पाशः 1 a shark. -2 the noose of Varuṇa. -लोकः 1 the world of Varuṇa. -2 water.
(Apte)
वरुण [p= 921,2] N. of a partic. magical formula recited over weapons R. (v.l. वरण); m. (once in
the TA1r. वरुण् /अ) " All-enveloping Sky " , N. of an आतदत्य (in the वेद commonly associated
with तमत्र [q.v.] and presiding over the night as तमत्र over the day , but often celebrated separately ,
whereas तमत्र is rarely invoked alone ; वरुण is one of the oldest of the Vedic gods , and is
commonly thought to correspond to the Greek: Ποσειδῶν, pronounced [pose͜edɔ͜ ɔn] of the Greeks
, although of a more spiritual conception ; he is often regarded as the supreme deity , being then
styled " king of the gods " or " king of both gods and men " or " king of the universe " ; no other
deity has such grand attributes and functions assigned to him ; he is described as fashioning and
upholding heaven and earth , as possessing extraordinary power and wisdom called माया , as
sending his spies or messengers throughout both worlds , as numbering the very winkings of
men's eyes , as hating falsehood , as seizing transgressors with his पाश or noose , as inflicting
diseases , especially dropsy , as pardoning sin , as the guardian of immortality ; he is also
invoked in the वेद together with इन्द्र , and in later Vedic literature together with अति , with यम ,
and with तवष्णु ; in RV. iv , 1 , 2, he is even called the brother of अति ; though not generally
regarded in the वेद as a god of the ocean , yet he is often connected with the waters , especially
the waters of the atmosphere or firmament , and in one place [ RV. vii , 64 , 2] is called
with तमत्र , तसन्धु-पति , " lord of the sea or of rivers " ; hence in the later mythology he became a
kind of Neptune , and is there best known in his character of god of the ocean ; in
the MBh. वरुण is said to be a son of कदत म and father of पुष्कर , and is also variously represented
as one of the दे व-गन्धवत s , as a नाग , as a king of the नागs , and as an असुर ; he is the regent of the
western quarter [cf. लोक-पाल] and of the नक्षत्र शितभषज् [ VarBr2S. ] ; the जैनs consider वरुण as

2
a servant of the twentieth अहत ि् of the present अवसतपतणी) RV. &c &c (cf. IW. 10 ;
12 &c )(Monier-Williams)

Names of gods from treaties of Mitanni

In a treaty between the Hittites and the

Mitanni (between Suppiluliuma and Shattiwaza, c. 1380 BCE), the divinities invoked are:

Transcription of
Interpretation Vedic equivalent Comments
cuneiform

a-ru-na, ú-ru-wa-
Varuna Varuṇa
na

mi-it-ra Mitra Mitra

in-tar, in-da-ra Indra Indra

na-ša-ti-ya-an-na Nasatya-nna Nāsatya Hurrian grammatical ending -nna

only attested in Hittite, which retains

a-ak-ni-iš Āgnis Agni nominative -/s/ and lengthens
stressed syllables

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitanni-Aryan

3
Aśvin, the twins, are Nāsatya (dual nāsatyau "kind, helpful") in the Rigveda; later,
Nāsatya is the name of one twin, while the other is called Dasra ("enlightened
giving").
Varuna, Mitra, Agni are venerated in RV 1.136
Asura Varuṇa Bhaga is upholder of the oath. Mitra, paired with Varuṇa is upholder of
the covenant. Bhaga's eyes are radiant with Sun's rays (RV 1.136.2)
"King Shaushtatar (ruled c. 1430) extended the boundaries of Mitanni through the
conquest of Alalakh, Nuzi, Assur, and Kizzuwatna. Egypt, under Tuthmosis III (1479-
1425 BCE), defeated the Mitanni at Aleppo after a long period of contention over
control of the region of Syria. Later Egyptian dynasties entered into pacts and treaties
with Mitanni and the daughter of the Mitanni King Tushratta, the princess Taduhepa,
was given in marriage to Amenhotep III (1391-1353 BCE) as part of a treaty which
balanced power between the two nations.This treaty was put to the test during a power
struggle in Washukanni between Tushratta and a relative of the previous king,
Shuttarna, known as Artatama II. Egypt backed Tushratta in this conflict while the
Hittite king Suppiluliuma I backed Artatama II. Tushratta seemed poised to succeed
when Egypt, fearing the growing power of the Hittites, withdrew its support.
Suppiluliuma I, tired of diplomacy and now free to do as he pleased without fear of
Egyptian reprisal, led his forces on Washukanni and sacked it. Tushratta was
assassinated by his son, perhaps in an effort to save the city. Following this conquest,
Mitanni was ruled by Hittite kings." http://www.ancient.eu/Mitanni/ The name
Tushratta may also be a phonetic variant of Tvaṣṭr̥, Tuisto.

Indo-Aryan superstrate in Mitanni is postulated.

"In a treaty between the Hittites and the Mitanni
(between Suppiluliuma and Shattiwaza, ca. 1380 BC), the
deities Mitra, Varuna, Indra, and Nasatya (Ashvins) are invoked.Kikkuli's horse
training text (circa 1400 BC) includes technical terms such as aika (Vedic
Sanskrit eka, one), tera (tri, three), panza (pañca, five), satta (sapta, seven), na (nava,
nine), vartana (vartana, round). The numeral aika "one" is of particular importance
because it places the superstrate in the vicinity of Indo-Aryan proper (Vedic
Sanskrit eka, with regular contraction of /ai/ to [eː]) as opposed to Indo-Iranian or
early Iranian (which has *aiva; compare Vedic eva "only") in general. Another text
has babru(-nnu) (babhru, brown), parita(-nnu) (palita, grey), and pinkara(-
nnu) (pingala, red). Another text has babru(-nnu) (babhru, brown), parita(-
nnu) (palita, grey), and pinkara(-nnu) (pingala, red). Their chief festival was the
celebration of the solstice (vishuva) which was common in most cultures in the
ancient world. The Mitanni warriors were called marya (Hurrian: maria-nnu), the term
for (young) warrior in Sanskrit as well;[1] note mišta-nnu (= miẓḍha,~ Sanskrit mīḍha)

4
"payment (for catching a fugitive)" (Mayrhofer II 358). Sanskritic interpretations of
Mitanni names render Artashumara (artaššumara) as Arta-smara "who thinks
of Arta/Ṛta" (Mayrhofer II 780), Biridashva (biridašṷa, biriiašṷa) as Prītāśva "whose
horse is dear" (Mayrhofer II 182), Priyamazda (priiamazda) as Priyamedha "whose
wisdom is dear" (Mayrhofer II 189, II378), Citrarata as citraratha "whose chariot is
shining" (Mayrhofer I 553), Indaruda/Endaruta as Indrota "helped by Indra"
(Mayrhofer I 134), Shativaza (šattiṷaza) as Sātivāja "winning the race price"
(Mayrhofer II 540, 696), Šubandhu as Subandhu 'having good relatives" (a name in
Palestine, Mayrhofer II 209, 735), Tushratta (tṷišeratta, tušratta, etc.) as *tṷaišaratha,
Vedic Tveṣaratha "whose chariot is vehement" (Mayrhofer I 686, I
736). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indo-Aryan_superstrate_in_Mitanni

Wilson/Sayana:
1.136.01 Offer most excellent and ample adoration, and reverential oblation, to those
two deities who have existed from of old; who confer happiness (on their
worshippers), and delight in most sweet (libations); for they are both imperial
(sovereigns, in whose honour) oblations of butter are poured out (ghr.tama_su_yate
a_di_yate ya_bhya_m tau ta_dr.s'au; yadva_ ghr.tamudakam vr.s.t.ilaks.an.am

5
prasu_yate sarvatra_nujn~a_yate ya_bhya_m tau), and who are glorified at every
sacrifice, whence their might is not in any way to be opposed; their divinity is not to
be resisted. [Imperial sovereigns: ta_ samra_ja_; or, sa_mra_ja = thoroughly shining,
samyakra_jama_nau].
1.136.02 The most excellent dawn has been seen proceeding to the comprehensive
(rite); the path of the revolving (sun) has been lighted up by (his) rays; the eyes of
men (have been opened) by the rays of Bhaga; the brilliant mansion of Mitra, of
Aryaman, of Varun.a, (has been lighted up by his rays), and therefore do you two
accept the commendable and copious oblation; the praise-worthy and copious
oblation. [The brilliant mansion: the firmament is lighted by the sun; the several
names of designations or forms of the sun; several names are used to to multiply his
praises].
1.136.03 (Your worshipper) has prepared ground (for tha altar), free from defect,
radiant (with sacrificial fire), and conferring heaven; come to it together every day,
you who are vigilant; every day (at sacrifices) receive invigorated energy (by coming
hither), sons of Aditi, lords of munificence; of those two, Mitra is the animator of
mankind, and so is Varun.a; Aryaman (likewise) is the animator of mankind. [The
animator of mankind: ya_tayaj-janah, by whom men are being impelled to exertion, or
incited to the discharge of their respective functions; as applied to Aryaman, in the
repetition, it may imply one by whom the irreligious, or those not performing
religious worship, may be cast into the infernal regions, ya_tya_ma_nah
nipatyama_nah narake].
1.136.04 May this Soma be gratifying to Mitra and Varun.a, to be enjoyed by them as
they drink of it inclining downwards; a divine (beverage), fit to be enjoyed by the
gods; may all the gods, well pleased, today accept it; therefore, royal (deities), do as
we request; you, who are ever truthful, do as we request.
1.136.05 Whatever individual offers adoration to Mitra and Varun.a, do you preserve
him entirely unharmed from sin; (preserve) from sin the mortal who presents you
(with oblations); may Aryaman protect him who is sincere in his devotion, who offers
worship addressed to both (Mitra and Varun.a) with prayers; who offers worship with
praises.
1.136.06 I proclaim veneration to the mighty Sun, to heaven and earth, to Mitra, to the
benevolent Varun.a, to the conferer of happiness, the showerer of benefits. Praise
Indra, Agni, the brilliant Aryaman, and Bhaga, so that enjoying long life, we may be
blessed with progeny; we may be happy through the protecting virtues of the Soma.
[varun.a_ya mi_l.hus.e sumr.l.i_ka_ya mi_l.hus.e:The first attributive is an epithet of
Rudra, the showerer of desired benefits, abhimataphalasya sektre; the two next words
are applied to Mitra, Varun.a and Rudra].
1.136.07 Worshiping Indra, and favoured by the Maruts, may we rely upon the
protection of the gods; and may we, affluent (through their bounty), enjoy the felicity
which Agni, Mitra, and Varun.a are bestowing (upon us).

6
Griffith: HYMN CXXXVI. MitraVaruna-. 136

1. BRING adoration ample and most excellent, hymn, offerings, to the watchful
Twain, the
bountiful, your sweetest to the bounteous Ones.
Sovrans adored with streams of oil and praised at every sacrifice.
Their high imperial might may nowhere be assailed, Never may their Godhead be
assailed.
2 For the broad Sun was seen a path more widely laid, the path of holy law hath been
maintained
with rays, the eye with Bhagas' rays of light.
Firmset- in heaven is Mitras' home, and Aryamans' and Varunas'.
Thence they give forth great vital strength which merits praise, high power of life that
men shall
praise.
3 With Aditi the luminous, the celestial, upholder of the people, come ye day by day,
ye who watch
sleepless, day by day.
Resplendent might have ye obtained, Adityas, Lords of liberal gifts.
Movers of men, mild both, are Mitra, Varuna, mover of men is Aryaman.
4 This Soma be most sweet to Mitra, Varuna: he in the drinkingfeasts-, shall have a
share thereof,
sharing, a God, among the Gods.
May all the Gods of one accord accept it joyfully today-.
Therefore do ye, O Kings, accomplish what we ask, ye Righteous Ones, whatever we
ask.
5 Whoso, with worship serves Mitra and Varuna, him guard ye carefully, uninjured,
from distress,
guard from distress the liberal man.
Aryaman guards him well who acts uprightly following his law,
Who beautifies their service with his lauds, who makes it beautiful with songs of
praise.
6 Worship will I profess to lofty Dyaus, to Heaven and Earth, to Mitra and to
bounteous Varuna,
the Bounteous, the Compassionate.
Praise Indra, praise thou Agni, praise Bhaga and heavenly Aryaman.
Long may we live and have attendant progeny, have progeny with Somas' help.
7 With the Gods help, with Indra still beside us, may we be held selfsplendid- with
the Maruts.

7
May Agni, Mitra, Varuna give us shelter this may we gain, we and our wealthy
princes.

Samskrtam". bhaga (IAST: bhaga) is a term for "lord, patron", but also for "wealth,
prosperity". The cognate term in Avestan and Old Persian is baga, of uncertain
meaning but used in a sense in which "lord, patron, sharer/distributor of good fortune"
might also apply. The cognate in Slavic languages is the root bogъ. The semantics is
similar to English lord (from hlaford "bread-warden"), the idea being that it is part of
the function of a chieftain or leader to distribute riches or spoils among his followers.
The name of the city of Baghdad derives from Middle Persian baga-data, "lord-
given".
"In Rigveda, bhaga is an epithet of both mortals and gods (e.g.
of Savitr, Indra and Agni) who bestow wealth and prosperity, as well as the
personification of a particular god, the Bhaga, who bestows the same. In the Rigveda,
the personification is attested primarily in RV 7.41, which is devoted to the praise of
the Bhaga and of the deities closest to him, and in which the Bhaga is invoked about
60 times, together with Agni, Indra, the dual Mitra-Varuna,the
two Ashvins, Pusan, Brahmanaspati, Soma and Rudra.
"The Bhaga is also invoked elsewhere in the company of
Indra, Varuna and Mitra (e.g. RV 10.35, 42.396). The personification is occasionally
intentionally ambiguous, as in RV 5.46 where men are portrayed as requesting the
Bhaga to share in bhaga. In the Rigveda, the Bhaga is occasionally associated with the
sun: in RV 1.123, the Dawn (Ushas) is said to be the Bhaga's sister, and in RV 1.136,
the Bhaga's eye is adorned with rays.
"The 5th/6th-century BCE Nirukta (Nir. 12.13) describes Bhaga as the god of the
morning. In the Rigveda, the Bhaga is named as one of the Adityas, the seven (or
eight) celestial sons of Aditi, the Rigvedic mother of the gods. In the
medieval Bhagavata Purana, the Bhaga reappears with the Puranic Adityas, which are
by then twelve solar gods.
"Elsewhere, the Bhaga continues as a god of wealth and marriage, in a role that is also
attested for the Sogdian (Buddhist) equivalent of the Bhaga. In myths related to the
figure, Virabhadra, a powerful hero created by Shiva, who once blinded him.
"The common noun bhaga survives in the 2nd century inscription of Rudradaman I,
where it is a fiscal term; in bhagavan for "one who possesses (-van) the properties of
a bhaga-", hence itself "lord, god"; and in bhagya, and "that which derives
from bhaga", hence "destiny" as an abstract noun, and also Bhagya personified as the
proper name of a son of Surya." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhaga

8
भग b[p= 743,2] m. (ifc. f(आ and ई). g. बह्व्-ाातद) " dispenser " , gracious lord , patron
(applied to gods , esp. to सतविृ) RV. AV.; N. of
a रुद्र MBh.; mn. = यत्न , प्रयत्न , कीतित , यशस् , वैराग्य , इच्छा , ज्ञान , मुक्ति , मोक्ष ,
धमत , श्री L. [cf. Zd. bagha = Old Pers. baga ; Slav. bogu8 , bogatu8
; Lith. bago4tas , na-ba4gas.]

Santali glosses. Bonga, 'the sun',

cognate Savitr̥ .

9
 Close
Figure 6. Apąm Napāt offering a dastār as symbol of farr and victory. Detail of
Shapur I’s victory relief. Bišāpur (photo A.
Soudavar).http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/farr-ii-iconography Farr is a a long
ribbon to be tied as headband; dast is hand, victory. The hand-delivered ribbon is
termed dast-ār (victory giver).

"AIRYAMAN, an ancient Iranian divinity and a yazata of the Zoroastrian pantheon,

known in Manichean Middle Persian as Aryaman, in Pahlavi as Ērmān. The Avestan
common noun airyaman-, Vedic aryaman-, means “friend, companion;” and the Indo-
Iranian Aryaman was, it seems, the hypostasis of friendship, and of friendly alliance;
and this being ratified at times by a formal oath, he was close to the asuras Mitra and
Varuna, who upheld oath and covenant. In the Vedas he appears as one of the group
of Ādityas; and with Varuna (under his by-name of Bhaga) he presided over marriage,
presumably as the sealing of the bond of friendship between two families...In Iran
Airyaman exercised this same function, and he is accordingly still regularly invoked
at Zoroastrian weddings. Moreover, the Middle Persian proper name Bay-Aryāmān
attests that in Iran too he was linked with Varuna, the Baga...A consequence of the
doctrine that Airyaman will in the end purge the world with fire is that in the

10
developed Zoroastrian theology he becomes a helper of Aša Vahišta (q.v.), lord of the
creation of fire. So he is invoked with Aša on the third day of every month, having
(in Sīrōza 1.3) the epithet mazdaδāta- “created by
Mazdā.”" http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/airyaman-an-ancient-iranian-
divinity (M. Boyce, “Airyaman,” Encyclopædia Iranica, I/7, pp. 694-695; an updated
version is available online at http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/airyaman-an-
ancient-iranian-divinity)

अपो-नप्तृ a [p= 47,3] ([ Pa1n2. 4-2 , 27]) m. " grandson of the waters. " N. of अति or
fire as sprung from water. अप ां-नप त् a [p= 47,3] ([ RV. VS. ]) m. " grandson of the
waters. " N. of अति or fire as sprung from water (Monier-Williams).

"In the Rig Veda, Apām Napāt (Lord Varuna) is the angel of rain. Apam
Napat created all existential beings (Rig Veda 2.35.2)"( Studies in ancient technology
by R. J. Forbes)...Apām Napāt in Samskrtam mean "son of waters" (see Ap
(water)(liquid) and grandson of Apah (water)(solid) ) and Apąm
Napāt in Avestan means "Fire on Water". Samskrtam and Avestan napāt("grandson")
are cognate to Latin nepōs and English nephew, but the name Apām Napāt has also
been compared to Etruscan Nethuns and Celtic Nechtan and Roman Neptun...Apām
Napāt is sometimes, for example in Rigveda book 2 hymn 35 verse 2, described as the
supreme creator deity who originates in the cosmic waters (see: Agni). Apam
Napat has a golden splendour and is said to be kindled by the cosmic waters."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apam_Napat
"...Apąm Napāt is given the title of Ahura (Lord) which otherwise is accorded only to
Ahura Mazdā himself and to Mithra; and in two passages he is shown as acting with
Mithra to maintain good order in human society: “Mithra of wide pastures will further
all ruling councils of the lands, and pacify (the lands) that are in turmoil. Henceforth
mighty Apąm Napāt will further all ruling councils of the lands, and restrain (the
lands) that are in turmoil” (Yt. 13.95)...a magnificent verse in honor of Apąm Napāt
himself (Yt. 19.52): “We worship the High Lord (bərəzantəm ahurəm), kingly,
shining, Son of the Waters, who has swift horses, the hero who gives help when called
upon. (It is) he who created men, he who shaped men, the god amid the waters, who
being prayed to is swiftest of all to hear.” This verse has echoes in a hymn in honor of
the Vedic Apām Napāt, who is hailed there as one “who has created all beings through
his power as Asura” (Rigveda 2.35.2). The opening words of the Avestan verse are
used in all Zoroastrian invocations of Apąm Napāt, and he is accordingly also known,
since Sasanian times at least, as Borz or Borǰ, a reduction of Avestan bərəzant-, the
“High One,” a title which is glossed in one Pahlavi text (Zātspram 3.18) as Borz ī

11
Ābānnāf 'The High One who is Son of the
Waters.' " http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/apam-napat (M. Boyce, 1986)

"Varuna (/ˈvɜːrʊnə, ˈvɑːrə-/; Varuṇa वरुण, Malay: Baruna) is a Vedic deity

associated first with sky, later with waters as well as with Ṛta(justice)
and Satya (truth). He is found in the oldest layer of Vedic literature of Hinduism, such
as the hymn 7.86 of the Rigveda. He is possibly one of the earliest Indo-Aryan triads
with parallels to a Avestan deity, possibly Iranian Ahura Mazda.His streak of demonic
violent tendencies, according to Hindu mythology, led to his demotion and Indra
taking away most of his powers.
In the Hindu Puranas, Varuna is the god of oceans, his vehicle is a Makara (part fish,
sea creature) and his weapon is a Pasha (noose, rope loop). He is the guardian deity of
the western direction In some texts, he is the father of god Brahma and of Vedic
sage Vasishtha
Varuna is found in Buddhism, for example as Suiten in Japanese Buddhist
mythology He is also found in Jainism...Varuna is related to the root vṛ ("vri") which,
states Adrian Snodgrass, means "to surround, to cover" or "to restrain, to check".
With uṇan, it gives "Varuna" meaning "he who covers or binds all things".The sea or
ocean is the perceived manifestation of him, while the universal law or Ṛta(dharma) is
the abstract binder which connects all things. His name is related to Indo-European
root "uer" or "to bind". In later Hindu literature, the term Varuna evolves to mean god
of waters, the source of rains and the one who rules over the Nagas (divine sea
serpent) – myths important in Hinduism and Buddhism..He is mentioned in many
Rigvedic hymns, such as 7.86–88, 1.25, 2.27–30, 8.8, 9.73 and others...His
relationship with waters, rivers and oceans is already mentioned in the Vedas, and
according to Hermann Oldenberg, he is already the Indian version of Poseidon in
these texts...For example, thet hymn 5.3 of the Rigveda states:
You at your birth are Varuna, O Agni.
When you are kindled, you are Mitra.
In you, O son of strength, all gods are centered.
You are Indra to the mortal who brings oblation.
You are Aryaman, when you are regarded as having
the mysterious names of maidens, O Self-sustainer.
— Rigveda 5.3.1-2, Translator: Hermann Oldenberg...Varuna and Mitra are the gods
of the societal affairs including the oath, and are often twinned Mitra-
Varuna.[15][16] Both Mitra and Varuna are classified as Asuras in the Rigveda (e.g. RV
5.63.3), although they are also addressed as Devas as well (e.g. RV 7.60.12). Varuna,
being the king of the Asuras, was adopted or made the change to a Deva after the
structuring of the primordial cosmos, imposed by Indra after he defeats
12
Vrtra... Rigvedic hymn 5.70 calls Mitra-Varuna pair as rudra...". (Adrian Snodgrass
(1992). The Symbolism of the Stupa. Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 120–122 with
footnotes; Hermann Oldenberg (1988). The Religion of the Veda. Motilal Banarsidass.
p. 104; F. B. J. Kuiper (1975), The Basic Concept of Vedic Religion, History of
Religions, Vol. 15, No. 2 (Nov., 1975), pp. 107-120.) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varuna
Rudra-śiva and Varuna-Mitra are paired ldivinities of protection of the rta, knowledge and contracts.

"Both Vedic Mitra and Avestan Mithra derive from an Indo-Iranian common noun *mitra-, generally reconstructed to have meant
"covenant, treaty, agreement, promise." This meaning is preserved in Avestan miθra "covenant." In Sanskrit and modern Indo-Aryan
languages, mitra means "friend," one of the aspects of bonding and alliance...

"The first extant record of Indic Mitra, in the form mi-it-ra-, is in the inscribed peace
treaty of c. 1400 BC between Hittites and the Hurrian kingdom of the Mitanni in the
area southeast of Lake Vanin Asia Minor. Mitra appears there together with four other
Indic divinities as witnesses and keepers of the pact." (Thieme, Paul (1960), "The
'Aryan' Gods of the Mitanni Treaties", Journal of the American Oriental
Society, 80.4. pp. 301-317.)

13
Ahura Mazdā confers investiture, Mithra stands behind him on top of an enormous lotus (as a symbol of Apam
Napāt). Taq-e Bostan: high-
relief of Ardeshir II investiture; from left to right: Mithra, Shapur II, Ahura Mazda. Lying down: dead Roman emperor Julian.

Mithra (left) in a 4th-century investiture sculpture at Taq-e Bostan in western Iran. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitra

14
 Varuna himself arose from the depth of the ocean and pleads with Rama for forgiveness.

RV 7.86

15
 Griffith:
HYMN LXXXVI. Varuna. 86
1. WISE, verily, are creatures through his greatness who stayed ever, spacious heaven
and earth asunder; Who urged the high and mighty sky to motion, the Star of old, and
spread the earth before him.
2 With mine own heart I commune on the question how Varuna and I may be
united. What gift of mine will he accept unangered? When may I calmly look and find
him gracious?
3 Fain to know this is my sin I question others: I seek the wise, O Varuna, and ask
them. This one same answer even the sages gave me, Surely" this Varuna is angry
with thee."
4 What, Varuna, hath been my chief transgression, that thou wouldst slay the friend
who sings thy praises? Tell me, Unconquerable Lord, and quickly sinless will I
approach thee with mine homage.
5 Free us from sins committed by our fathers, from those wherein we have ourselves
offended. O King, loose, like a thief who feeds the cattle, as from the cord a calf, set
free Vasistha.
6 Not our own will betrayed us, but seduction, thoughtlessness, Varuna wine, dice, or
anger. The old is near to lead astray the younger: even sleep removeth not all
evildoing-.
7 Slave like may I do service to the Bounteous, serve, free from sin, the God inclined
to anger. This gentle Lord gives wisdom to the simple: the wiser God leads on the
wise to riches.
8 O Lord, O Varuna, may this laudation come close to thee and lie within thy
spirit. May it be well with us in rest and labour. Preserve us evermore-, ye Gods, with
blessings.

16
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27
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56
Source: https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.148371
Dandekar, Ramchandra Narayan;
Vedic Mythological Tracts (Select writings 1)
Ajanta publications delhi, 1979, 383 pages
asura varuNa 28-67
https://cse.iitk.ac.in/users/amit/books/dandekar-1979-vedic-
mythological-tracts.html

MIRROR: JOURNAL ARTICLE "ASURA VARUṆA" R. N.

DANDEKAR ANNALS OF THE BHANDARKAR ORIENTAL RESEARCH
INSTITUTE VOL. 21, NO. 3/4 (1939-40), PP. 157-191
http://www.jstor.org/stable/41688830?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents

57
Varuna and his decline – Part One
04OCT

Abstract and Intro

(1) The saga of Varuna is truly spectacular. Though his story started with a bang, it
sadly ends in a whimper. Perhaps very few other gods– Vedic or otherwise –
witnessed such vicissitudes in the turn of their fortunes.
The Varuna story covers a very large canvass – in content, space and time. The story
of his pre-eminence has its roots in the pre-Vedic era; it flourishes in the early Rig
Veda inspiring awe and reverence; and as it flows into other Vedas, Brahmanas and
Upanishads, Varuna’s associations with the sky, the water and the order in the
universe as also in the ethical conduct of men, all these, acquire new dimensions with
mystical connotations. Till then, he is the highest lord in the Vedic pantheon, the most
virtuous and the most powerful all-pervading god.
Varuna, up to a point, is the nearest equivalent to the Supreme, as he is projected as
the creator and sustainer of all existence; the lord of Space, the maker of Heaven and
Earth. His glory spreads far and wide into the Gathas and into the Bhrigu lore. The
treaties entered by the Mitanni kings of the distant Sumerian region (in about 1500
BCE) are sworn in the name of Varuna and his peer-Vedic –gods.
However, with the parting of ways of the ancient sages Bhrigu and Angirasa, Varuna
becomes exclusively the Great God of the Aryans to the west of the Sindhu River,

58
while Indra takes over as the King of the Devas. Varuna is eclipsed in the Vedic
pantheon.
(2) With the Taittiriya Samhita (4.8.3.1) identifying Varuna mainly with night and
darkness, his career takes a steep nosedive. Initially, he loses his sole kingship over
the sky and then has to share his authority with another god who is younger and more
energetic- Mitra. Varuna gets disassociated with the day sky which symbolizes
clarity, brightness and brilliance; and made the god of night sky. His ethical role
diminishes. With that, Varuna draws nearer to night, darkness and death. Varuṇa’s
dark associations bring him close to gods of negative traits such as Yama, Nirṛti,
Soma, and Rudra. His character and disposition too undergo a marked change for the
worse. From a benevolent and graceful god, he turns into a spiteful, malevolent and
stern judge cum punisher. His physical appearance too turns ugly: he is now pictured
as a fat, bald ugly looking cruel man with yellow or brownish red eyes, protruding
teeth and wielding a noose. One after another, his powers and authority steadily depart
from him. Varuna eventually ends up in the Puranas as a demigod in charge of local
water bodies, and as the guardian of the west where the sun sinks into darkness and
from where the night takes over.
(3) The story of his pre-eminence in the pre-Vedic and in the early Rig Veda era; the
modifications that came about in his profile during the later ages; his fall from
elevated position; and his eventual eclipse, is truly astounding. In a manner of
speaking, the course of Varuna’s career epitomizes the dynamic character of the
Indian mythological lore. And , it also traces graphically the evolution,
the development and the vicissitudes that came about in the corkscrew course of
Indian theological history in response to the needs , changes and challenges it
encountered at each stage of its unfolding over the millennia.
(4) Varuna saga should not be viewed in isolation. It is better appreciated when it is
placed against the background of the scheme, process or the phenomenon that swept
across the world of Vedic mythology in the distant past. That process spread over long
centuries totally convulsed the sedate world of Vedic gods. It was akin to churning the
ocean. It disturbed the old order; threw out the old set of gods; created and magnified
a set of new gods; and restructured the entire Indian pantheon. Under this process of
reorganizing the world of Indian mythology… those Vedic gods who had been
‘minor’ in the Rig Veda but who held great potential and offered rich scope for
enlargement and glorification were re-modelled into much greater gods. Later, those
gods came to represent larger segments of life and experiences; and to mobilize
greater strength and significance. The virtues and powers of numerous other gods
merged into those select gods. They are today the Super Gods in the Indian pantheon.
At the same time, gods whose characters, functions and achievements had been too
vividly described in Rig Veda and who held out little scope for further enlargement
were steadily reduced in their status and rank And those gods whose profile was too
dim and had very little potential for growth were allowed to fade out quietly.

59
In this scheme or the process of restructure, the gods that adopted best to the changing
needs of times survived and thrived. One way that was done was by underplaying
their Vedic characteristics which were rather sketchy and unsuitable. And, another
was by aligning them along with tutelary gods that were already being worshipped.
…..In this period of transition, popular sectarian gods were gradually replacing the
older Vedic gods. This new approach to the gods redefined the status, character and
attributes of the older gods.
This was also a process of absorption of several gods into One; and, it culminated in
the emergence of the triad, of which the two: Vishnu and Shiva inherited all the rich,
adorable and living traits of all the gods that preceded them. They were also endowed
with infinite potential and capacity to imbibe the traits of all the gods to come.
(5) The sequence of gods changing – growing or diminishing in significance –
indicates the continual influx of new ideas and a creative conflict with the existing
system of thoughts. This complex and dynamic interplay of light and shadow is a
distinctive feature of the Indian pantheon.
The growth and development of Indian mythology and thought resembles the imagery
of the inverted tree – of which our ancients were very fond – with its roots in the sky
and its branches spreading down towards the earth. Its roots are ancient but its
growing shoots, leaves, buds, flowers and fruits are ever green, tender and fresh. The
roots of our philosophy, religion and culture are in the very distant Vedic
past. Though those roots are no longer visible to us the braches and extensions of
those roots in vivid forms that have come down to us are very alive; and its fruits are
within our experience.
The idioms of Indian thought are thus dynamic, living and vibrant. They are linked to
the spiritual urges and the changing needs, desires and aspirations of its people. The
gods, faiths and the worship practices too keep evolving, changing, without parting
with the essence of its fundamentals. Therefore, growth, change and adaptation are
essential aspects of the Indian thought and living. It is distinguished by continuity
with change; as also by its resilience and diversity. That is the genius of the Indian
traditions.
The Varuna saga, albeit a painful one, has to be appreciated in that context.
**
(6) Varuna of Rig Veda had a rather disappointing end; but, he did leave behind a rich
legacy of wonderful concepts and norms of behaviour in personal and social life (Rta)
that have endured even to this day. Those laws are universal; applicable at all times
and therefore eternal. The concept of Rta asserts that the order in nature is self
regulated and operates by its own laws (svabhava) and not necessarily by the will
of gods. Ensuring the perpetuation of the order and harmony in nature is as
sacred and as important as it is in conduct of one’s life. That is
because; Rta emphasizes the integrity of all forms of life and ecological systems. The
principle of Rta recognizes our oneness with our environment and our unity with all

60
life on earth. It is the framework that binds together man, nature and god. Rta is thus
the Dharma – the order – that pervades and protects all life. It asserts the principle that
the physical order of the universe is also the moral order of the universe; Rta is both.
When that order and harmony is ruptured, the disruptive elements of disorder, chaos
and falsehood (an-rta) step in, bringing in their wake ugliness, dishonesty and, decay
into life. It is explained; a sin is any inharmonious action done with avarice to gain
some immediate and temporary gain. Thus, injuring the harmony that exists in nature
and among men is indeed the sin; and it attracts punishment. The sin arises because of
frailties and human weaknesses; and not because of demons. The evil in the hearts and
minds of men are the real demons.
Sin is compared to unpaid debt (rna); it is a burden and an act of bad faith. The best
way to cleanse the sin is to come face to face with it; own it; confess to it; and seek
forgiveness with a promise not to err again. Cleansing is in the heart, mind and deed;
not in the rituals. That is the Varuna’s way.
Paschatapa – ‘after the burning heat’ – signifies the purifying fire of repentance. The
life-giving waters over which Varuna presides also signifies purity. Varuna is
intimately associated with the both. Thus the Varuna-principle stands for purity in life.

(7) Let’s in the following five articles trace the journey of Varuna from the Rig Veda
through the other Vedas, Brahmanas, Aranyakas, Upanishads as also Mahabharata
and the Puranas. Let’s also later see his connection with Ahur Mazda of the Gathas.
***
A. Varuna in the Rig Veda

61
The encompasser
1.1. Varuna of Rig Veda, the one who encompasses (var) the whole world, is one of
the oldest Vedic deities. He belongs to the older generation of gods than Indra; and,
his origins go back to the pre-Vedic era. It is said, Varuna was uncreated or unborn;
he existed before the very dawn of creation and he manifested himself along with the
wake of the world. That perhaps is a poetic way of suggesting that Varuna had been
recognized as a sovereign ruler even before the dawn of Rig Vedic age.
1.2. He is the mightiest of the early Rig Vedic gods. He is celebrated in the Rig Veda
variously as: the universal monarch; the king of all gods, the sovereign who dwells in
all the realms ; the best among the Adityas the solar deities ; the lord of the sky; the
god of heavenly light; the overlord who established and governed the cosmic
order Rta; the guardian and upholder of righteousness – Dharma , Dharmanaam
pathi; the stern but merciful judge who judges all men and punishes the wrongdoers;
the healer with thousand remedies; the omnipresent and omniscient, possessing
limitless knowledge; kavi, the seer par excellence ; there is none wiser than he; the
wielder of divine power and wisdom Maya; the controller of the destinies of
mankind; one who forges the magical and speculative relationship between god and
man; the lord of water element , clouds, seas and rivers Sindhu-pathi; and as the king
of waters Ambu -raja.
Everything is subject to Varuna’s authority and control; nothing happens without his
knowledge; and he takes everything.
1.3. No other Vedic deity is invested with such grand attributes and authority.
Together with Mitra, Varuna more than any other god is in charge of the established
62
order of the universe, the fixed rules of conduct – both physical and moral-
‘dhtavrata’. Varuna inspired awe and reverence.
Lord of Ethics
2.1. The attributes and functions ascribed to Varuna impart to his character a moral
elevation and sanctity far surpassing that attributed to any other Vedic deity. His
extreme concern is the morality of human beings.
2.2. While the hymns addressed to other gods seek long life, wealth, and power; the
prayers submitted to Varuna pray for purity of heart, forgiveness, and release from
sins and for moral strength not to err again. They are replete with humble confessions
of guilt and repentance. The hymns in praise of Varuna ‘the most impressive deity
among all the Vedic gods’ are lofty, devout and ethical in tone. The hymns rise to a
pitch of exaltation when they sing the splendour of Varuna. In these hymns Varuna,
more than any other Vedic god, appears mighty and merciful. He is feared as a severe
judge. He terrifies the guilty; but is most compassionate to the virtuous.
The resplendent god
3.1. Rig Veda describes Varuna’s appearance in glowing terms: as the most
resplendent god of radiant- sky-blue complexion, with Agni in his face and Surya in
his eye. He is far sighted (uru-chaksasa). He is the eye of all the worlds (jagath-
chakshu- RV.1.25.5). He has soft and beautiful hands (supani) in which he holds
lotuses and an auspicious noose. He is splendidly adorned in golden mantel (drapi)
and a shining robe. His chariot dazzles brilliantly like sunrays (ghabasti suro
nadyauth – RV.1.122.15).Varuna and Mitra ride the golden chariot like floating
clouds in the blue sky, drawn by well yoked steeds. (Rv.5.62.7). in the midst of vast
heavens urukşhaya (RV 1.2.9) he is seated on a splendid throne placed in his golden
palace of thousand pavilions, thousand columns (RV 2.41.5) and thousand doors (RV
7.88.5). From his glittering throne, the monarch (samrajnya) watches over the deeds
of all men and gods (pastyasu)- (RV 1.22.11-12).
Verily all of you are very great
4.1. The Mandalas of Rig Veda do not attempt stacking up its gods in a graded order;
but strive to discover the Great One (Mahat) that is the source of all. There are no
inferiors or superiors among the Vedic gods.”There is no one among you Oh Devas..!
who is an infant or a boy .Verily all of you are very great” (na hi vo astyarbhako
devaa so na kumaraha, visve sato mahanta iti – RV 8.30.1).
No one god in particular was regarded as the superior deity guiding and controlling
the rest. But, all gods of Rig Veda were of co-ordinate power; and no one among them
was recognized as supreme God per se, even though some gods were more imposing
than others. Such gods included, particularly, Indra, Agni and Varuna, the gods of the
warriors, of the yajna and of the pious devotees, respectively.
4.2. You come across in the Vedas hymns where a particular deity is lauded in
glowing terms and celebrated as the highest among the gods. There is also a
tendency to elevate now this god and later another to the highest pedestal and to look

63
upon him as the greatest power. It is explained; in all such instances the high praise
and tributes paid are truly addressed to the Absolute, the Supreme principle; and, not
to the god in question who merely is a manifestation of That One. Thus, all gods of
Rig Veda are of equal status.
The Mighty King
5.1. The equitable status accorded to all gods, as explained above, was generally in the
context of the younger gods, the Devas. But, Varuna belonged to the older generation
wherein he was honoured with a very special status and hailed as the greatest god,
Asura Mahat. Varuna continued to occupy that elevated pedestal until his demise or
until the rise of Indra. Therefore in the early hymns of the Rig Veda, Varuna occupies
a special and an exalted position. He alone is hailed as the king (Raja) (RV
7.87.6), kshatra (secular power, sovereignty and kingship) and Kshatriya; the king of
gods (MS 2.21); the king of the territories (raja-raastranam) (RV 7.34.11); an
independent ruler (svaraja) (RV 1.28.1); the self-dependant ruler (svaraat),
and samraja the universal monarch (RV 1.36.1; 8.42.1).
5.2. As the emperor, Varuna is mighty and awe-inspiring. He is Risadas the destroyer
of enemies (RV 1.2.7), tuvijata and uruksaya mighty (RV 1.17.1). His might and
speed are unequalled (RV 1.24.8) . He rules over both men and gods; and presides
over the relationship between man and the gods. His sovereignty pervades both the
physical and moral domains, where his laws are equally eternal and inviolable.”Indra
protects from external foe; Varuna protects and upholds the moral order rta – RV
7.83.9”. Even a god does not dare transgress his immutable ordinances (vrataani).He
restricts and fetters the wrong doers with his bonds that he has at his command.
5.3. He is not only the supreme kshatra, supreme Asura, the wise king, the best of the
Adityas but he is also the abode of life (visvayu). The term Asura (one who
controls asu = breath or life) meaning the Lord of Life is particularly applied to
Varuna (RV 2.8.27). He is celebrated as the all knowing Asura (asuro visvavedaha –
RV 8.42.1), and as the wise and attentive king (asurah prachetah –RV 1.124.14). In
some passages the scope of the term is extended by adding the title ‘the king’ (RV
1.24.14; 10.132.4) or even stronger ‘the universal king ‘(RV 8.42.1). His dominant
position is explained by stating Varuna is the Asura and the king of all gods (RV
2.27.10). ). “I am king Varuna; these powers (Asurya) were first given to me “(RV
4.22.2). Mitra and Varuna are described as the two noble Asuras (or lords) of the
Devas –Devanaam asurah (RV 7.65.2)
5.4. In the Rig Veda, the totality of godly powers is called asuratvam; and it is
called Mahatthe great one. Varuna is Asura- mahat (Mahat devaanaam asuratvam
ekam – RV 3.55.1-2). He is also regarded as the sovereign who created the
Universe: “The All-Wise Varuna – asuro visvavedaha – Rig Veda 8.42.1”. He also
put in place the cosmic order and governed the physical as also the moral aspects of
existence. He is also the punisher and a fearsome destroyer.

64
5.5. Thus, Varuna of Rig Veda, heralded as the most exalted god (though only for a
brief period) is endowed with these powers and authority. And, with his omniscience
and omnipotence he is the nearest approximation to the structure of a Supreme Being,
the Almighty God – the creator, preserver and destroyer. But, the text stops short of
declaring him or any other deity as the Supreme God. The powers and virtues
attributed to Varuna were later crystallized and appropriated among the Trinity of the
mythologies which came up later.
Epithets
6.1. Rig Veda celebrates the glory of Varuna in myriad ways ; and describes him as :
the Great One (Mahat); the vast (brahat); the mighty (bhuri);the immense (prabhuti);
the abode of life (visvayu); the knower (vidvas); the wise (medha);the
intelligent (dhira); the discriminating (pracetas); the clever (grtsa); the adept ,
dexterous (sukratu); the inspired (vipra); the seer (kavi); the great-poet (kavitara);the
greatest of poets (kavitama ).
Besides these, Varuna has other sets of titles as being the lord of waters, the lord of
Rta; and as the king and judge. We shall see more of those in the next sections. He
has too many epithets. I admit, it is rather confusing.
Asura
[Before going further, a short explanation of the term Asura in the early Rig Veda:
7.1. The term Asura was used in the Rig Veda to indicate the powerful or the mighty
one. Its application was more as an adjective than as a noun. This term was applied
not only to gods but also to other powerful individuals. In the early Books of Rig
Veda, Asura as a designation appears only in the singular or in dual form (as in Mitra-
Varuna). Asura in that context did not refer to a cult or to a group or a to class of gods,
just in the manner it referred to group of Devas as in the case of visve devah. In other
words, Asura was a title of highest lordship or honor assigned to certain gods who
were regarded mighty, powerful and worship- worthy. These gods in general were
also addressed as Devas. The older deities celebrated as Devas were often addressed
as Asura, just to emphasize their power and might.
For instance; in Rig Veda, Indra the king of Devas is addressed in about sixteen
hymns as Asura, possessing Asurya or Asuratya. His deeds are described as Asurani–
the powerful. Similarly, the three other mighty deities of Rig Veda: Agni, Varuna and
Mitra (in company of Varuna) are called Asura. Rudra is described in accusative form
as devam asuram (RV. 42.11), the Asura possessing Asurya or bestowing it. Dayus
the ancient sky-god too was called Asura. Some other Vedic deities too were at times
called Asura, as in the case of: Savitar, Surya, Vayu, Maruts, the Adityas and Apam
Napat. Ushas the goddess of dawn was said to possess Asuratva.
7.2. There are no cases in Rig Veda where a god is called Asura in respectful sense in
one instance and then called an Asura in the demonic sense in another instance. Hence
the change that came about was truly in the usage of the term and the meaning

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assigned to it at different times; and, it did not signify a change in the nature or the
character of the god to whom the term was applied.
As said earlier, Asura meant highest lordship. Dayus the old sky-god was the earliest
Asura. But, as Dayus more and more came to mean the physical sky and not the Great
God, the epithet then was applied to Varuna the new sky-god; and later to Indra and
other gods. But, the term Asura was applied particularly to Varuna to signify his
supreme lordship over men and gods (RV 2. 27.10). Aditi, the mother of gods, it is
said, produced Mitra and Varuna for Asurya- Might or mightiness. “This Asura rules
over the gods”: devanam asurah.
No other Vedic god is described in this manner. It is explained; the Asurya and the
dignity connected with being Asura in the case of Varuna is his original characteristic.
That suggests, Varuna was a sovereign ruler even at the dawn of Rig Vedic age.
However, in the case of Indra, it is said, his Asurya was inherited from Varuna; it
was not Indra’s own. When Indra is called Asura or invested with Asurya it is done
merely because Indra happened to succeed Varuna as the king of gods.
7.3. The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (3.1), Mahabharata (shanthi parva: 33.25)
and Amarakosha all describe Asuras the sons of Diti as the elder brothers or the older
gods, while the Devas are the younger ones.
7.4. The sea-change that came about in the meaning assigned to the term Asura can
also be explained in the context of the religious history of the Vedic people. When the
Aryan community was undivided, the terms Asura and Deva both denoted gods of
high respect. The gods were referred to Asura as also Deva. But at a certain phase of
their history, the Vedic people became divided along the lines of affiliation to two
great and ancient sages Apam Napat and Angirasa. These sages belonged to the pre –
Vedic period. The parting of their ways came about mainly because of the stand each
took on issues such as: monotheism, worship of God through formless medium, use of
icons in worship, and above all, on the question of the status to be accorded to the old
god Varuna. The Bhrigu clan who generally were to the west of the mighty Sindhu
River continued: to regard Varuna as the Greatest and the only God – Asura Mahat; to
favor worship through the formless medium of fire and honor the principle of Rta the
moral order governed by Varuna as the highest good of all . The Angirasas who were
the preceptors of the dominant Aryans on the east of the Sindhu, on the other hand,
elevated the more energetic and vibrant younger gods the Devas (Indra and others) to
exalted positions and treated all Devas as equally great .These Devas were personified
and described as having forms. Besides, the Angirasas relegated the passive old gods
such as Varuna to very low positions in the Vedic pantheon, and also soft
peddled Rtaprinciple the moral order governed by Varuna.( We shall talk a bit more
on these issues in the last part of this article.)
7.5. The parting of their ways was hardly a sweet-sorrow; it was laced with rancor and
hate. The Bhrigu and the Angirasa clans each ascribed its own chosen words of abuse

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to the terms Asura or Deva, depending on to which side of the Sindhu they belonged.
In the later Vedic texts Asuras came to mean demons.
Towards the later books of the Rig Veda (6, 7, 8 and 10) the term Asura underwent
extraordinary semantic change. It not only became a noun from an adjective; but also
acquired a totally different meaning of demon or demonic. And in the sixth Book of
Rig Veda (RV 6.22), Indra for the first time came to known as divyasya janasya
raja the king of gods. And the idea, of course, became more popular and crystallized
later in the Puranas.
In the Brahmanas of Krishna Yajur Veda the term Asura was used in the sense of anti-
god. It then was usually expressed in plural to suggest a group of beings opposed to
gods. And, when it was used in singular (in the same sense) it was expressed
as aasura. In the Shatapatha Brahmana the terms Asura and Rakshasa came close to
each other.]
The Varuna – hymns
8.1. Varuna is indeed one of the mighty gods of Rig-Veda, though he is celebrated
exclusively in just about ten hymns (RV 1.24. 25; 2.28; 5.85; 7.86 to 89 and 8.41 to
42).Besides, he is praised along with Mitra (Maitra –varuna) in twenty-three hymns;
and with Indra (Indra-Varuna) in nine hymns. These numbers are rather small as
compared to the numbers of hymns addressed to Indra and Agni, which are about six-
fold greater. For instance, in Book Three no hymn is addressed to Varuna while
twenty-two are devoted to Indra. Similarly, in Book eleven there is only one hymn to
Varuna while twenty-three are addressed to Varuna. For some reason, Varuna is less
frequently mentioned in the last book than in the earlier books of Rig Veda.
That does not in any manner diminish the importance, might, glory and power of
Varuna as depicted in Rig Veda.
8.2. If Varuna is so great and important why is it that only a handful of hymns are
dedicated to him in the Samhitas?
That might be because of the dark traits associated with him. Varuna was not wholly
benevolent like Indra in the early Rig-Veda. Varuna is rather an ambivalent character
– now favourable; and now unfavourable. He was a judgmental god who inspired awe
and fear. Yet, Varuna was essentially a god of placid nature. And the Vedic poets
were decidedly in favor of uncompromisingly good gods who protected people from
enemies, diseases and draught. That process perhaps eventually led to Indra replacing
the old god Varuna and taking charge as the chief of the Devas.
8.3. The Varuna – hymns are remarkably varied in their content and scope. They
portray range of Varuna’s attributes; but, they project, mainly, four of his functions: as
the universal monarch and lord of the sky; as the upholder of the cosmic order Rta; as
related to water element (apah); and, as omniscient deity with unique magical
knowledge (Maya) who oversees men’s’ actions.
We shall discuss each of his main attributes and functions in the next part of in this
article.

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References and Sources
1. Indra and Varuna in Indian Mythology by Dr. Usha Choudhuri; Nag Publishers,
Delhi, 1981
2. The Indian Theogony by Dr.Sukumari Bhattarcharji, Cambridge University Press,
1970
3. Asura in early Vedic religion by WE Hale; Motilal Banarsidass; Delhi, 1986
4. Goddesses in ancient India by PK Agrawala,; Abhinav Publications, New
Delhi,1984
5. The Hymns of Atharvan Zarathustra by JM Chatterji; the Parsi Zoroastrian
Association, Calcutta, 1967; http://www.avesta.org/chatterj_opf_files/slideshow.htm.
6. Outlines of Indian Philosophy –Prof M Hiriyanna; Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi, 2005
7.Original Sanskrit texts on the 0rigin and history of the people of India, their region
and institution By J. Muir;Trubner & co., London, 1870.
8. A classical dictionary of Hindu mythology and religion, geography, history, and
literaturebyJohn Dowson; Turner & co, Ludgate hill. 1879.
9. Vaidika Sahitya Charitre by Dr. NS Anantharangachar; DVK Murthy, Mysore,
1968
10. Sri Brahmiya Chitra Karma sastram by Dr. G. Gnanananda
11. Zarathustra Chapters 1-6 by Ardeshir Mehta; February 1999
http://www.indiayogi.com/content/indgods/varuna.aspx
http://www.bookrags.com/research/varua-eorl-14/
http://www.bookrags.com/wiki/Varuna
http://www.hinduweb.org/home/dharma_and_philosophy/vshirvaikar/Dnyaneshwari/
Dnch10pg1.html
http://rashmun.sulekha.com/blog/post/2010/03/vedic-literature-the-degradation-of-
varuna-and-indra.htm
http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Varuna
http://www.indiadivine.org/audarya/vedic-verses/453851-vak-suktam-aka-devi-
suktam.html
http://www.svabhinava.org/HinduCivilization/AlfredCollins/RigVedaCulture_ch07-
frame.php

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahura_Mazda
http://www.iamronen.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/ReadingLila.pdf
Varuna and his decline – Part Two
04OCT
(In this section we shall look at Varuna’s aspects: Sovereignty, Rta, judgmental god
and his association with waters )
The Main attributes of Varuna in the Rig Veda
As mentioned earlier, The Varuna- hymns are remarkably varied in their content and
scope. They portray range of Varuna’s attributes; but, project, mainly, four of his
functions: as the universal monarch and lord of the sky; as the upholder of the cosmic
order Rta; as related to water element (apah); and, as omniscient deity with unique
magical knowledge (Maya) who oversees men’s’ actions.
We shall briefly discuss each of his functions in this article.
B. The sovereign and the Lord of the sky
Sky-god
9.1. Varuna derived his sovereignty (kshatra) and the supreme status among the gods
by virtue of his being the sole sky-god. In most mythologies the concept of a god
begins with sky-god. And, the sky-gods are regarded the greatest, for the sky
encompasses the earth and all existence. Accordingly, Varuna as the all-compassing
sky-god was the supreme among the gods of the early Rig Veda. As the embodiment
of the very sky, the whole universe is spread beneath his vision. In Rig Veda, he is
the creator and sustainer of the world. He established and maintained the natural as
also the moral laws, and he gave expression to the cosmic order. He is the all-seeing
(uruchaksasa) and all-knowing Lord (Asura –visvavedasa). His laws are unassailable;
resting like a mountain.
Dayus the Old god of the sky

10.1. Varuna inherited his sovereignty over the sky from his predecessor the pre-
historic (pre Vedic) deity Dayus. The ancient Dayus representing the bright blue sky
and the starry dark night sky was the oldest among the Vedic gods. By the time of the

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Rig Veda he was already ‘a faded and vanishing deity’. In the dim and distant past,
Dayus was the supreme sky-god, sometimes described as Asura or the first Asura. He
is portrayed as the powerful king, mighty as a ruddy bull and bellowing like thunder.
And at night he glowed like a black steed studded with pearls. The ancient King sat in
his lofty abode like a grand- old bull, holding a thunderbolt and smiling through the
clouds.
10.2. He was the first sky-god; and was regarded as the Great Father (Dayus-pitar),
while Prithvi the Earth was the Mother principle (Prithvi-matar). The imagery of the
Father- sky fertilizing the Mother-earth through rains abounds in most traditions. The
association of Dayus and Prithvi encompassed the entire visible world as if by two
great bowls (dhishane) facing each other (uttana) – (RV. 1.164.33). Dayus and Prithvi
together symbolized heaven – earth – couple, the universal parents, Dyava-
Prithvi. Dyauṣ and Pritihvi are said to provide for all creatures in the worlds, they are
a mighty pair, who never fail and keep everyone safe (RV. 1.159, 1.160)
pra dyāvā yajñaiḥ pṛthivī ṛtāvṛdhā mahī stuṣe vidatheṣu pracetasā |
devebhirye devaputre sudaṃsasetthā dhiyā vāryāṇi prabhūṣataḥ ||
Even today, young couples take their marriage-vows in the name of Dayus and
Prithvi “I am Dayus the sky and you are Prithvi the earth” (Dyaur aham Prithvi tvam
– BAU 4.4.20); and promise one another to live as harmoniously as Dayus and Prithvi
do.
Dher aham prithvi tvam, Retoham retabhru tvam, Manoham asmi vak-tvam,
Samaham asmi rikri-tvam, Sa maam anuvruta bhava
I am the sky and you are the earth; I am the energy , you are its form; If I am the
thought , you are the word that expresses it ; If I am Saman ( music) , then you are
the Rik ( verse) that portrays it ; You and I, in essence complete and
complement each other, and follow each other forever.
10.3. The Rig Vedic mythology speaks very little about the exploits or the grandeur of
the older deity Dayus. There is very little of a tangible god in Dayus. The reason is not
far to seek. Much of his pre-Rig Veda life events perhaps went unnoticed. Further,
Dayus had always been an abstract deity. With the passage of time he was associated
more and more with the physical sky; and, less and less with kingship. He was a rather
passive god; and he also lacked omniscience, authority and creativity. His image of
fatherhood too faded into a myth. In contrast, Prithvi the kind and gracious Mother -
Earth grew increasingly resplendent; and came to be revered in all cultures as the
embodiment of life-giving and life supporting loftiest Mother- Principle
(matushpade parame) — (differentiated from Bhumi the physical earth).Because of
her dual nature the manifold beauty Prithvi is celebrated as ‘dvi-rupa prithvi’.
The new Sky-god King

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11.1. Varuna of Rig Veda replaced the older god Dayus and became the new sky-god
in the Vedic pantheon. Unlike Dayus, Varuna was not a mere sky-god. He was much
more than that. He was the king of gods. He symbolized the sky in all its aspects. As
compared to Dayus, Varuna was more tangible and vivid in his personality, with
positive characteristics, definite relationships with gods and men; and with concrete
achievements to show. He was also charged with specific cosmic functions.
11.2. Varuna the Asura-Arya (RV 7.65.2)the noble lord among the gods is the king of
all (Asura Mahat); ruler of gods and men (RV 2.27.16); king of the whole world (RV
5.85.3); and, of all that exists (RV 7.87.6). As an ethical governor he stands above
other gods. He is the independent ruler –svaraj (RV 2.28.1); and the universal
monarch (samrat).Varuna declares “I, Varuna, am king…I, Varuna, am Indra too
(RV 1.4.42) “
11.3. He declares, “I am king Varuna; these powers (Asurya) were first given to me
“(RV 4.22.2). Varuna’s sovereignty (kshatra) over all visible existence is
characterized by his omnipresence and omniscience. His eye is in the
sky svadrsa (RV 5.63.2); the golden sun roaming throughout the firmament from
dawn to dusk is his eye; and just as the sun that observes everything upon earth he
sees all without any hindrance. He is far sighted-uruchaksasa (RV 1.25.16); he is
thousand eyed sahasraksha (RV 7.34.10) as the stars in the night sky; he sees all; and
he watches all through his ever vigilant spies (spasa). And, he knows all
(visvadrastara) through his superior knowledge (asura-maya). He is everywhere in
the universe and around it; pervading all things as the inner law and order of creation.
Raja Varunah is the fountainhead of discrimination, and omnipotent
wisdom (RV. 1.24. 6). Varuna is the king who ensures order and harmony in all his
realms.
11.4. Varuna was also armed with the royal authority to judge men, to dispense justice
and to impose punishments. Those powers and authority elevated Varuna to the lofty

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position of a true sovereign lord (samraaj) of the sky, of the earth and of all visible
existence. And, he became the uncontested ruler (Kshatriya, Raja) of the sky, of the
Adityas the solar deities and of all the realms (raja rastraanam). Dayus the old-god
was not endowed with any such power or authority.
Rajasuya

12.1. In the early verses of the Rig Veda, the horse (asva) a symbol of kingship and
solar associations is the emblem of King Varuna the sun eyed sky-god. Varuna
is Asva the horse. Varuno va asvaha (TB. 2.2.5.3). Rajasuya is the Yaga (dedication)
that establishes a king’s unquestioned authority over all lands; and, it is associated
with Varuna. He is the presiding deity of Rajasuya. Whenever an unconquered king
performs Rajasuya, Varuna is invoked in that king. He becomes Varuna. That is
because the Rajasuya is conceived as the re-enactment of the Yaga performed by
Varuna the first monarch in the Vedic tradition.
Epithets
13.1. As the emperor (samraj), Varuna is mighty and awe-inspiring, he is Risadas the
destroyer of enemies (RV 1.2.7), tuvijata and uruksaya mighty (RV 1.17.1). His might
and speed are unequalled (RV 1.24.8). He is at once terrible and merciful.
Raja Varunah the king is a fountainhead of discrimination and wisdom. He is the
discriminating (pracetas) wise lord; the clever (grtsa); the adept (sukratu); the skilful
in discriminating between the good and the evil, true and untrue ; and deciding upon
the truth of things (daksham or putadaksham) -(RV. (1.2.7-.9; and 1.24.7). Varuna is
the knower (vidvas); the wise (medha); the intelligent (dhira). He is the seer (kavi);
the inspired (vipra) great-poet (kavitara); the greatest of poets (kavitama).
Varuna is the Great One (Mahat); the vast (brahat); the mighty (bhuri); and the
immense (prabhuti).Varuna is rtvan upholding the eternal law – Rta. Varuna is the
abode of life (visvayu).
The setback
14.1. Although Varuna remains supreme and the symbol of kingship in Rig Veda, his
status declines with time. As a successor to Dayus, Varuna flourished as the sole and
undisputed king of the celestial arch only for a short time. It was rather a short-lived
glory .Varuna soon had to share his power and authority with Mitra. That marked the
beginning of his decline. Just as Varuna succeeded where Dayus had failed; the other
gods stepped in and took over from Varuna as he fell short of the demands that new

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challenges made.”The gods progressively lose their importance and are replaced by
other divine figures nearer to man, more concrete and more dynamic- solar gods,
Great Gods and Goddesses”.
We shall talk of Varuna’s decline, separately, later in part four of the article.
C. The Upholder of Rta

It is said; Varuna the Mayin through his power of Maya

ordained Rta, Vrata and Dharma.
Maya
15.1. The term Maaya in the context of Rig Veda and Varuna, signifies a sort of
peculiar power or wisdom. It does not mean Maya the delusion that Vedanta speaks
about; it is also not the magic conjured by a magician or a demon; nor does it connote
fraud, illusion, unreality, deception, sorcery, magical skill or exhibition of tricks. It is
not even one of Indra’s transforming skills – of changing forms and
appearances. Maya of Varuna does not have negative connotations. Varuna’s Maya is
not avidya; but it is prajna the revealing vidya. It suggests his all-comprising
knowledge, the wisdom extraordinary. It is through the power of that
wisdom (mayaya), the mighty Asura Varuna (asurasya) encompasses all existence,
binds together, brings order and harmony into the physical and moral realms; and it is
through that power he presides over the relationship between man and man, man and
nature , and man and god (RV. 6. 48, 14; 7. 28. 4; 10. 99. 10; 10. 147. 5). By virtue of
that special faculty Varuna comes to represent the inner reality of all things; he is the
abode of all life (visvayu).
Rta
16.1. Rta by far is a most wonderful concept envisioned by the seers of the Rig Veda.
Scholars have described it variously in different contexts. I prefer to view Rta as a
concept that asserts: world is an order, not chaos, the events and phenomena in nature
occur nether by chance nor by random; each being or substance exists in certain
established relationship according to its own laws (svabhava) in harmony within itself
and with the world around it. Rta for me signifies the natural order and integrity of all
forms of life and ecological systems. The principle of Rta recognizes our oneness with
our environment and our unity with all life on earth.

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16.2. Rta (derived from the root ri – to move) signifies the dynamic principle which is
inherent in the Universe. Thus, Rta is the reality that defines the framework of natural
order as it moves and changes.
When the order in the relationship between man and nature, between man and god
and between man and man, is disturbed or ruptured, the disruptive elements
of disorder, chaos and falsehood (an-rta) step in, bringing in their wake ugliness ,
dishonesty , decay and ruin into life. Rta therefore has protective as also moral
dimensions to it.
16.3. Looking at it in another manner, Rta reduces chaos, secures order and
integration to matter. It also ensures symmetry and harmony in the environment; and a
sense of balance in mans’ life. Hence the conception of Rta has an aesthetic attribute
too; it implies not merely order but also beauty in nature and in life.
17.1. Rta is viewed in the Rig Veda as the most potent force or as a system that has
already been in place. It was not created by gods. In that sense Rta is deemed unborn,
eternal or natural. It is even said that gods owe their existence to Rta as they are born
of Rta. The gods are described as governors who uphold (gopa rtasya), practice
(rtayu) and oversee the physical order and also the moral order of the universe – Rta.
The gods reward the virtuous and punish those who infringe Rta. Even the gods are
subject to its laws; and they have to abide by it. It seems, the notion of Rta is akin to a
constitution or a set of laws of a nation. Even the executive and legislative wings of its
government that are charged with the responsibility of safeguarding, interpreting and
implementing the laws have to abide by it ; they are not above the law.(This is a brittle
analogy ; not to be pressed too hard.)
17.2. That sounds wonderful and rational. But, an interesting fallout of that concept is:
the order that exists on the earth or in the universe is not by the will of gods; but it is
due to the larger principle of Rta- the laws of nature which have physical and moral
dimensions. That in a way sidelines the importance or even the need for a god. But,
men sinking in the mire of the world desperately need a peg to hang on. They yearn
for a god they can trust implicitly, to place their faith, to look for guidance and hope,
to love, to pray, to submit, and above all to fear. Therefore any religion in the world is
based on two basic assumptions: the ways of nature are governed by the will of god;
and that god can be won over by faith, rituals and prayers. That critical human need
for a god, I reckon, was the undoing of the Rta principle. It’s rational and impersonal
aspect was soon given up; and its laws were personalized as gods of nature such as the
sun, moon, the winds, the earth etc; and they were given forms and attributes. Varuna
the governor was portrayed as a stern judge who instilled fear in the hearts and minds
of men. Yama the first mortal was later assigned some of those functions.
[According to some scholars, the attempt to give a form (murti) to the formless (a-
murta) marked the point of departure between the clans of two great sages Bhrigu and
Angirasa. And it gave rise to a cult which retained the worship of the formless through
Agni (fire); discarded idols and rejected the personalized gods; and it laid enormous

74
emphasis on monotheism as also on the sharp distinction between the good and the
evil. We shall talk a bit more on these issues in the last part of the article.]
Rta in nature
18.1. In the world of natural phenomena, Rta is described as the firm, fundamental
and inherent law of nature (RV. 4.24.8-9). It is the controlling and the sustaining
power in nature. Rta ordains the laws of the physical world; regulates the laws of
birth, growth and decay in nature (RV 2.28.4); controls and balances all natural forces
in environment. Through Rta the nature moves in an orderly manner. In short, whole
of the manifested world is working by the laws of Rta. For instance, it is said;” By
the law of Varuna heaven and earth are held apart; the planets rotate in their fixed
orbits (RV 5.62.1). By Rta the sun shines in heaven; the paths are set out for the sun;
the seasons (Ritu) change (RV 1.25.8); the hours are bound together; day and night
alternate regularly. By the laws of Rta the moon shining brightly moves at night, and
the stars placed up on high are seen at night but disappear by day. Rta causes the
rivers to flow into the ocean without over-filling it. Varuna the lord of Rta is the
binder. He binds together the deep- space, the space between the earth and yonder, the
winds, the clouds and the rays of light.”
Rta in social context
19.1. But its domain is not restricted to the world of phenomena; Rta extends beyond
to the sphere of moral order; and into the hearts of men. It is said; ensuring order and
harmony in nature is as sacred as it is in the conduct of one’s life. Rta has relevance in
all spheres of life and existence.
19.2. Theoretically, Rta might mean the order in the universe and in nature. But the
common person on earth views Rta as a set of social, ethical, moral and religious laws
and vows. He strives to abide by these laws. Rta thus represents the moral
consciousness in the world of men; and provides a framework for all duties and
obligations among men as also for the relationship between man and god (RV 7.63.3).
Thus Rta which also means the established path is the order that governs not only the
conduct of man, but also the totality of nature.
Sathya, Vrata and Rta
20.1. Prof PV Kane in his monumental “History of Dharmashatras ‘(vol.5, part
1) explains ‘speaking generally, Rta is the order in nature that has been there;
and Vrata is the set of laws laid down by gods; and Dharman is the duties and
obligations of an individual’.
20.2. It is also explained by others that Sathya, the Truth, is paramount, it is eternal
and changeless; and it is beyond all contradictions. It alone exists – in the beginning
and forever. It is the subtle essence of all existence. Sathya is the Supreme principle;
while Rta is the operational aspect or the projection of that principle in the manifest
world. Rta manifests as phenomena of that principle; and, it is shifting and changing.
Fresh phenomena are continually reproduced. But, the principle regulating the orderly
recurrence of such phenomena is eternal and stays unchanged .Rta is described as the

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boundary of creation within the limitless universe (RV. 2.28.4). For instance, the
notions of changing seasons (Ritu), the notions of sun set or rise, the movement of
stars and planets, the flow of winds; and the notion of directions are all relative; while
the Absolute governing principle is beyond all limitations.
In other words, Sathya is the principle of integration in the cosmic order; Rta is its
operating rule. And, Sathya is the Absolute Truth, while Rta is the relative
truth. Rta is subject to limitations of space, time and circumstances (context). It could
vary with times; and at times could even be violated, though its violation (an-
rta) leads to chaos and falsehood. To put it in another manner, Sathya is the Truth of
Being; and Rta is the truth of Becoming.
20.3. The term Vrata has several meanings, such as: religious or moral practices;
religious worship or observances; sacred or solemn vow of undertaking; any vow or
pattern of conduct; ordinance or duty. It also means the will or the command of the
lord, which has to be obeyed. And, all of that imposes a sense of duty. Thus the term
Vrata has extensive scope.
Rta and Dharma
21.1. The term Dharman seems to mean almost the same as Vrata; and it is the code of
right conduct in personal, social and religious life of human beings.
Atharva Veda prefers to call Rta as Dharma (AV 4.132); and, says ‘thou art Varuna
the guardian of Dharma Dharmanaam pathi”
21.2. Varuna the upholder of the dynamic Rta, is also connected with Vrata and
Dharman (RV: 3.59.1; 5.81.4; 8.52.3; 10.8.4). In context of Varuna, Vrata and
Dharma signify the code of conduct governing the ethical order, the dignity in life and
in nature.
21.3. Robert Pirsig in his ‘Lila: an inquiry into morals’ explains: Rta, which
etymologically stands for “course”, originally meant cosmic order, the maintenance of
which was the purpose of all the gods, and later it also came to mean right so that the
gods were conceived as preserving the world not merely from physical disorder but
also from moral chaos . The one idea is implicit in the other and there is order in the
universe because its control is in righteous hands…
The physical order of the universe is also the moral order of the universe; Rta is
both .This was exactly what the Metaphysics of Quality was claiming. It was not a
new idea. It was the oldest idea known to man. (Lila, 444)
Dharma, like Rta, means ‘what holds together.’ It is the basis of all order. It equals
righteousness. It is the ethical code. It is the stable condition which gives man perfect
satisfaction.
Dharma is Quality itself, the principle of ‘rightness’ which gives structure and
purpose to the evolution of life and to the evolving understanding of the universe
which life has created. (Lila, 446)’
Prayers to Rtvan

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22.1. Varuna who governs Rta is closer to men than any other god (RV 5.63.1).
Varuna evokes awe and reverence in the hearts of men because of his Asura-
Maya and his control over Rta.It inspires a faith that the world is sustained by a just
and an eternal law decreed by Rta for the well-being of all. Rig Veda advocates
conformity with the aim and purpose of these processes. It is the greatest good. The
devote firmly believe that compliance with this law tends to material and spiritual
progress and advancement paving way to higher forms of integration in life; while its
violation is punished with banishment to andha-tamas and to the house of clay (mrn-
maya –graha).
22.2. There is also a haunting fear that violation of ordained laws would bring
punishment from the noose wielding severe judge Varuna. Prayers are submitted to
Varuna seeking his mercy, forgiveness and release from bonds of sin.
22.3. The devote aspire for the abode of truth (sadanam-rtasya) that is not haunted by
fear of death (Amruta-loka). They pray to Varuna to guide them along the path of
truth (Rtasya-panthah), to lead them from mortality (mruthah)
to immortality (Amruthah); and from untruth(Anrtahah) to truth (rtahah) —
(Sampraptam Rtam Amrutam).
Epithets
23.1. Varuna of pure will (putadakasha) along with Mitra is described as Rtvan the
governor and the promoter (tayu, tavat) of Rta. The law of Varuna (Rta) extended in
heavens as on earth. He is also called dhta-vrata (one who supports Vrata), niti-dhara
(one who supports moral laws) and putadakasha (of pure will). He is Dharmanaam
pathi, the Lord of Dharma. Varuna safeguards Rta (gopa rtasya) and
separates Rta from an-Rta; the true from the false (RV 10.124.5).Rta thus
symbolically represents triumph of good over evil.
Varuna is ritasya-didivim– the illuminators of truth. As a moral governor (gopa-
rtasya) Varuna stands far above any other deity. It is said; it was by the law of Varuna
that Indra was ordained as Prajapathi, the progenitor.
The fall
24.1. In the later texts, with the rise of Indra and Prajapathi, Varuna loses his superior
position. Prajapathi in turn loses his power and authority over creation, sustenance and
ordered existence to Vishnu.
Even in the Rig Veda there appears a fear that Rta is losing its importance and it needs
to be re-born. The poet Kutsa makes a plea “We ask of Varuna, the knower of the path
–I utter this from my heart; let the rta be born anew (navyah jayatam rtam). Know
this of me, Oh Heaven and Earth (RV 1.105.15)” .Varuna’s fall eventually brings
about the decline in the importance of the Rta principle. The term Asura with which
Varuna was specially associated also acquires negative connotations. The later Vedic
texts too lament the demise of Rta and the fall of Varuna; as for instance in the legend
of the boy Sunahsepa in the Aitareya Brahmana.
[We shall talk about Varuna’s decline separately later in these articles.]

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D. Varuna the judge

The all-seeing and all-knowing

25.1. Varuna’s superiority was derived not through his physical power or prowess but
through his authority as the ethical overlord; and through his wonderful all-
compassing vision and knowledge – Maya. As mentioned earlier, in the context of Rig
Veda, Maya signifies wisdom and power. Varuna is described as the celestial god who
sees everything and therefore knows everything. He is the seer Kavi and the best
among the Kavis (RV 1.2.9).He sees with many eyes uruchaksasa (RV 1.25.5), with
as many as thousand eyes (sahasraksha); and nothing escapes his attention. He
is vishva – darsata, all seeing (RV 1.25.18); and therefore he is the all-knowing
(visva-vedasa).
He controls the destinies of men. Everything is subject to Varuna’s authority and
control; nothing happens without his knowledge; and he takes everything.
“Varuna’s power is so great that neither the birds as they fly nor the rivers as they
flow, can reach the limit of his dominion, his might, and his wrath(RV 1.24.9)…He
embraces the All and the abodes of all beings (RV 8.41.1-2). He is found even in the
smallest drop of water. Varuna is omniscient. He knows the flight of all birds in the
sky, the path of ships in the ocean, the course of the far travelling wind, and beholds
all the secret things that have been or shall be done(RV 1.25.7-11)… None can escape
from the sight of Varuna, for his spies ever at work have thousand eyes and look all
over the three regions…..He witnesses men’s’ truth and falsehood (RV 7.49.3). He
knows all the secret movements of men…If a man walks, sits, sleeps, dreams; if two
persons counsel together Varuna is always present there as the third person ….No
creature can even wink without him (RV 2.28.6) . The winking of men’s eyes are all
numbered by Varuna, and whatever man does, thinks, or devises, Varuna knows.(AV
4.16.4-5) . His snares extend threefold (body, mind and vital energy –prana) seven
times.”
The judgmental god
26.1. Of all the Vedic gods, Varuna is the judgmental god. As the King, Varuna
judges the morality of men; and dispenses justice. He is the seer of men (nrchaksa

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– RV 7.60.2); and the seer of their truth and falsehood (RV 7.49.3). He watches over
men’s thoughts, speech and actions; judges them accordingly. Varuna protects the
good; he is most compassionate to the virtuous; and extends the lives of the good. He
punishes the wrongdoer severely (RV 7.86.3-4) and shortens the lives of the sinners.
He is feared as a severe judge. His wrath is roused by sin which, in fact, is the
infringement of his ordinance. He terrifies the guilty; but when gratified with heartfelt
repentance and sincere prayers he forgives the penitent wrongdoer and frees him from
the bonds of sins.
[In the later texts, some of these functions of Varuna were assigned to Yama the
Dharma – raja.]
The roots of Sin
27 .1. Sin is viewed as an external accretion; it is not man’s essential nature; and, it
can be removed. It meant that man by nature is divine and is not always a sinner. He
strays into sin either through lack of self-control or of ignorance or greed.”It was not
our own will, Varuna,” says the seer, “but some seduction which led us astray, wine,
anger, dice or thoughtlessness. The stronger perverts the weaker even sleep occasions
sin.” (RV. 7. 86. 6)
27.2. There is a belief that a person does not commit sins wantonly or of his own will
‘svadaksa’. He strays into the zone of sin because of human frailties, driven by
selfishness, by ignorance; by lack of right understanding; by infirmity of will; or by
uncontrolled anger, lust or greed; or by wicked company; or by following bad-
examples; or because of being frightened by evil dreams (suggesting that even a
dream could be provocative); or under influence of liquor.
27.3. The weaknesses in human nature and malevolent influences cause a person to
commit sins against his/her fellow beings. Such sins could include, for instance,
murder; extreme indulgence in gambling, liquor; rage; cheating in game of dice;
adultery, sexual misconduct etc. It also includes deception, not repaying ones debts;
cursing, telling the untruth (an-rta) and to actively carry it out (druh). Such sins are
infringement of Varuna’s commands, whether it was deliberate or otherwise.
A person is responsible not merely for his own wrongdoing but also for those of his
ancestors. He carries the burden of their sins too.
Sins against nature
28.1. As said earlier, disturbing the harmony in nature or violating the laws of nature
is a departure from the established path (Rta) and a departure from what is true and
real. it leads to falsehood and chaos. Since such infringement negates Rta the
established moral order, it is called an-rta; it also is anti –nature or unnatural. It
amounts to disobedience of Varuna’s commands. Varuna is vigilant against an-
rta. It is said; the gods are friendly to the good and are inimical to the evil-minded.
28.2. It is explained, injuring the harmony that exists in nature and among men is in
fact a Sin. A sin (paapa) against nature, the truth and the gods attracts punishment
from king Varuna rtvan the custodian of Rta.

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Varuna’s commands
29.1. Varuna the ethical ruler sets the norms for right thinking, right speech and right
conduct. In the hymns of Varuna Suktha (in the seventh mandala of Rig Veda) we
have a fairly well developed scheme of right conduct, wrongdoing (the sin), admission
of guilt and plea for forgiveness. Varuna asks men not to kill, not to deceive, not to
gamble, not to cheat in gambling; not to curse; not to utter lies; not to be overtaken by
wine, anger and lust. None can afford to fool him since he knows the thoughts of all;
as also all deeds done and not done (RV 1.25.11); he sees all and hears all; he sees the
truth and falsehood of men. (RV 7.49.3) . He notices all malice (AV 1.10.2); and
when two people sit and converse there Varuna is present as the third (RV
4.16.2).Varuna confronts the evil-doers and binds them with his noose (pasa),which is
almost exclusively a weapon of Varuna.
[Please click here for an audio rendering of Varuna Suktha]
The punishment
30.1. The punishment that Varuna hands down to sinners are twofold: One is the fall
from Lord Varuna’s grace; and, the other is physical punishment by way of disease or
untimely death. The fall from Varuna’s favour was more dreaded than the latter; all
believers (bhakthas) were desperate to keep their fellowship with Varuna un-
impaired. Among the diseases brought by wrath of Varuna the ‘arpayit‘ (one who
inflicts diseases) the more commonly mentioned are harimana (jaundice)
and jalodara (dropsy) – a condition of abnormal accumulation of fluid in the body
tissues or cavities. The sinners pray Varuna to lessen the severity of punishment; and
to save from banishment, after death, to mrn-maya –graha the house of clay which
perhaps referred to the gloomy underworld in contrast to the bright and cheerful world
of pitris (fathers) heaven.
Sin as an unpaid debt –Rna
31.1. Rig Veda has an interesting concept of sin. The sin was the most terrifying
aspect of their lives. The Vedic people were therefore vigilant and attentive to the
core. Sin, in the Vedic context is that which disturbs the order in nature placed in
position by the gods. It is said; Sin is any inharmonious action done with avarice to
gain some immediate and temporary gain. It includes the infringement of the ethical
and social laws.
Man’s transgression or sin is considered rna or a debt that he has to repay in full. Sin
is akin to an unpaid debt; it is a burden and an act of bad faith. He has to repay that
debt in order to re-establish the order, restore the balance he disturbed. It is like
repairing the rupture one caused in the fabric of Rta.
The release
32.1. How does one repay such a terrible debt? Just as a pecuniary debt (rna) is paid-
up to get release from bonds of indebtedness, similarly, the burden of sin (papa) could
be got rid by realizing and owning one’s weaknesses and wrongdoings; by regretting

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ones sins; by repenting sincerely with heartfelt prayers and humble submissions to
Varuna seeking his forgiveness; and, by promising never to commit such sins again.
“O virtuous Lord, it is not our own choice, but our hard environments that betray
us”…. “Whatever offence we men commit against divine beings, and whichever your
laws we violate through ignorance, may you not, O Lord, be harsh to us on account of
that iniquity.”.. ”Opulent and pure Varuna, if through ignorance and infirmity I acted
contrary to your laws, yet grant me forgiveness, happiness and peace” (RV
7.89.3)… “We have broken your laws through thoughtlessness; for those
transgressions do not injure us; forgive us O God” (RV 7.89.5)…” Free us from sins
committed by our fathers, and from those we have ourselves offended. (7: 86.5)”.
32.2. Varuna, usually a stern and a severe judge would become merciful; dispel fear
and falsehood; grant protection and forgiveness when one truly repents and submits to
his will absolutely (RV 2.28.3; 7.88.6; 7.42.2).
Varuna who inflicts diseases can also relieve the sick. Varuna the great
physician maha- bheshaja (RV 1.24.9) has hundreds of remedies (shtam te rajan
bheshajam sahasram). Varuna drives away death and disease, cleanses sins and
restores good-health, in every sense, of those who repent sincerely and submit to him
in faith and devotion.
He is also merciful to those who transgressed his laws in ignorance or
thoughtlessness. Varuna is gracious to the penitent who swears he would not again
yield to malevolent forces and he would not sin again.
He loosens and unties the rope (pasa) (just as releasing a calf); and frees men from
bonds of sins when they plead for forgiveness and mercy. He also sets them free from
the sins committed by their forefathers.
The purification is through Paschastapa, ‘after the burning heat’, which signifies the
purifying fire of repentance. Thus, purification or release from sins is not through
rituals but by getting rid of mental and moral impurities or ill-health in ones heart and
mind. The best way to cleanse the sin is to come face to face with it; own it; confess to
it; and seek forgiveness with a promise not to err again. Cleansing is in the heart, mind
and deed; not in the rituals. That is the way of Varuna the purifier. That is how one
repays the debts of sin.
Hymns of Varuna
33.1. Varuna inspired awe and reverence. While the hymns addressed to other gods
seek long life, wealth, power and happiness; the hymns submitted to Varuna pray for
purity, forgiveness, and release from sins, and for moral strength against sinning
further. The hymns in praise of Varuna ‘the most impressive deity among all the
Vedic gods’ are lofty, more devout and ethical in tone. The hymns rise to a pitch of
exaltation when they sing the splendour of Varuna. In these hymns Varuna, more than
any other Vedic god, appears as a mighty and merciful.
Such attributes and functions ascribed to Varuna impart to his character a moral
elevation. “Indra protects from external foe; Varuna protects through upholding moral

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order (RV. 7. 83.9) “. Varuna symbolizes the notion of purity. As a moral governor
he stands above other gods.
33.2. It is also said; the notions of surrender, prapatti or sharanagati (absolute
submission to the will of god) which form the essential element of the Vaishnava and
other Bhakthi traditions have their origins in the hymns dedicated to Varuna in
the Varuna –Suktha of Rig Veda.
To sum up
34.1. The concept of Rta asserts that the order in nature is self regulated and operates
by its own laws (svabhava) ; and not necessarily by the will of gods or of a
supernatural being. Ensuring order and harmony in nature is as sacred as it is in
conduct of one’s life. That is because; Rta emphasizes the integrity of all forms of life
and ecological systems. The principle of Rta recognizes our oneness with our
environment and our unity with all life on earth. It is the framework that binds
together man, nature and god. Rta is thus the Dharma that pervades and protects all
life.
Injuring the harmony that exists in nature and among men is in fact the Sin; and it
attracts punishment.
34.2. A sin is an infringement of the natural order (Rta); it is a burden on the
individual and on the society. It is like a debt that one has failed to repay; it
is essentially an act of bad faith against fellow beings and nature. It is not the demons
that drive a man into arms of sin. But it is ignorance, greed and other human
weaknesses that are at the root of sins. The evil is in the hearts and minds of men; and
these are metaphorically described demons. The best way to cleanse the sins or to
drive away the demons is to come face to face with them; to own your mistakes;
to confess to it; to sincerely repent your bad acts and to seek forgiveness with a
promise not to err again. Cleansing is in the heart, mind and deed; not in the rituals.
That is the Varuna’s way.
34.3. The notions of acknowledging ones sins, confessing to ones sins, praying for
forgiveness with a pledge never to sin again were prevalent in the Vedic times much
before they became popular in other religions.
E. Varuna – waters
35.1. In the Rig Veda, Varuna is essentially connected with ‘celestial’ waters; the
waters in the atmosphere, the seed of life in the universe. These waters symbolize the
manifest as well as the un-manifest primeval matter- Prakrti or Vak or Aditi or
Viraj. It is the primary source of all possibilities of manifestation in the
universe. Varuna is described as the ’hidden ocean’ (samudro apicyah) –RV.8.41.8;
he is also said to dwell in waters as Soma does in the wood.
35.2. However, there are also passages that suggest Varuna’s control over waters on
earth. In these passages Varuna is neither regarded as the god of the ocean, nor is he
mentioned as the god of water-element. The references that connect him to waters are
mainly in the context of Varuna’s supremacy over all realms and bringing

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order (Rta) into the physical world. As the creator and as the sustainer of all existence
he is said to have conjured up , among other things, rains in the atmosphere (RV
5.63.3); sent down rains to the earth (RV.10.125.7); determined the course of the
rivers (RV. 7.89.1); and ensured that the ocean into which the rivers empty
themselves does not over flow..’I made to flow the moisture-shedding waters, and set
the heaven firm in the seat of Order (Rta)’ – (RV 7.49.4)
There are also prayers submitted to Varuna seeking his protection “”May the waters
which are celestial, and those which flow; those for which channels are dug, and those
which are self-produced; those which are proceeding to the ocean, and are bright and
purifying, preserve me! May those (waters) in the midst of which King Varuna goes . .
. preserve me!”(RV. 7.49.2-4)
35.3. In the later Vedic texts Varuna’s nature and attributes undergo a major shift.
Varuna who once was the god of the blue-sky later becomes the god of the sea and
eventually of the water element on earth. He is reduced to a mere chief of terrestrial
waters, rivers, streams, and lakes, but primarily of the ocean. He then is promptly
dispatched undersea.
We shall talk about some other interesting aspects of Varuna’s association with
waters, separately and in fair detail, in the fourth part of this article.

– Varuna in Samhitas , Brahmanas and other texts

References and Sources
1. Indra and Varuna in Indian Mythology by Dr. UshChoudhuri; Nag Publishers,
Delhi, 1981
2. The Indian Theogony by Dr.Sukumari Bhattarcharji, Cambridge University Press,
1970
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3. Asura in early Vedic religion by WE Hale; Motilal Banarsidass; Delhi, 1986
4. Goddesses in ancient India by PK Agrawala,; Abhinav Publications, New
Delhi,1984
5. The Hymns of Atharvan Zarathustra by JM Chatterji; the Parsi Zoroastrian
Association, Calcutta, 1967; http://www.avesta.org/chatterj_opf_files/slideshow.htm.
6. Outlines of Indian Philosophy –Prof M Hiriyanna; Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi, 2005
7.Original Sanskrit texts on the 0rigin and history of the people of India, their region
and institution By J. Muir;Trubner & co., London, 1870.
8. A classical dictionary of Hindu mythology and religion, geography, history, and
literaturebyJohn Dowson; Turner & co, Ludgate hill. 1879.
9. Vaidika Sahitya Charitre by Dr. NS Anantharangachar; DVK Murthy, Mysore,
1968
10. Sri Brahmiya Chitra Karma sastram by Dr. G. Gnanananda
11. Zarathustra Chapters 1-6 by Ardeshir Mehta; February 1999
http://www.indiayogi.com/content/indgods/varuna.aspx
http://www.bookrags.com/research/varua-eorl-14/
http://www.bookrags.com/wiki/Varuna
http://www.hinduweb.org/home/dharma_and_philosophy/vshirvaikar/Dnyaneshwari/
Dnch10pg1.html
http://rashmun.sulekha.com/blog/post/2010/03/vedic-literature-the-degradation-of-
varuna-and-indra.htm
http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Varuna
http://www.indiadivine.org/audarya/vedic-verses/453851-vak-suktam-aka-devi-
suktam.html
http://www.svabhinava.org/HinduCivilization/AlfredCollins/RigVedaCulture_ch07-
frame.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahura_Mazda
http://www.iamronen.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/ReadingLila.pdf
http://www.hummaa.com/player/player.php
Varuna and his decline – Part Three
04OCT
Varuna in other Vedic texts, Mahabharata and Puranas

We have seen in the earlier parts that Varuna of the Rig Veda was a highly venerated
god. He was hailed as the sole sovereign sky-god; the powerful Asura, the King of
both men and gods, and of all that exists. He governed the laws of nature as also the
ethical conduct of men. He is very often described as the saviour in times of peril and
distress; one who liberates from sin; the merciful god as well as the punisher of the
sinners. He is connected with the symbolic waters of creation from which the manifest
world emerges.

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Let’s see how Varuna fares in the other Vedic texts, and in the epics- Mahabharata
and Ramayana – as also in the Puranas.
F. Varuna in Yajur Veda

36.1. Varuna continues to occupy an exalted position even in the Yajur Veda. There
are however no references to his sovereignty as the sky-god. Varuna in Yajur Veda,
essentially, is the governor of Rta the order in nature and in the moral conduct among
men. He judges, punishes as also pardons the wrongdoers. He is also related to the
primeval waters (mahat salilam) which have mystical connotations.
The lord of physicians
36.2. In the Yajur Veda, Varuna is related to the beneficial life-giving and lifesaving
herbs (oushadha) which depend on water for their existence and growth. Varuna
appears not merely as the god of waters but also as the physician (maha-
bheshaja) and the lord of physicians (varunam bheshajam patim – YV. 21.40). The
herbs Osadhayah come from waters, and Varuna protects the waters as also the herbs.
As the lord of waters and of the herbs Varuna the physician becomes a revered deity
in Ayurveda the science of life.
The child of the waters
36.3. Yajur Veda mentions that the waters with which Varuna is connected are the
waters of the atmosphere. These waters are described as Apah, Maha-salilam the great
waters which denote primeval matter from which the manifest world emerges. Aditi
the great mother of all gods is also said to give birth to the manifest world. Aditi is
thus equated with Apah. As Apah, Aditi is the creative energy which is active
(YV.10.7).That is, Aditi the mother of all gods is Prakrti and Shakthi the manifesting
or the creative power. The notion of her divinity rests upon her power as a woman, a
womb or a mother to give birth to and to bring forth life and existence.
Varuna (son of Aditi) who resides among these waters (Apah) is therefore called the
child of the waters (Apam shishu) in the best of mothers. It is explained; the
expression ‘best of mothers’ refers to the protective and nourishing nature of the
waters as mothers. They are the gracious guides and protective mothers; and, Varuna
is their child.

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[It is also said; since Varuna dwells in waters he was also called Apam Napat (Apam
= water; Napat = fire), ‘Son of the Waters’ (RV.1.2.35). Apam Napat is also referred
to as the embryo (garbha) of the waters (RV.7.9.3). It is said; the sun when he sinks
into waters – to quench his thirst – becomes Varuna the fire in the waters (Apam
Napat).
It is believed; the clan of the Bhrigus were the first to introduce the fire-ritual and the
Soma-ritual; and were also the first to discover the nexus between fire and water
(Apam Napat).The Bhrigus were associated with water as also fire. And, Varuna was
the supreme deity of the Bhrigus.
Apam Napat, both in Sanskrit and Avestan, also means ‘grandson of waters’. Pra-
napatin the Rig-Veda (viii. 17, 13) denotes ‘great-grandson.’(R V. 2. 35.13).
It might also mean the fire that is produced when lightning strikes the earth. Let’s
say; Clouds (water) –Here, it perhaps, specifically refers to the lightening: The
grandson of the waters has descended to this earth in the form of a different fire. >
lightening -> fire; then lightening is the son of water and fire (Agni) is the grandson of
water.
Otherwise, the term Apama Napat normally refers to Agni who dwells in the water
(RV: 10.45.1). It is said; Agni riding on a horse rose from the depths of waters where
he resides. He is thus Apam Napat, the son of the waters.
Agni as Apam Napat is celebrated in one entire hymn (RV: 2.35.6). He is described
as: “Brilliant and youthful; he shines without fuel in the waters which surround and
nourish him. Clothed in lightning, he is golden in form, appearance,
and color. Standing in the highest place, he always shines with undimmed splendor.
Steeds, swift as thought, carry the Son of Waters”. ]
In the Yajna
36.4. Yajur Veda is the book of Yajnas. During an Yajna, Varuna along with Mitra is
invoked and invited to take seat on the North side of the altar Yajna-vedi and
requested to protect Rtathe law of nature ; and also to bring good rains (YV. 2.3;
2.16). The invitation to Varuna to occupy the seat on the North is interesting. North is
the direction of the gods; it is the direction of Soma initially (as per Brih. Upanishad)
and then of Kubera the sub-divine who is friendly with gods. Thus, in Yajur Veda,
Varuna was still the major god of the Yajna. In the later texts Varuna was, however,
assigned a seat on the West where the sun sinks into sea and into the night.
Rta in everyday life
36.5. Rta in the Rig Veda generally meant the order in the universe. Yajur Veda gives
that principle a practical form, the one that could be applied in the everyday world of
men. It says, in heavens Rta could very well be the cosmic order, but on
earth Rta means the social, ethical, religious and such other laws that govern him.
Yajur Veda warns, the violation of these laws would bring the wrath of Varuna and
his noose. Varuna the abstract god of sky and Rta thus takes a practical shape,
especially when misery befalls unseen. He is therefore invoked constantly to save

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erring men from his noose. “Keep us away from nirriti (the fall from the Rta); deliver
us from the sin that we have committed”
His three-fold noose

36.6. Varuna is said to hold a three-fold noose to bind those who sin (enah). The three
bonds of that noose are commonly understood as the three-fold misery (taapa –traya)
or the bonds that restrict a man in three planes: physical, vital and mental.
But, Yajur Veda, in fact, employs the metaphors of the heavens, the waters and the
ocean. It says Varuna has three bonds in heaven (trini ta ahurdivi); three in waters
(trinyapsu) and three within the ocean (trinyantah samudre) – (YV.29.15). Many
scholars right from Sri Sayanacharya have provided explanations to these mystical
metaphors. [I am not quite clear about these interpretations. Let me leave it at that, for
now. Sorry.]
G. Varuna in Atharva Veda

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37.1. Atharva Veda, the main text of the Bhrigus, has a special relation with
Varuna. Here he is venerated as an aspect of the Supreme: ”He is Varuna, He is Agni,
and He is Mitra” (AV.13.3.13). In its philosophical discussions, Varuna is treated as a
manifestation of Brahman.
The Atharva Veda does not seem to dwell much on Varna’s sovereignty over the sky
or his control over Rta the order in the universe. Yet, the position of Varuna in
Atharva Veda continues be exalted
The king who judges and pardons
37.2. Varuna of Atharva Veda is also the king who watches over the world, punishes
the guilty; and forgives the sins of those who implore his pardon.
The king Varuna (Varunasya Rajnah) is greeted with respect (Namaste Raajan) –
(AV.1.10.1-2). He is Asura the powerful Lord; and is highly celebrated. The king
possessed of mystic powers (Maya) is a strict ruler who employs spies to watch over
his subjects. He chastises the wrongdoers; and he also pardons those who repent and
seek his merciful forgiveness.
Hymns to Varuna
37.3. The hymns in Atharva Veda in praise of Varuna ‘the most impressive deity
among all the Vedic gods’ are lofty, more devout and ethical in tone. They pray for
purity, forgiveness, and release from sins, and for moral strength against sinning
further. The hymns rise to a pitch of exaltation as they sing the splendour of Varuna.
In these hymns Varuna, more than any other Vedic god, appears as a mighty and
merciful.
Of the many soulful hymns submitted to Varuna, the sixteenth hymn in the fourth
book of the Atharva Veda sung by sage Vashista celebrating Varuna’s power and
omniscience is often quoted and hailed by scholars as being among the most devote
and forceful hymns in the Vedic literature
The gods know all men do, though men would fain their deeds disguise:
Whoever stands, whoever moves, or steals from place to place,
Or hides him in his secret cell, the gods his movements trace.
Wherever two together plot, and deem they are alone,
King Varuna is there, a third, and all their schemes are known.
His spies descending from the skies glide this entire world around;
Their thousand eyes, all scanning, sweep to earth’s remotest bound.
Whatever exists in heaven and earth, whatever beyond the skies,
Before the eye of Varuna the king unfolded lies.
The secret winking all he counts of every mortal’s eyes;
He wields this universal frame as gamester throws his dice.
Those knotted nooses which thou flingst, O god! the bad to snare,
All liars let them overtake, but all the truthful spare.”
(AV.4.16.7-8)
(Translated by J Muir, Original Sanskrit Texts, 1870)

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Apam-adhipathi
37.4. While mentioning his connection with waters Varuna is referred to as– Apam-
adhipathi the Lord who resides in the primeval waters. These waters are described as
of golden hue, pure and purifying; and, they are the material cause for creation
(AV.1.33.1-3)
H. Varuna in the Brahmanas

38.1. Brahmanas are the books of rites and rituals. Varuna continues to occupy an
elevated position even in the Brahmanas. Varuna is the deity who presides over the
rule or the order in the proper performance of a Yajna. Varuna removes the bad
elements of the Yajna and protects the auspicious ones (varunah yajnasya svistam
pati– Ait. Brh.38.7.5). Varuna is vigilant safeguarding Sathya (truth); and is opposed
to an-rta (falsehood). Varuna punishes the wrong doers with his knots
(granthyah- SB.1.3.1.16).
Offerings to Varuna
38.3. Varuna is a very revered god in the Brahmanas. Oblations are offered to Varuna
respectfully along with other deities. He is offered the seat on the North which,
according to Taittereya Brahmana, is the direction of Varuna (esa – uttara- varunasya
dik– Tai.Br. 33.8.20.4). This is significant; and is a proof of Varuna’s esteemed
position in the Brahmanas and among the Devas. (In the later texts Varuna is sent
west)
Varuna is also invoked through an oblation procedure called Varuna-
praghasa performed at the commencement of the rainy season in the month
of Ashada, seeking deliverance from his noose; and for his grace to lead a healthy and
faultless life (SB.2.5.3.1). ”Whatever sins we have committed in the village,
forest…in the society and in our own self… from all that we rid ourselves.” This was
an occasion devoted mainly to confessions and to seeking varuna’s mercy and
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forgiveness. Whatever be the practices associated with it, the Varuna-praghasa is
essentially a purity-ritual.
In philosophical dialogues
39.1. In the Brahmanas Varuna is celebrated as lord of truth (Gopatha Brh: 1. 1.7);
and as one who envelops all existence. The Brahmanas ascribe to Varuna every type
of law that relates man with God.
39.2. The Brahmanas talk of the mystical or the philosophical nature of Varuna
through allegories and speculative dialogues.
(i) They mention: the night belongs to Varuna (Varuna Rahtri) Varuna is Rathri
(Raathri Varunah) and the black colour belongs to Varuna. Varuna is also identified
with waters (Apah) the primal cause of creation; as also with the vital
airs: Apana, Prana and Vyana. And, Varuna is Agni too. When Agni burns brightly he
then indeed is the purifying Varuna (SB2.3.2.10).That is because, Varuna symbolizes
the notion of essential purity in life and in nature.
(ii). The Brahmanas, especially the Shatapatha Brahmana (SB) carry elaborate
discussions about the relationship that exists between truth (Sathya) and waters. It
said; truth is the same as waters for waters are the truth. Hence: ’whereby waters flow
that is the form of truth. It is the waters indeed that were first made in the
universe. When waters flow everything whatever that exists is
produced.”(SB.10.5.4.1). Waters also symbolize the law. Water causes everything to
exist and to grow in order. The waters are the reality (SB.7.6.1.4) and represent
immortality (Amrtatavam va Apah – SB.1.9.3.7). They are the faith (Shraddaha) in
life (Tai.Br.3.2.4.1). All gods and all beings are water; as they are the foundation and
the ultimate source of the universe; and everything is contained in them
(SB 10.5.4.4.15).
[Let’s talk about these issues as also Varuna’s association with waters, separately, in
the next section.]
Other identities
40.1. The Kausatakai Brahmana (18.9) says Sri the symbol of prosperity and beauty
belongs to Varuna (Sri vai Varunah).
40.2. Varuna is also identified with time. All the movements in time and space belong
to him; he is time samvathsara (samvathsaro Varunah- SB. 4.4.5.18).
40.3. Jaiminiyopanishad Brahmana identifies Varuna with Savita the solar deity. It
asks: ’what is Savita?’ what is Savithri?’ Varuna is Savita; waters are Savithri.
Varuna’s identity with Savitar a solar deity perhaps dates back to the early phase of
Rig Veda; and it is interesting. To start with, Varuna was one of the solar gods
(Adityas) and represented the setting sun; he was also a friend of Aryaman and Mitra
another solar god. Varuna and Mitra were invoked together .But, later Varuna’s
association with lunar gods (Soma, Yama, Rudra etc.) gets stronger as Varuna slides
away from brightness towards darkness.

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40.4. The Horse (asva) the epitome of vigour, speed and majesty symbolizes the king
and the kingship. Horse is also an emblem of the sun; and, Varuna was one of the
solar gods. The horse is thus identified with Varuna and with the power of Asura the
king (Varuno vai asvah– Tai.Br.2.2.5.).The much talked about Rajasuya Yaga which
establishes the unchallenged supremacy of a king is also about establishing the rule of
law in the kingdoms. Since Varuna is associated with the kingship, the horse and
upholding the law, it is said, any Rajasuyaperformed by any king is, in fact, a
dedication to Varuna – the first monarch in the Vedic tradition and the lord of the
law Dharmapati (SB.5.3.3.9).
In the legends
41.1. Some Brahmanas carry legends concerning Varuna. The Aitareya
Brahmana narrates the legend of the boy Sunahsepa and the king Harischandra who is
punished by the god Varuna. This story is also narrated in Puranas and other texts
with slight modifications.
41.2. Shatapatha Brahmana and Jaiminiya Brahmana narrate stories of great
philosophical merit which depict Varuna as a very wise sage (not as a god or as a
king) who has gained the true understanding of the ultimate reality. In these legends,
Varuna teaches his son Bhrigu That (tat) by knowing which everything becomes
known.
I. Varuna in Aranyakas
42.1. Varuna is briefly discussed in the Aitareya Aranyaka at two places; and both
refer to Varuna’s mystical association with waters. There are no allusions to his Vedic
glory as the sky-god, or as the king or as the governor of the laws.
42.2. The waters referred to in these passages are philosophical suggestions as they
denote the primeval waters or the primeval matter. Here, the creation of waters and of
Varuna comes about as an expression of the Supreme Being’s will or desire. It is
metaphorically said that they were born out of the manas the mind of the Supreme
Being. Varuna is the mythical symbol of primeval matter. Thus, philosophically,
waters and Varuna stand for Prakrti or the Becoming. It is the first stage of manifest
world.
Aitareya Aranyaka (2.1.7) says: “In the beginning One Being was This. There was
nothing else blinking. He desired ‘shall I create the worlds ? He created the worlds,
water, light and waters”
Taittareya Aranyaka (1.23) speaks about the dependence of Prakrti on Purusha. “All
this That was produced from waters (Prakrti). It needed the support of Purusha. The
Atman (Brahman) having manifested itself as the world entered into it”.
J. Varuna in Upanishads
43.1. Upanishads are the fountainhead of philosophical speculations presenting highly
idealized metaphysics. It is the idealism of Absolute unity and absence of duality that
pervades the Upanishads. In it, the concept of atman outshines all the rest. It
questions:” How could there be a creator, a sustainer or a destroyer? How could there

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be a king when there is no kingdom to be ordained? How could there be a law or an
ordainer of law?
The discussions of individual gods are rather a secondary matter in the Upanishads.
All deities are absorbed into the One Absolute. Varuna does not appear in the
Upanishads either as a sky-god, or as the governor of Rta or even as the lord of
waters. Varuna appears by name in the discussions that take place in the Upanishads
at two levels: One, in the philosophical symbolisms as an aspect of the Supreme; and
the other in elaborate dialogues as a wise teacher imparting knowledge of Truth.
As an aspect of the Supreme
43.2. Varuna in the Upanishads is mentioned along with other gods; and is identified
as an aspect of the Supreme reality, as one “whose abode is water, whose world is the
heart, whose light is the mind, and who is the ultimate resort of every being” (Brihad.
Upanishad – Sakalya section – 3.9.16).
At the same time, Varuna’s Vedic characteristics and his Vedic associations are also
retained. When Brahman is addressed as Varuna, it is said: “You are Agni, Varuna
and Vayu…but this manifold existence is for sake of Prakrti (Chan. Up.5.1). It is also
said : ” Mitra , Varuna along with the meters (pankti) , chants (mantra) , seasons
(ritu),the breaths (udana) , the Rishis (Angirasa), the moon and celestial gods all issue
forth and enter again into That” ( Maitreyi Up.7.4).
Similarly, Maha-narayano-panishad prays to Varuna the remover of sins. Varuna is
prayed to remove whatever wrong is done by way of thought, speech and deed. And,
it also refers to his noose (Mha N Up. 4.12). Similar prayers addressed to Varuna
appear in some other Upanishads too.
The wise teacher
43.3. Just as the Brahmanas, the Upanishads too contain dialogues of Varuna with his
son Bhrigu. These are narrated in detail. For instance, in the most celebrated passages
of the Taittereya Upanishad, Bhrigu approaches his father Varuna the wise sage to
teach him about Brahman (Brighurvai varuni varunam pitara mupasasara). Varuna
teaches him about That “from which the food (anna), the vital breath (prana), the eye,
the ear, the mind, the speech are born; and, by which, when born they live; and into
which they enter and merge” (Tai.Up.2.11).Varuna here is a seer of the highest order.
K. Varuna in Mahabharata

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Khandava forest fire
44.1. Varuna in Mahabharata is no longer the sky god; he is neither a powerful king
nor even a judge. His association with the most important aspect Rta the order in the
natural world, as also his overseeing ethical aspects of men’s life are glossed over.
Varuna in Mahabharata is presented as the son of Aditi the great mother. He is one
of the Adityas and he is also one among the guardians of the directions (Lokapala).
He is the regent of the west the direction of the setting sun perhaps because of his
association with darkness and night. He is also a water-god.
Water-god
44.2. Varuna is associated with waters in Mahabharata too. But, these waters are just
plain and simple waters; nothing more. The philosophical connotations of the waters
(Apah) and the metaphysical quality of darkness etc, associated with it, as in the
Brahmanas, are not even mentioned in the Mahabharata. Here, Varuna
is Salilesvara the king of all rivers, lakes, local water bodies and ocean.
Varuna is described as a water-god who is handsome; and is endowed with the
splendour of lapis lazuli (vaidurya bhasayansarvato). He fills all the quarters of the
horizon with his brilliance. His home is under the waters (anthah-saliam) in the
Nagaloka which is in the heart of the ocean the Samudra (saagaro varunalayah).
There he has a magnificent underwater-palace. Mahabharata (Udyoga Parva- 98)
provides an elaborate description of Nagaloka and of Varuna’s most splendid
underwater dwelling with its myriad palaces, pavilions and assembly halls. Varuna
attired in shining robes and adorned with sparkling jewels sits on a great throne with
his wife Varuni. He is surrounded by all kinds of aquatic creatures and
demons, rivers, nagas, daityas and sadhyas etc” (Mhb. Vanaparva. 41.5-6)
Pasa the noose
44.3. Brief references are made to Varuna’s Pasa the noose (in Vanaparva 40.2-29;
and in the Kandava – vana episode in Adiparva – 227.31-32) – as Pasabhrt,

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Ugrapasa, Pasin, Pasavan etc. Pasa, the noose is mentioned merely as one of
his ayudhas or adorations; it does not carry the significance it had in the Vedas. There
are also no references to his authority as a judge or as a king who punishes.
Other references
44.4. Varuna also figures in the episodes of burning down the Kandava forest,
presenting Arjuna with deadly weapons and Krishna with the
mace Kaumudaki capable of slaying the demons. Earlier in the epic, Varuna granted a
boon to the king Nala by which Nala could assume any form he wished. Varuna also
presented him a garland of fragrant flowers.
L. Varuna in Ramayana

45.1. As in Mahabharata even in Ramayana, Varuna is just a Dikpala (guardian of a

direction) and a water-god Salilaraja. He is said to live in stagnant lakes as also under
the sea; and is surrounded by aquatic beings. Earlier in the epic, Varuna presents
Dasharatha the old king with a set of two mighty bows.
45.2. However later, the hapless Varuna invites the wrath of the annoyed and furious
Rama who is impatient to cross the sea and march into the Lanka Island to rescue his
beloved queen .On his way to Lanka Rama spends three nights on the shores of the
ocean waiting for it to calm down and to provide a safe passage to his monkey-army.
When the sea does not subside Rama gets furious, draws his most lethal
weapon Brahmastra threatening to burn down the sea with all its creatures and other
inmates. The frightened sea-god Varuna comes out of the waters with folded hands
and begs Rama to calm down. The sea subsides and eventually allows Rama’s army to
build a stone bridge across the channel to lead up to the Lanka Island.
M. Varuna in Puranas

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46.1. The portrait of Varuna in Puranas is similar to that of his in the Mahabharata
andRamayana. Here also he is the regent of the west and the guardian of the water
element. He is worshipped for sending down good and timely rains. He is depicted as
riding a mythical water-monster (Makara) that resembles a crocodile. Varuna
furnished with a white umbrella moves on the waters holding a noose.
Varuna appears in number of episodes in many Puranas; too many to be recounted
here. In the Bhagavata Purana, Varuna is depicted as abiding by the will of Sri
Krishna. He participated in all the battles that Indra fought
46.2. In the Puranas the gods such as Indra and Varuna had lost much of their esteem.
They are reduced to insignificance; are ill-treated and often humiliated by the
powerful and belligerent Asuras. The major gods too chastise them and treat them as
minor vassals. Indra in particular has fallen prey to faults and failures such as greed,
envy and lust. He is ever anxious; and always in fear of losing his throne. He is scared
of not only the villainous but also of the most virtuous as he fears they might displace
him as the king of the Devas. He is therefore busy constantly plotting devious
schemes to survive and to keep away the possible- contenders to his throne.
46.3. When Indra and Varuna are offered worship in the Puranas, it is not because
they are the gods in heaven but because they are viewed as the reflections of some
aspects of Vishnu. That notion was guided by the faith that all gods are verily the
manifestations of the One Supreme.
Epithets
46.4. In the Puranas Varuna is called by many names such as : Prachetas; Amburaja;
Jalapathi; Kesa (all signifying his lordship over
water); Uddama (surrounder); Pasabhrta (one who wields the noose); Viloma,
Variloma (of watery hair); and Yadahpathi (king of aquatic animals).
*****
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In the next part we shall see a bit more closely of Varuna’s association with waters as
also the explanations for his decline and eventual fall.

References and Sources

1. Indra and Varuna in Indian Mythology by Dr. UshChoudhuri; Nag Publishers,
Delhi, 1981
2. The Indian Theogony by Dr.Sukumari Bhattarcharji, Cambridge University Press,
1970
3. Asura in early Vedic religion by WE Hale; Motilal Banarsidass; Delhi, 1986
4. Goddesses in ancient India by PK Agrawala; Abhinav Publications, New
Delhi,1984
5. The Hymns of Atharvan Zarathustra by JM Chatterji; the Parsi Zoroastrian
Association, Calcutta, 1967; http://www.avesta.org/chatterj_opf_files/slideshow.htm.
6. Outlines of Indian Philosophy –Prof M Hiriyanna; Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi, 2005
7.Original Sanskrit texts on the 0rigin and history of the people of India, their region
and institution By J. Muir;Trubner & co., London, 1870.
8. A classical dictionary of Hindu mythology and religion, geography, history, and
literaturebyJohn Dowson; Turner & co, Ludgate hill. 1879.
9. Vaidika Sahitya Charitre by Dr. NS Anantharangachar; DVK Murthy, Mysore,
1968
10. Sri Brahmiya Chitra Karma sastram by Dr. G. Gnanananda
11. Zarathustra Chapters 1-6 by Ardeshir Mehta; February 1999

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 http://www.indiayogi.com/content/indgods/varuna.aspx
http://www.bookrags.com/research/varua-eorl-14/
http://www.bookrags.com/wiki/Varuna
http://www.hinduweb.org/home/dharma_and_philosophy/vshirvaikar/Dnyaneshwari/
Dnch10pg1.html
http://rashmun.sulekha.com/blog/post/2010/03/vedic-literature-the-degradation-of-
varuna-and-indra.htm
http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Varuna
http://www.indiadivine.org/audarya/vedic-verses/453851-vak-suktam-aka-devi-
suktam.html
http://www.svabhinava.org/HinduCivilization/AlfredCollins/RigVedaCulture_ch07-
frame.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahura_Mazda
http://www.iamronen.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/ReadingLila.pdf
http://www.hummaa.com/player/player.php
Varuna and his decline – Part Four
04OCT
Varuna’s association with waters

Varuna’s associations with waters are explained at two levels. The two are extremes;
so extreme that one is far removed from the other like the rarified deep space from the
dark underground. The one is pure metaphysics and high symbolism, while the other
is mundane and vulgar. The differences between the two levels cannot be bridged.
There is no common ground for reconciliation. The two sets of associations cannot

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also be rationalized and bound into one. It is best that each is viewed separately, each
in its own context–for whatever.
The philosophical explanations and suggestions on the nature of Varuna’s association
with waters have bred numerous debates, theories and speculations. Scholars have
come up with varied interesting and intricate explanations which at times sound too
abstract; hard to grasp. It is not easy to present them either. We shall briefly see a
couple of such explanations and theories.
N. Creation- the process
Apah – Dark, deep and unfathomable waters
47.1. The terms Salilam and Apah which denote waters in the Rig Veda are said to be
highly significant. Dr. Usha Choudhuri (in her scholarly thesis Indra and Varuna)
explains these terms as implying more than just the water-element. In the most
celebrated hymn of creation – Nasadiya Sutktha which occurs in the Tenth Book of
Rig Veda, as also in the Vak Suktha (RV.10.8.125) and in the Hiranya-garbha
Suktha (RV. 10.121 ) the terms Salila and Apah represent Great Waters or the
primeval waters or the primeval matter of creation. They stand for the manifest as also
for the un-manifest primeval matter: Prakrti or Vak or Aditi or Viraj.
47.2. Apah or Salilam is conceived as the threshold prior to which there was no
distinction between existence and non-existence; between form and formlessness.
Whatever that was there prior to it was neither sat nor a-sat; neither being nor non-
being. That is; Apah or Salilam represents the crosses-over stage at which the
unformed primordial universe transforms into existence. It could be regarded as the
first stage of creation. Thus, Apah is Prakrti as in Samkhya; and it is the primary
source of all possibilities of manifestation in the world.
47.3. Apah is twofold: as the undifferentiated, un-manifest and formless (a-
vyakta or apraketa or a-murta); and as the manifest with forms
(vyakta or praketa or murta). It is said; Apah and Salilam denote Prakrti or the
creative power (Shakthi) of the Purusha the Absolute principle. It also suggests
movement (gati) and action (karma). Thus, Apah or Salilam signifies the state of
Becoming; while Purusha signifies the state of Being.
47.4. To explain it in another way; these dark, deep and unfathomable waters
(gahanam ghabhiram – RV. 10.129.1) hold in their womb the un-manifest universe.
And, it is from these dark waters the manifest world springs forth. Nasadiya
Suktha mentions “the un-manifest conceals within itself the formless manifestation.
The universe was then undifferentiated in the primeval waters” (RV 10.129.3). That
is; these Great waters (mahat-salilam) represent the immense potential of Prakrti in
its un-manifest (a-vyakta) state. It has that potential to give expression to infinite
possibilities as forms (vyakta).
Varuna symbolizes Prakrti
48.1. The essential character of these primeval waters is Avarana – to cover or to
encompass (var). Varuna is the encompasser; he pervades (var) everything; he

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presides over the visible and the invisible worlds. Varuna is the mythical symbol of
primeval matter. And, he is the presiding deity of Apah and salilam. Varuna the lord
of these waters, the primeval matter, thus symbolizes Prakrti.
48.2. It is by the will or the desire of Varuna, and through his wisdom-extraordinary
(Maya) the forms of the visible world (Murtha) emerge from out of the formless (a-
Murtha). Varuna in this sense is the creator; the world is born out of his mind
(manas); and thus, he symbolizes kaarana –Brahman, the Brahman with a desire to
create.
48.3. Shri Ananda Coomaraswamy too (in his Yakshas) explains Varuna as denoting
Prakrti. He states that the term Samudra originally meant the sky; and the sky did not
merely signify the physical sky but the all encompassing desire of the Purusha.
Varuna is that will of Purusha. Varuna who is described as Rta-Samudra or Rta-
sadana is indeed the Prakrti.
Aditi is Apah and Prakrti
49.1. Aditi, the Mother – principle, Deva matri the mother of all gods and of all
existence is described as the mighty mother,’ lofty like a mountain, swelling with
sweet milk’, the celestial light (jyothihmati –RV .1.115.5), the queen or the guardian
of Rta (rtavari), ever expanding and never decaying, gracious guide and great
protector (YV. 21.5). She denotes freedom from bondage. She gives birth to manifest
world. She is the Mother of all creation. Because the nourishing Mother Aditi is the
source of all manifested reality – the past, the present and the future; of “all that has
been and will be born” she is regarded as Prakrti the creative principle, the desire of
the Supreme to create (YV.10.7).
49.2. As mentioned earlier, Apah or Maha-salilam the great waters denote primeval
matter or the primal cause of creation from which the manifest is born. Thus, Apah,
the waters too are mothers (apah asmin matarah) – ‘The waters are our mother
(ambayah), womb of the universe’ (RV.1.23.10). Aditi the great mother (mahi mata)
who gives give birth to the manifest world is thus equated with Apah, among other
things.
49.3. As Apah, Aditi is the creative energy which is active and moving (gati).
Since Apah suggested movement (gati), it is said, the life-giving(jiva-nadi) , flowing
rivers and streams are deemed feminine (Prakrti) ; while the stagnant Samudra the
ocean into which all beings go and from which all beings emerge acquired a
masculine identity (Purusha).
49.4. Aditi (Apah and Prakrti) is the forerunner of the Mother –Goddesses of the later
texts and lore who symbolize the power (shakthi) of Prakrti in all its aspects.
Vak is Apah and Prakrti
50.1. In the Vak Suktha or Devi Suktha of Rig Veda (RV.10. 10.125), Apah is
conceived as the birth place of Vak or Vac who is the creator, sustainer and
destroyer. In an intense and highly charged superb piece of inspired poetry She

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declares “I sprang from waters there from I permeate the infinite expanse. It is I who
blows like the wind creating all the worlds “.
Vak the primal energy the Great Goddess Mother is described in various ways : Vak
is the eternal being; the first-born of the eternal waters. Vak is the Mother who gives
form to the formless; gives birth to existence and lends identity to things by naming
them. Vak is the faculty which gives expression to ideas. She is the mysterious
presence that enables one to hear, see, grasp and express in words or otherwise the
true nature of things. She is the navel of energy
50.2. Vak who springs forth from waters, touches all the worlds with her flowering
body and gives birth to all existence is indeed the Prakrti. Vac is also Apah and an
attribute of Varuna.
I sprang from the waters,
And from there I spread throughout the universe,
I touch that heaven with a flowering body.
I move with Rudras and Vasus,
I walk with the Sun and other Gods,
I esteem Mitra, Varuna
And Indra, Agni and the Asvins.
[Please click here for the rendering of Devi Sukta]
50.3. Eventually; Apah, Aditi, Vak and Varuna all represent the same principle:
Prakrti the creative principle.
O. Lotus and the inverted tree
Lotus symbolizes waters and life

51.1. The Lotus symbolizes waters; and earth is a leaf thereof. The lotus-leaf is called
the back of the waters (Tai.sam.5.1.4.2). The earth lies spread on water just as the
lotus-leaf does. The noted scholar Ananada K Coomaraswamy (in his Yakshas) too
relates lotus to waters. He explains the concept of earth resting on waters in the
context of the full-blown lotus flower that supports a divinity in the Indian
iconography: ”where it seems to be implied that the figure is supported by a widely

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extended lotus flower rising out of the waters; and in the last analysis the deity is
supported by the waters”.

51.2. He also mentions that lotus symbolizes life. The imagery of creation springing
forth from the all-encompassing creator was initially related to Varuna. That is
because Varuna in the early phases of Rig Veda was the Creator who brought forth all
existence. But, since the virtues and powers of Varuna merged into Vishnu, in the
later mythologies lotus came to be depicted as rising from the navel of Narayana
resting on celestial waters bearing Brahma the abjaja –born of water or born of
lotuses.
51.3. In any case, that imagery pictures the principle that all life and existence is born
out of the waters.
Inverted tree of life – Varuna

52.1. Ananada K Coomaraswamy says “The roots of the inverted tree are in the sky
and its branches are spread downwards (RV. 1.24.7). Varuna called the unborn in Rig
Veda symbolizes the root of that tree of life; the source of all creation. That cosmic
tree is originally said to have sprung from the navel of Varuna the sky- god blue like
the waters reflecting the sky.”
52.2. Tracing the myth of the world tree from Varuna to Narayana, Ananada K
Coomaraswamy refers to the remarkable resemblances in the ethical character of

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Varuna and Vishnu. According to him, ’the cosmic-tree myths of various forms and
their relation to the lotus symbol verily owe their origin to Varuna. He says the
concept of the cosmic functioning originally represented Varuna. That concept did
not undergo any change; but it only acquired new names and new symbols.
Thus, Varuna is Kaarana Brahman by whose desire the manifest world materializes.
Varuna the king of pure intelligence / Sits atop the tree with its roots/ in his un-
supported and absolute realm; Its branches spread downwards. (RV. 1.24.7)
Varuņa of hallowed understanding,/ Holds aloft a mass of life-giving radiance, which
streams down; May these rays sink deep and set within us. (RV. 1.24.7)

***
P. Some other explanations for Varuna’s association with waters
Waters, Darkness and Varuna -Prakrti
53.1. Varuna’s association with darkness (tama) metaphorically called night (rathri),
as also with waters (Apah) has given rise to number of other highly interesting
philosophical speculations.
Nasadiya Suktha says, “In the beginning, darkness was hidden by darkness. All this
was unmarked formless waters. ..”. That image of primordial waters was perhaps
meant to convey the absence or the sense of absence of all sorts of distinctions in the
pre-creation universe. And, similarly, darkness implied a state where day or night was
not marked. Here, darkness and waters both seem to mean the same principle -– the
all enveloping unformed state before the world of things (sat) arose out of its matrix.
“All this was produced from the dark waters (Tai Aranyaka 1.23)”.
53.2 As said earlier, Varuna symbolizes un-manifest (a-vyakta or a-praketa or a-
sat) as well as manifest (vyakta or praketa or sat) state of existence.
53.3. It is also explained; Rathri the darkness is Varuna (Ait Brh. 4.10); Rathri the
starlit night belongs to Varuna (Tai .B 1.7.10); and, Varuna is waters (Apah) as it
pervades (var) everything. Thus, both – darkness and waters- become associated with
Varuna.
53.4. For these reasons, it is said that Varuna, Rathri and Apah all represent Prakrti.
Water- purifier – joy of life
54.1. Water is glorified as the nectar or honey (madhu) and the joy of life; and it is
also the elixir of immortality. Water is the symbol of creation, life (jeevanam),
strength and energy. Water is thus the nourishing mother of all life and
existence. Water is as essential to life as is the vital-air (prana) – aphomaya
pranah. Water is the source of all existence; it sustains, heals and purifies life.
54.2. Shatapatha Brahmana (SB.2.3.2.10) makes an interesting remark: when Agni
burns brightly, he then indeed becomes Varuna the purifier (paavaka). There is
therefore a belief that the purifying waters cleanses sins, betrayals (abhidudroha) and
falsehood (anŗtam duritam) – (RV. 1.23.22). The one that has been purified shouts in

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ecstasy: “I have become one with the essence of the celestial energy, rasena”. Water
represents that faith (shraddha) in life.
54.3. Though the waters are celebrated by various metaphors, the physical aspect of
water is not lost sight. The Chandogya Upanishad describes Waters as the source of
all plants and herbs Oshadhis; the giver of good health and destroyer of diseases. It is
the source of joy of healthy living. The mountains, the earth, the atmosphere and the
heavenly bodies too derive their form through water (Chandogya Upanishad –
7.10.10) .It is said; even the gods are waters – as they are the foundation and source of
the universe and everything is contained in them.(SB. 10.5) .
Varuna too is water.
“Verily all this is water. All the created beings are water. The vital breaths (prana) in
the body are water. Quadrupeds are water. Herbs and crops are water. Madhu the
nectar is water. Samrat[perpetually shining] is water. Virat [shining] is
water. Svarat [self-luminous] is water. The metres (pankti) are water. The Devas are
water. Vedic formulas are water. Truth is water. All deities are water. The three
worlds denoted by Bhuh, Bhuvah and Suvah are water. The source of all these is the
Supreme denoted by the syllable ‘Om”. (Mahanarayana Upanishad- 29.1)
54.4. Since Varuna is waters, Apah, all its virtues and attributes are imbibed in him.
Apah and Sathya
55.1. Varuna who is the lord of waters (Apah) is also related with the order in world
and to the laws in nature (Rta), and the Truth (satya). It is said ‘waters are the
Truth…where waters flow there the Truth resides …. It is the waters indeed that were
made first of this universe, hence when waters flow then everything whatever that
exists in the universe is brought forth’ (Sathapatha Brahmana).Water is thus the
universal mother –principle in the Rig Veda. Waters are Prakrti.
55.2. Thus Waters, Truth and Varuna symbolize Prakrti.
The child of waters
56.1. Varuna the son of Aditi resides among primal waters. He is described also
as Apam-shishuh ‘the child of waters, in the best of the mothers – Aditi’
56.2. It is also said; since Varuna dwells in waters he is Apam Napat, “Son of the
Waters’ (RV.1.2.35). Apam Napat is also referred to as the embryo (garbha) of the
waters (RV.7.9.3). It is said; the sun when he sinks into waters – to quench his thirst-
becomes Varuna the fire in the waters (Apam Napat).
[But, Varuna soon lost this ancient title; and it came to be applied more and more to
Agni born of a spark from water and to other solar deities such as Savitr.]
Varuna and the moon
56.7. Another explanation offered to reason Varuna’s association with waters seems
to me rather flat. It is said; as the god of the night sky Varuna is related with the
celestial bodies that shine in the night sky: the stars and the moon. And, the
moon who is related to Varuna influences the tides of the ocean and movement of
terrestrial waters. Therefore, Varuna is connected with water and the aquatic realm.

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Q. Varuna the water-god

This is the other-side of Varuna’s association with waters.

57.1. The status and the attributes of Varuna changed drastically, for worse, in the
Puranas and the epics. Varuna lost the authority of kingship and the moral superiority
that he once enjoyed in the Rig Veda and in the other Samhitas. He is relegated as
the regent of the west and demigod of waters; and practically nothing more. It was as
if the once mighty Varuna had been pensioned off and assigned a minor rank.
57.2. The waters that Varuna is now made in – charge are just waters on earth – plain
and simple; they have no symbolic interpretations or philosophical connotations.
Varuna is Salilesvara the king of terrestrial waters like lakes, rivers and oceans.
Samudra the vast urukşhaya (1.2.9) is his abode. There he resides in his magnificent
underwater palace (saagaro varunalayah) a den of sensual delights, surrounded by
nymphs, snakes and all types of aquatic creatures.
57.3. His underworld too has gone radical reimaging; it is no longer the sedate and
welcoming abode of the Pitris, but it is now tainted by the fearful pollution of death.
Varuna has now turned sensuous and cruel; and developed dark and sinister
associations. He has also lost his good looks. Varuna in this phase does not command
much respect. He is often chastened by other gods. Stories are told of his
misadventures and humiliations. It appears he abducted and seduced Urvasi a nymph
of Indra’s court and fathered a son from her. On another occasion, it is said, Varuna
kidnapped Bhadra, daughter of Soma and wife of Uthahya.
57.4. Varuna who once was: the nearest approximation to the Supreme Being, the
sovereign of all earth and heavens, the creator and sustainer of life in all three regions,
the lord who presided over order in the physical and moral realms, the judge who
dispensed justice and handed down punishments, is now turned into the regent of the
west and god of seas; and eventually a demigod of local water- bodies; a god of not
much consequence… a god of small things….what a fall….!!
In the next section let’s look at the explanations offered for Varuna’s decline and fall.
Epithets
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58.1. His association with waters however earned Varuna number of descriptive
epithets, such as: Prachetas, apam-pathi , ambu-raja, jaleshwara, jalaadhipa,
vaaripa, udakapathi, salileshwara, Jala-pati, Kesa ( lord of water) ; Sindhu pathi ,
Nadi-pathi ( lord of the seas or rivers ); sarit-pathi (lord of all that flows); VIloma,
Vari-loma ( watery hair) ; Yudh pathi ( king of aquatic animals) ; Uddama ( the
surrounder) ; bharti (the nourisher); and, Pashi , Pasha bhrit, (bearer of the noose) .

References and Sources

1. Indra and Varuna in Indian Mythology by Dr. UshChoudhuri; Nag Publishers,
Delhi, 1981
2. The Indian Theogony by Dr.Sukumari Bhattarcharji, Cambridge University Press,
1970
3. Asura in early Vedic religion by WE Hale; Motilal Banarsidass; Delhi, 1986
4. Goddesses in ancient India by PK Agrawala; Abhinav Publications, New
Delhi,1984
5. The Hymns of Atharvan Zarathustra by JM Chatterji; the Parsi Zoroastrian
Association, Calcutta, 1967; http://www.avesta.org/chatterj_opf_files/slideshow.htm.
6. Outlines of Indian Philosophy –Prof M Hiriyanna; Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi, 2005
7.Original Sanskrit texts on the 0rigin and history of the people of India, their region
and institution By J. Muir;Trubner & co., London, 1870.
8. A classical dictionary of Hindu mythology and religion, geography, history, and
literaturebyJohn Dowson; Turner & co, Ludgate hill. 1879.
9. Vaidika Sahitya Charitre by Dr. NS Anantharangachar; DVK Murthy, Mysore,
1968
10. Sri Brahmiya Chitra Karma sastram by Dr. G. Gnanananda
11. Zarathustra Chapters 1-6 by Ardeshir Mehta; February 1999
http://www.indiayogi.com/content/indgods/varuna.aspx
http://www.bookrags.com/research/varua-eorl-14/

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http://www.bookrags.com/wiki/Varuna
http://www.hinduweb.org/home/dharma_and_philosophy/vshirvaikar/Dnyaneshwari/
Dnch10pg1.html
http://rashmun.sulekha.com/blog/post/2010/03/vedic-literature-the-degradation-of-
varuna-and-indra.htm
http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Varuna
http://www.indiadivine.org/audarya/vedic-verses/453851-vak-suktam-aka-devi-
suktam.html
http://www.svabhinava.org/HinduCivilization/AlfredCollins/RigVedaCulture_ch07-
frame.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahura_Mazda
http://www.iamronen.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/ReadingLila.pdf
http://www.hummaa.com/player/player.php
Posted by sreenivasaraos on October 4, 2012
Varuna and His Decline – Part Five
04OCT
Decline of a Great and a Noble god

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The explanations for Varuna’s decline in stages and his eventual fall from the high
pedestal are many. Let’s see some of those.
R. The Decline
Loss of sovereignty
59.1. As mentioned earlier, Varuna derived his sovereignty (kshatra) and the supreme
status among the gods by virtue of his being the sole sky-god. He embodied the sky in
all its aspects. He encompassed the sky, the earth and all existence. Besides, he was
the all-knowing Lord (Asura –visvavedasa; and the sole governor of the natural and
moral laws that operated in heavens as on earth.
59.2. That, however, was a short-lived glory. Varuna’s suzerainty over the sky was
lost. His powers were curtailed. Varuna soon had to share his powers and control
over the sky, the Rta and the Dharman (RV 3.59.1; 1.5.81) with Mitra regarded more
active and more vibrant. Mitra came to symbolize the day sky with all its brilliance;
while Varuna who earlier was the lord of the entire sky had his authority restricted to
the night sky (RV 4.8.3 and TS. 4.8.3) with its thousand stars symbolizing his
thousand eyes (sahasraksha) watching in secret the activities of men at night.
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That was the beginning of a great slide.
[A brief note on Mitra: Of all the Vedic gods, Varuna is most closely related to Mitra.
In the Vedic times Mitra was not an independent god; he was always mentioned in
company of his friend (except in one hymn). It is said, he was given the name Mitra
because he was the friend of Varuna. They were fused into the dual god Maitra-
Varuna and Deva –asura (a dvandva or compound) sharing common functions and
authority (mahaanta mitravaruna samraja devasura –RV 8.25.4). They together
became the guardians of the world (RV. 2.27.4). And it is said; the great sky shines by
their ordinance (RV.10.65.5). They discharge the rains (RV 1.151.9). Their godhead is
beyond the ken of the skies or of the rivers (RV 1.151.9). They are awful deities;
haters and dispellers of falsehood (RV .1.152.1); they are the gods of the oath. Mitra
together with Varuna becomes the keeper of Rta and Dharman (RV 8.25). They are
described as righteous Rtavan and promoters righteous rites Rtavardha, and lords of
truth and light (Rtasya jotisaapathi – RV. 1.2.8; 1.23.5; 1.136.4; 2.27.4; 5.63.1).
Varuna becomes Agni in the evening, and rising in the morning he becomes Mitra
(AV .2.28.2).
It is explained; though the attributes and the functions of the two are different,
dissimilar and contrasting, they complement each other well. The two ever exist and
work in harmony. They present a well knit unity; the oneness of two contrasting
factors: Being and Non-Being; day and night; light and darkness. Mitra and Varuna
are indeed the two aspects of the same reality.
Eventually both Varuna and Mitra had to give place to gods greater than both of
them.]
Association with night and dark traits
60.1. Mitra symbolizing day-sky and light gained identity with god of sunlight (Tai
Br. 25.10.10). With that, the virtues of clarity, brightness which reveals reality and the
life-giving energy became his attributes. He was also associated with the bright-half
of the month (Shukla-paksha). Varuna, on the other hand, as the night-god acquired
the attributes of darkness such as: secrecy, mystery and the nature of concealing. And,
he got associated with the darker-half of the month (Krishna –paksha).
60.2. His association with night and darkness is not stressed in the early Vedic texts
where he merely represents the star-eyed night sky. But, in the later texts his dark and
malevolent traits begins to emerge clearly. It is said, the merciful Mitra pacifies the
cruel Varuna (Mitro hi kruram varunam shantham karoti –TS. 2.1.9.5).
60.3. Varuna the son of Aditi who was a solar deity (Aditya) and the chief of the
Adityas; but now he is drawn nearer to lunar deities: Rudra, Soma, and Yama and to
Agni another night god. He also comes close to the gruesome aspects of life
symbolized by Nirtti who is the evil genius of destruction, dissolution and misfortune.
Varuna is now portrayed as a spy-master (Spasa) and a stern judge whose punitive
weapons are torture, sense of guilt, disease and sudden death. Varuna’s serene form

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too turns ugly. He now has a potbelly, bald head, protruding teeth and reddish-brown
or yellow eyes.
Inconsistent disposition
60.4. The other reason cited for Varuna’s decline is the suspected flaw in his
disposition. Varuna was perhaps not wholly benevolent like Indra of the early Rig-
Veda. The ambivalent character of Varuna–now favourable and now unfavourable;
and his inconsistent disposition was far from admirable. Further, Varuna, for some
reason, acquired the unenviable reputation of one indulging in guile and trickery. His
character was shaded with a sort of ambiguity. The Vedic poets did not seem amused
by a less –than- perfect Varuna; they were decidedly in favour of uncompromisingly
good gods.
Further, Varuna was of passive tendencies. And, like his predecessor Dayus, he too
lacked aggression and convincing positive traits.
60.5. Loosing suzerainty over the sky and being restricted to night sky marked the
beginning of Varuna’s decline and emergence of his darker traits. Thereafter he went
down steadily. With the passage of time, the lordship, power and glory depart from
Varuna.
The other explanations
The other reasons offered to explain Varuna’s fall from kingship and power, which
led to his eventual eclipse, has lot to do with the history of ancient mythology. In the
Indian context, history and mythology are entwined; they can hardly be separated.
Bhrigu-Angirasa rift
61.1. One explanation is that Varuna’s decline in the Vedic pantheon has to be placed
against the continuing rivalry between two ancient sages Bhrigu the priest of the Anus
(in the west) and Angirasa the priest of the dominant Puru-Bharatas in the valley of
seven rivers. Their rivalry spread into recurring conflicts between the two clans. The
differences arose between the two sages; it is said, on issues concerning the concept of
a single god and the worship practices. The tendency of the Angirasas to treat all gods
as equal and to shift towards worship of the Supreme through personalized forms
or murtis; to glorify the warlike Indra; and to sideline the righteous Varuna as also his
governing principle Rta , all these, greatly annoyed the Bhrigus. The Bhrigus in turn
asserted their faith (which they said was ancient) in monotheism and in the worship of
the single-god through formless fire. The Bhrigus placed the ancient god Varuna in
the centre of their cosmology and hailed him as the only worship worthy god. The
Angirasas on the other hand glorified the younger god Indra but treated him as one
among other gods and as one of the many manifestations of the Supreme Being; and
they assigned forms and attribute to all gods. But, as said, the Angirasas were the
dominant priests in the Vedic community and their views determined the hierarchy
among the Vedic gods.
The battles that Vedic communities had to fight

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61.2. According to another argument, the decline of Varuna and the ascendency of
Indra have to be viewed in the context of the trials and tribulations of the Vedic
communities; and in the context of the wars they had to fight. Varuna till then their
mightiest god belonged to the older generation of gods; he was essentially a god of
righteousness and of placid nature. He was ideal for times of peace and comfort. But
in hard – times when they were besieged and had to fight back the encroaching enemy
they desperately needed a leader who could stand up to the demands of the
challenging times, inspire them to act resolutely and to lead them in battle against the
foe. They prayed for a god of war to beat back and destroy the troublesome enemy.
Varuna was just not such a leader; he hardly had the vigour to inspire the heroic
qualities in men, especially as he had no exploits to his credit.
Coming of the new king
62.1. Rig-Veda describes its people ‘as averse to war; peace being their normal rule’
(RV.6.41.5). It also narrates the difficulties of its people having to fight battles without
a capable war leader; and the woes it brought upon people unprepared for war: ‘we
are surrounded by mighty enemies; help us’; ’ we lost because we had no king to lead
us’; ‘they conquer us because we had no warrior Rajanya’. And eventually all said
‘let’s make a king’. So, they did make a king. They heartily invited the new king to
lead them in the battles: “I do hereby crown you as the king. Rule us with courage and
an unwavering resolve. Let all your subjects love you. Let thy kingdom be with you
forever RV 10.12.22) “. And, to the king ‘who is the dread in the battle contest’ they
all ‘bowed in reverence’ (TS.3.4.4.1)
62.2. The times of crisis and war somehow always throw up a boisterous and an
inspiring leader; the type that is just needed. That new leader was Indra; full of vigor,
a mighty god, a tornado divinity symbolizing storm and wielding a thunderbolt. He is
a hero who ‘destroys in conflict the fierce and the exceedingly strong’. He was a god
of battles rather than of righteousness. Indra thus possessed the requisites of a war
lord and a typical king. He came as an answer to the prayers of fighting men thirsting
for win over enemies, and for power and glory it brought.”Heroes with noble horses,
well mounted and passionate for a fight invoke me; invoke me in the battle. I the
mighty Indra of victorious powers , lord of spurring vigour lead you on in the
combat stirring up the battle dust” (RV .4.42; 10.129). Indra’s warriors did invoke him
and stormed into battles shouting his names (Indram narone maditha
havanthe – RV.3.34.9).
Rise of Indra and the kingship

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62.3. Indra broke the treaty and in a fierce battle defeated the dreaded enemy Vrita
who had stolen waters from the heavens .Mitra and Varuna described as the arms of
the king helped the king (Rajanya) to kill Vrita (SB . 5.3.5.28). Indra also subdued and
routed ten other fearsome enemies in hard fought battles. Varuna helped Indra in all
the battles that he fought. Eventually, those victories as also the restoration of waters
to the gods established Indra’ authority as the king of gods, divyasya janasya
raja (RV. 6.22).
Indra formerly the god of rains with some relation to war now turned into the god of
war with some relation to rains.
[Let me digress here for a short while:
(i). The transfer of power from Varuna to Indra marked a significant phase in the
social and military history of very ancient India. It redefined the notion of a ‘king’ as
in Rig Veda. The ‘king’ in its early phase largely meant a very exalted noblest person
who was looked up to by all in reverence (e.g. Dayus and Varuna). The kingship was
symbolic rather than temporal; he need not have to defend a territory or fight an
enemy. But, with the installation of Indra as the king, things did seem to change.
It became obvious that a person though righteous but without valour and aggressive
tendencies was unfit for kingship. A king, it said, ought to be the foremost protector
of his people. He should be a leader of his people at all times – in war and peace.
Because, his subjects look up to him for leadership, guidance and protection; and, they
do so in faith, reverence and in fear. In dire times the king should himself lead his
warriors in battles to fight for the honour and the lives of his people. Not only that,
the king had to strive to enhance his position as also that of his kingdom among

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their rivals. That meant that a king would necessarily have enemies; and hence the
need for a standing army.
(ii). Kingship also meant that the diverse interests of all sections of the society were
surrendered to the king who was expected, in good faith, to harmonize conflicts and
to protect interests of all equitably. That implicit faith and submission to the king
elevated kingship to the position of the god-on-earth. And, It also came to be accepted
that one could not be a king without a spark of divinity in him (na vishnuh prithvi
pathihi).The king therefore was accorded the most exalted and the highest position in
the social hierarchy. He came to be described as the best of men (narotthama). And,
even at much later times the Buddha placed the kings (khattiya) higher than Brahmans
(Angostura Nikaya, 107). In the epics too the heroes who became gods were
all kshatriyas.
(iii). That distinction set the king apart from his people. Further, the king also became
distinct from the others of his own class –the kshatriyas. The term Kshatriya was
generally applied to all nobles of the ruling class. The king became the Rajanya; he
was recognized as separate from the other kshatriyas (Rajas). Rajanya was glorified
as the summit of the kshatra. With that, the kingship turned into a hereditary
inheritance; and earned the right to live on people and even to oppress them.
(iv). Atharva Veda (AV.15.9.2; 18.2.60) narrates how king after king built his military
might and created a class of ‘ people of aggression ‘ distinct from ‘the patient tillers
of soil singing pastoral hymns’. The priestly class became increasingly dependent on
the warrior class; and came closer to the king. The two moved away from the rest.
Warfare thus led to growth of kings, states and their corollaries such as hereditary
rights, despotism and standing armies. The King, his advisors and his army became
separate from the society.]
Eclipse of Varuna, and shifting of allegiances
63.1. Varuna met the same fate as that befell the other passive sky-gods in all
mythologies. They all yielded their position to more active and warlike solar deities.
Varuna too had to give place to Indra just as Dayus the ancient god had lost to him
(Varuna) earlier. It was said;”The great ones progressively lose their importance and
are replaced by other divine figures nearer to man, more concrete and more dynamic-
solar gods, Great Gods and Goddesses etc.
As Varuna faded out, Indra assumed: the Kingship of gods; the main attributes of the
old king Varuna; also his other powers and authority such as kshatra, the Asurya, and
the Maya. Further, Varuna’s sovereignty too passed on to Indra.
63.2. The eclipse of Varuna and the triumph of Indra led to re-ordering the hierarchy
of gods, and shifting of allegiances. Varuna and his associates lost their superior
positions. And, all allegiances shifted towards Indra. Agni and Soma who were
associated with Varuna moved over to Indra. “Agni, Soma, Varuna they fall, they all
go away. Their empire is overthrown…these Asura have lost their magic power

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(Asura Maya) – RV 10.124.4-5.” Varuna the passive Father god, the ex-leader left
stranded receded into background.
63.3. The relation between Indra and Varuna is rather interesting. Initially, Varuna
was the older god who had friendly relations with the younger god Indra. (Varuna is
the friend of Indra in the heavens-RV.7.34.24). Later, Indra turns into a rival and
eventually displaces Varuna and appropriates most of his powers.
Transfer of powers

64.1. As Varuna begins to fall, his kingship passes on to Indra while his spiritual
powers are inherited by Prajapathi. The placid god Prajapathi, in particular, begets
Varuna’s Asuri Maya. But later, the Asuri Maya branches into two: the one beneficial
to gods and men; and the other its darker side wielded by the Asuras: – “the Asuras
consecrate Varuna, Soma’s brother because they see in him the form (rupa) of their
father Prajapathi” (Jaiminiya Brah. 3.152.)
64.2. In the next phase, Vishnu and Prajapathi together inherit Varuna’s glory and
majesty. The powers and attributes that were once associated with Varuna are divided
into two distinct spheres; Vishnu the power of creation and encompassing all
existence; and, Prajapathi the symbolic spiritual power. In the Brahmana texts both
Vishnu and Prajapathi are identified with yajna.
64.3. Varuna’s various other functions are distributed among the lunar deities such as
Rudra and Yama.
..And thereafter
65.1. Indra too had a brief span of life as the premier god; and he did not become a
Supreme God. Instead, he had to yield place to another god. Perhaps because, by then
happier times had dawned on the Vedic community; the wars and its horrors were a
memory of the past. In the settled agrarian, pastoral life of peace, security and high
idealism the Vedic people needed a more ethical and a loftier god. Vishnu (until then
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a minor god) emerges as the all compassing god, the god of all gods. The virtuous
attributes and powers of all other gods are transferred to the incomparable God
Vishnu. Into Vishnu all the gods merge; and in him they find their identities.
65.2. Eventually, Indra too surrenders to Vishnu the newly emerging super- god; and
bequeaths to him most of his powers and virtues. Similarly Prajapathi who was not
endowed with any other special powers pales into insignificance just as his two
predecessors – Varuna and Dayus. Prajapathi merges into Vishnu just as the other
gods did.
***
The Varuna saga thus touches upon all the three phases of the Vedic era: the stage of
pastoral communities discovering the mysteries of nature, pouring out sublime
and highly idealized poetry rich in abstract symbolisms ; the next, the period of wars ,
distress and strife; and ,the period of settled agricultural life of peace , quieter rituals
and contemplation.
S. The Fall
66.1. As the kingship, power and glory depart Varuna, he becomes somewhat
different in his nature and attributes. The cosmic functions are no longer his; he is not
the king anymore; his ethical role diminishes; from a supreme sky-god who is
inscrutable in his ways, omnipresent and omniscient in nature, he diminishes into one
of the many minor gods. As a demigod he serves Prajapathi and later Vishnu as one of
the guardians of directions and of the water. It was as if the Chief was pensioned off
and assigned a minor rank.
With the fall of Varuna, the term Asura came to mean ‘chief of demons’.
66.2. Today, Varuna is reduced to the guardian of water element; and, is no longer
worshiped formally but is prayed in times of draught and sometimes before setting on
voyages for steering the safe course of the ships.
***
Thus, the ambivalent character of Varuna-now favourable and now un-favourable; his
guile; his associations with night , darkness and gruesome aspects of life; as
also the rift between two sages, the changes that came about in the life-
circumstances of the Vedic communities –all these factors contributed to the eclipse
of Varuna .
T. The Evolution
67.1. The decline and fall of Varuna and Indra; or the supersession of one god by
another; or the modification of an older god should not be viewed in isolation. Instead,
it should be viewed as a part of a scheme, a process or a phenomenon of absorption
of many into One that swept across the world of ancient Vedic gods.
67.2. That process spread over long centuries totally convulsed the sedate world of
Vedic gods. It was akin to churning the ocean. It disturbed the old order; threw out the
old set of gods; created and magnified a set of new gods; and restructured the entire
Indian pantheon. Under this process of reorganizing the world of Indian mythology…

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those Vedic gods who had been ‘minor’ in the Rig Veda but who had great potential
and offered rich scope for enlarged glorification were remodeled into much greater
gods ( for instance Vishnu and Rudra). Later those gods came to represent larger
segments of life and experiences, and to mobilize greater strength and significance.
The virtues and powers of numerous other gods merged into these select gods. They
are today the Super Gods among the Indian gods.
At the same time, gods whose characters, functions and achievements had been too
vividly described in Rig Veda and who held out little scope for further enlargement
were steadily reduced in their status and rank (for instance Agni, Indra and Varuna),
And those gods whose profile was too dim and had very little potential for growth
were allowed to fade out quietly.
67.3. In this scheme or the process of restructure, the gods that adopted best to the
changing needs of times survived and thrived. One way that was done was by
underplaying their Vedic characteristics which were rather sketchy and unsuitable.
And, another was by aligning them along with tutelary gods that were already being
worshipped. …..In this period of transition, popular sectarian gods were gradually
replacing the older Vedic gods. This new approach to the gods redefined the status,
character and attributes of the older gods.
This was also a process of absorption of several gods into One; and, it culminated in
the emergence of the triad, of which the two: Vishnu and Shiva inherited all the rich,
potential and living traits of all the gods that preceded them. They were also endowed
with infinite capacity to imbibe the traits of all the gods to come.
67.4. The sequence of gods changing – growing or diminishing in significance –
indicates the continual influx of new ideas and a creative conflict with the existing
system of thoughts. Yet, all gods – great and small, old and new, spring from One
ultimate reality. That was the vision that Rig Veda provided; and it is the same vision
that guides all the Indian traditions.
67.5. When viewed against that broad canvass it can be seen that the rise and fall of
Vedic gods followed a certain pattern of evolution. Varuna too belonged to that chain
of evolution. In that process, Varuna was obscured by the achievements of Indra who
answered the demands of the changing times. Indra in turn was thrown down by the
very process that had elevated him. Thus, the decline of Varuna was in the normal
way of the eclipse of one god by the other, as per a pattern of evolution. This complex
and dynamic interplay of light and shadow is a distinctive feature of the Indian
pantheon.
Dr. Sukumari Bahttacharji in her ’The Indian Theogony’ explains: “The Indian
mythology was (is) not a static affair, neither was it a luxury. It was linked with the
vital spiritual urges and needs of the people, who projected their most haunting
dreams, hopes and cravings into their myths. The changes were not wrought
overnight; nor was it easily. From the earliest times, the pantheon is the product of a

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continual clash and friction, not only with gods of other ethnic groups, but among
those of various clans of the Indian society…”
U. The ancient inverted tree
68.1. It is beyond doubt that Vedas and the related ancient texts are the roots of Indian
ethos, thought and philosophy. They are of high authority, greatly revered and very
often invoked. But those roots are lost in the distant antiquity. The language or the
clear intent of those texts is not easily understood; its gods and its rites are almost
relics of the past. They no longer form active part of our day-to-day living
experiences. The worship practices followed by the common Indians of the present
day differ vastly from the rites prescribed in the Vedic texts. The gods worshipped by
the present generations too vary greatly from the Vedic gods out of which they grew.
The present-day gods are the descendents, derivatives or transformation of the Vedic
gods; but they bear few marks of resemblance to their remote ancestors.
68.2, similarly, the legends of the heroes of the Vedic era are virtually unknown to us.
But, it is the wonderful tales and great poems of the epics; Ramayana and
Mahabharata- that today fill our hearts and minds; and ignite our imagination. They
tell the stories of men and women on earth, facing the challenges of life; rather than of
the gods in heaven. The epic stories are nearer to our life-experiences; and therefore
are still read and listened to with wonder and delight. They have permeated into the
Indian ethos. In it we try to find echoes of our joys, sufferings, frustrations,
fulfilments, betrayals, sorrows and our loves. In those epic heroes we seek the images’
of a mother, a son, a teacher, a friend, a lover etc. Every mother finds in her infant son
a mischievous and most endearing little-boy Krishna; and every maiden idealizes a
husband gentle and faithful as Rama, pure in thought and noble in action. Sita is the
ideal of womanhood pure, loving and noble. We strive to build relationships with
those heroes who grew into gods. For it is only in relationships that we adore; and it is
only in adoration that we learn to live with our gods: to live in friendship with
ourselves and with those around us, and, to attain a sense of balance in our lives.
[Dr. Benimadhab Barua observes ( in his Prolegomena To A History Of Buddhist
Philosophy) “Whereas in ancient religions we find efforts towards realizing robust
and manly philosophy, the modern religions seek only to realize images of Pauranic
fiction and effeminate poetry. For instance, while Buddhism in its religious
aspirations tried to realize the philosophy of the Upanishads, the later Vaishnava cults
aspired to realize the devotional teachings of the Bhagavata Purana. There was a
marked distinction between religious order and civic society in ancient religions,
whereas in the modern these do not stand apart, but are almost blended into a single
system. Widely divergent in their development as the religions of past and present
may seem, their continuity has never been broken. For, the several lines of growth
have converged to a point, only to diverge again in many directions. At This point,
religions is the connecting link in the chain of past.”]

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Today, the epic-gods are closer to us than their distant ancestors. We try to find in the
trials, tribulations and exploit of those heroes and noble women a meaning to our
existence, and answers to the testing problems and the dilemmas that confront us each
day.
It is the epics and mythologies with their wonderful and delightful tales; and
marvellous explanations that are the immediate source of our sense of values in life.
They in fact provide form to the notion and substance of the modern-day popular
Hinduism. But, still one cannot stop wondering at the fact that all these legends had
their simple beginnings in the Vedic hymns.
68.3. The growth and development of Indian mythology and thought resembles the
imagery of the inverted tree – of which our ancients were very fond – with its roots in
the sky and its branches spreading down towards the earth. Its roots are ancient but its
growing shoots, leaves, buds, flowers and fruits are ever green, tender and fresh. The
roots of our philosophy, religion and culture are in the very distant Vedic
past. Though those roots are no longer visible to us the braches and extensions of
those roots in vivid forms that have come down to us are very alive; and its fruits are
within our experience.

68.4. The idioms of Indian thought are thus dynamic, living and vibrant. They are
linked to the spiritual urges and the changing needs, desires and aspirations of its
people. The gods, faiths and the worship practices too keep evolving, changing,
without parting with the essence of its fundamentals. Therefore, growth, change and
adaptation are essential aspects of the Indian thought and living. It is distinguished by
continuity with change; as also by its resilience and diversity. That is the genius of the
Indian traditions.
The Varuna saga, albeit a painful one, has to be appreciated in that context.
To Sum up

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CIS:IM.367-1923

69.1. Varuna’s great career ended rather disappointingly; but, it did leave behind a
rich legacy of wonderful concepts and norms of behaviour in personal and social life
(Rta) that have endured even to this day. Those laws are universal; applicable at all
times and therefore eternal. The concept of Rta asserts that the order in nature is self
regulated and operates by its own laws (svabhava). Ensuring the perpetuation of the
order and harmony in nature is as sacred as it is in conduct of one’s life. That is
because; Rta emphasizes the integrity of all forms of life and ecological systems. The
principle of Rta recognizes our oneness with our environment and our unity with all
life on earth. It is the framework that binds together man, nature and god. Rta is thus
the Dharma that pervades and protects all life.
69.2. When that order and harmony is ruptured, the disruptive elements of disorder,
chaos and falsehood (an-rta) step in, bringing in their wake ugliness, dishonesty and,
decay into life. It is explained; a sin is any inharmonious action done with avarice to
gain some immediate and temporary gain. Thus, injuring the harmony that exists in
nature and among men is in fact a sin; and attracts punishment. The sin arises because
of frailties and human weaknesses; and not because of demons. The evil in the hearts
and minds of men are the real demons.
69.3. Sin is compared to unpaid debt (rna); it is a burden and an act of bad faith. The
best way to cleanse the sin is to come face to face with it; own it; confess to it; and
seek forgiveness with a promise not to err again. Cleansing is in the heart, mind and
deed; not in the rituals. That is the Varuna’s way.

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69.4. Paschatapa –‘after the burning heat’- signifies the purifying fire of repentance.
The life-giving waters over which Varuna presides also signifies purity. Varuna is
intimately associated with the both. Thus the Varuna-principle stands for purity in life,
in all its aspects. Salutations to Varuna the icon of purity.

References and Sources

1. Indra and Varuna in Indian Mythology by Dr. UshChoudhuri; Nag Publishers,

Delhi, 1981
2. The Indian Theogony by Dr.Sukumari Bhattarcharji, Cambridge University Press,
1970
3. Asura in early Vedic religion by WE Hale; Motilal Banarsidass; Delhi, 1986
4. Goddesses in ancient India by PK Agrawala; Abhinav Publications, New
Delhi,1984
5. The Hymns of Atharvan Zarathustra by JM Chatterji; the Parsi Zoroastrian
Association, Calcutta, 1967; http://www.avesta.org/chatterj_opf_files/slideshow.htm.
6. Outlines of Indian Philosophy –Prof M Hiriyanna; Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi, 2005
7.Original Sanskrit texts on the 0rigin and history of the people of India, their region
and institution By J. Muir;Trubner & co., London, 1870.
8. A classical dictionary of Hindu mythology and religion, geography, history, and
literaturebyJohn Dowson; Turner & co, Ludgate hill. 1879.
9. Vaidika Sahitya Charitre by Dr. NS Anantharangachar; DVK Murthy, Mysore,
1968
10. Sri Brahmiya Chitra Karma sastram by Dr. G. Gnanananda
11. Zarathustra Chapters 1-6 by Ardeshir Mehta; February 1999
http://www.indiayogi.com/content/indgods/varuna.aspx
http://www.bookrags.com/research/varua-eorl-14/
http://www.bookrags.com/wiki/Varuna
http://www.hinduweb.org/home/dharma_and_philosophy/vshirvaikar/Dnyaneshwari/
Dnch10pg1.html
http://rashmun.sulekha.com/blog/post/2010/03/vedic-literature-the-degradation-of-
varuna-and-indra.htm
http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Varuna
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http://www.indiadivine.org/audarya/vedic-verses/453851-vak-suktam-aka-devi-
suktam.html
http://www.svabhinava.org/HinduCivilization/AlfredCollins/RigVedaCulture_ch07-
frame.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahura_Mazda
http://www.iamronen.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/ReadingLila.pdf
http://www.hummaa.com/player/player.php
Varuna and His Decline – Part Six
05OCT

V. Varuna Iconography
70.1. The Iconography of Varuna is highly varied. The variations are generally two-
fold. One, the depiction of his image depends upon the stage of his career at which he
is being discussed. For instance, in the context of the early Rig Veda Varuna is a
sublime , gracious and a very handsome deity who is the lord of all existence . But ,
in the Brahmanas he is depicted as a severe looking stern judge holding the punitive
noose and riding a fearsome mythical monster Makara. And again, when he is
portrayed as a water-god the attributes symbolizing water element are stressed; and,
when he is shown as Dikpala the guardian of the west he is shown in the air riding
his mount in the sky; and so on.
And the other is that the various texts of Shilpa Shastra and the Puranas each project
its own version of Varuna image; and, they differ in details.
Thus the Iconography of Varuna is not uniform; it is spread across a whole spectrum
of varied notions of Varuna. In the iconographic sense there is not one but several
Varunas. It might not therefore be possible to discuss the whole range of Varuna
features. We may pick up just a few instances.

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70.1. Before looking at few instances of his form, let’s glance at his features in a
summary fashion by putting together his descriptions scattered across several texts.
71.1. Most of the descriptions of Varuna celebrate him as the lord of the waters; and
some (e.g. Aparajita pruccha) hail him as the lord of the west. But, his original
attributes, mentioned in Rig Veda, of being the lord of the sky or the governor
of Rta are not stressed in the texts dealing with his Iconography. They are completely
glossed over. That is understandable, because the Shilpa texts and the Puranas are far
removed in time from the age of the Rig Veda; and these texts came into being
centuries after the Vedic period. By then, Varuna’s decline and his demotion into a
mere water-god had been complete.
: – Varuna is shown either in standing posture (sthanaka) or as seated (aasana) or as
riding his vahana. But he is not shown in reclining position (shayana). He is shown
either alone (kevala) or with his consort/s.
:-The Varuna – iconography sometimes describes him as having four heads
(Vishnudharmottara) and four arms (in Rupamandana,
Vishnudharmottara and Aparajita pruccha) ; but, generally he is described with one
head and two or four arms.
: – Varuna is usually presented as a bright looking, well built god of peaceful and
benign disposition. But he is also shown with a potbelly (a characteristic of lunar
gods) . The Brahmana texts show him as an obscure (jambaka) ugly looking, white-
spotted (shukla), a rather deformed bald headed fat man with protruding teeth
(vikidha) and yellow or brownish eyes (pingaksha).
:- His complexion too varies across the texts. In most of the texts he is described as of
fair complexion radiant like a conch or a sparkling crystal (spatika). But he is also
described as having glossy sky-blue complexion (Rig Veda, Vishnudharmottara); or
lustrous golden complexion (Kashyapa shilpa), or dark complexion (Padma
samhitha).
:- Varuna usually favours white colour; his garments, ornaments, garlands and
necklaces are of white. But, in some instances he is adorned in red garments
(kashyapa shilpa) or yellow garments (Shilparatna).
:- He is either seated or is riding a Makara (a mythical monster of which we shall talk
a little later); but he is also mentioned as riding a crocodile (Rupa mandana) or seated
on a swan or seated on a dog or a Makara with a dog-head (Mathsya Purana).In some
older texts (Vishnudharmottara) his chariot is drawn by a set of seven swans. And, at
times he is shown sitting by a waterfowl.
: – The Ayudhas or the objects he holds usually are: the pasa (noose), lotus, a jewel
box, and a snake. At times he is depicted with water pot (kamandalu) or a mace
(musala) or a conch (shankha).
: – Varuna’s abode as mentioned in the early Vedic texts is the atmosphere. In
the later texts, his abode is in the waters or a region in the ocean (pastatsu) in a
multi-pillared mansion. He is also said to have palaces in hilly regions near the Meru

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on the Pushpagiri hills. Mahabharata mentions that Varuni (also called as Gauri),
Vriddhi and Jesta (daughter of Shuklacharya) are his queens. He rides across the
heavens in his glittering chariot. He has at his service thousands of spies who report to
him on all that the men do or do not do.
Particulars of Varuna Iconography as in:
Rig Veda

72.1. Rig Veda describes Varuna’s appearance in glowing terms: as the most
resplendent god of glowing- sky-blue complexion, with Agni in his face and Surya in
his eye. He is far sighted (uru-chaksasa). He is the eye of all the worlds (jagath-
chakshu- RV.1.25.5). He has soft and beautiful hands (supani) in which he holds
lotuses and an auspicious noose . He is splendidly adorned in golden mantel (drapi)
and a shining robe. His chariot dazzles brilliantly like sunrays (ghabasti suro
nadyauth – RV.1.122.15).Varuna and Mitra ride the golden chariot like floating clouds
in the blue sky, drawn by well yoked steeds. (RV.5.62.7). in the midst of vast
heavens urukşhaya (RV. 1.2.9) he is seated on a splendid throne placed in his golden
palace of thousand pavilions, thousand columns (RV. 2.41.5) and thousand doors
(RV. 7.88.5). From his glittering throne, the monarch (samrajnya) watches over the
deeds of all men and gods (pastyasu) – (RV .1.22.11-12).
Brahmanas

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72.2. Taittereya Brahmana (3.9.15.3) and Shatapatha Brahmana (13.3.6.5) present a
totally different and a fierce picture of Varuna. He is ugly and deformed. He appears
here as an obscure figure (jambaka) , as a white-spotted(shukla) bald headed fat man,
with protruding teeth(vikidha) and reddish brown eyes (pingaksha).But, he is
embellished in golden ornaments .
Puranas
72. 3 .1. The sixth century –text Vishnudharmottara Purana (part three, Ch.52, verses
1-21) as also Brihatsamhita carry almost identical descriptions of Varuna. In
the Vishunudharmottara, sage Markandeya explains that the image of Varuna the lord
of waters should be made on a chariot with seven swans.

Elsewhere it is said; His colour resembles the glossy brilliant blue (lapis-lazuli). His
blue is described as the colour of clear blue sky reflected in a tranquil pool of
transparent water. Varuna is depicted with four faces, a slightly prominent belly and
four arms holding in his: upper right hand – a noose, upper left hand – a conch,
lower left hand a – jewel box, and in his lower right hand a lotus.

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72.3.2. As per the Varuna Dhyana sloka, Varuna is smiling, gentle colour of snow,
lotus or moon. Varuna is wearing white garment; and is well adorned with ornaments
and rows of pearl necklaces .He is seated on a magnificent throne along with his two
queens (Ganga and Yamuna) . A white umbrella named Abhoga mounted atop the
throne is spread over his head. Incidentally, that white umbrella emerged from
churning of the ocean and was given to Varuna. White umbrella (sveta chattra) is a
royal insignia. His emblem Makara the mythical creature is placed to his left. Varuna,
in most cases is depicted as a highly respected king.

72.3.3. In the Matsya Purana (26.17.18) Varuna is depicted as a mighty (maha-balam)

god of peaceful continence. He has two arms; and he holds the Pasa; and, gestures
assurance (abhaya) or blessings. He is fair in complexion; and glows like a conch
(shankha) or the crystal (spatika). He is adorned in white garments, ornaments of
pearl, white flower garlands, rows of pearl necklaces and an ornate crown. He is
riding a dog or a Makara with dog’s head (basha asana).

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Again , Matsya Purana (174.15) sketches Varuna as standing in the midst of army of
gods , holding a noose and waiting for the fight to commence, like an ocean
furious to overshoot the shores .

At another place, Matsya Purana (260.17.18) describes Varuna of white complexion

like that of a conch and crystal (spatika) . His disposition is peaceful. He is adorned
with white garlands and garments. He is seated on a Makara or crocodile wearing a
crown.

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Texts of Shilpa Shastra
Similar descriptions of Varuna are provided in the texts of the Shilpa Shastra.
72.4.1. Rupamandana (2.35) describes Varuna the regent of the west as having four
arms. In three of his hands he holds a Pasa (noose), a lotus and a jewel box (lower left
hand). And, his lower right hand is bestowing blessings on the devote. He is riding a
crocodile (nakra –arudam).

72. 4.2. Pushkara samhitha (4.153) describes Varuna as the lord of waters who is
strong and well built (bhimam). His complexion glows like a fresh pearl (muktha-
phala dyuthi samam) . He is ever surrounded by thousands of Naga nymphs (naga
kanya sahasradyam). He rides a Makara.

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72.4.3. In contrast to that, Padma Samhita (22.60) and Haya shirsha
Samhitha (Adi.25.8) present Varuna as dark complexioned (varunam shyamalam). Of
his two hands he holds in the left a noose (pasa) and with his right he gestures
assurance (abhaya pradam) and blessings. He is resplendent with his
sparkling earrings in the shape of Makara (makara kundala) and in his bright crown
modest sized crown (karandi makuta).

72.4.4. In Kashyapa shilpa shastra (48.52.-54) Varuna the lord of waters is adorned in
red garments (raktha dharo bhushitam); his body is lustrous as gold (swarna varni)
.In his two hands he holds a snake (naga) and a noose (pasa) .He rides a Makara with
his consort Padmini Devi.

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72.4.5. Shilpa -ratna gives a slightly different version of Varuna. Here the benign
(saumyam) and peaceful (shantam) looking mighty (maha balam) is resplendent and
fair (swetha varnasthu). He is wearing yellow garments (pitha vastra dharam); and is
richly ornamented (sarva-bharana bhushitam) and is adorned with a crown (karandi
makuta). He holds a noose (pasa) in each of his two hands; and is riding a Makara. .
He is placed in a yajna pavilion (yajna satra).

72.4.6. In Aparajita pruccha (213.13) Varuna the regent of the west is described with
four arms. He holds in his upper right arm a pasa (noose), in his upper left a lotus, in
the lower left a water pot (kamandalu) and with his lower right he bestows assurance
and blessings (varam).He rides a Makara.

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72.4.6. Hayastra Pancharatra depicts Varuna as a water-god; he is shown with two
arms standing on back of a swan. His right hand shows gesture of removing fear
(abhaya).In his left hand he holds a noose made of a snake. The water pot is to his
left. He is accompanied by his consort Vriddhi on the left and his son Pushkara on the
right. He is surrounded by serpents, rivers, and water animals.
In the niches of temple walls
There are of course no temples dedicated to Varuna. But, his image is at times carved
in the niche of the western temple walls. Let’s see a few such instances.
73.1. In the eleventh century Brahmeshwar temple, Bhubaneswar Orissa , an image of
Varuna is carved in the niche on its western wall . Varuna is depicted as standing
(sthanaka) in a relaxed and graceful posture holding in his right hand a long noose by
its end while his left hand is placed on his hip. In his lower left hand he holds a water
vessel. He is adorned with jewelled crown,( ratna-kundala,) pearl yajnopavitha that
runs down across his chest, , and with a waist girdle. An oval halo is carved around
his head. At his feet lies the Makara with its mouth open standing in the waters. His
consorts carved at the base in miniature figures carry lotuses.

73.2. In the Raja-rani temple at Bhubaneswar, Varuna two armed is standing

near Makara. He holds a noose in his left hand. And his right hand shows gesture of
removing fear (abhaya)a noose (pasa) by its end in the left. Makara is depicted next to
him. This sculpture is remarkable for its relaxed demeanour, pleasant facial
expression and rich ornamentation.
73.4. In the Kosalesvara temple (c. eighth century) at Patnagarh, Orissa, an exquisitely
carved image of a youthful Varuna sitting in a relaxed pose (lalithasana) is on the
temple wall on the west. He is richly ornamented with a beautiful crown bearing
a kirtimukha logo at its centre, a semi oval Prabhavali (orb ) placed behind his head,
rows of necklaces (Hara, Keyura, Kankana, Katisutra) and an yajnopavitha across his
chest.

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73.5. Varuna is often depicted along with a waterfowl as in the following.

73.6. A seated figure of Varuna is carved on the walls of the Parasuramesvara temple,
Orissa, (c.10tcentury). Varuna is on the lower left.

73.7. The tenth-eleventh century temple of Banteay Srei, Cambodia, displays rich
and varied depictions of Varuna as riding a swan or a Makara; and surrounded by host
of followers.
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W. Makara

74.1. Makara is often translated as crocodile. In the context of Indian iconography that
may not be quite correct. Makara as referred to here is truly a mythical creature that
combines in itself the features of several sea and land animals. Makara has no well
defined form or structure. Its appearance varies depending on the features of the
animals that combine into its form. Perhaps because of its indefinite form, Makara is
termed a monster in the sense that it is neither this nor that. It is a mythical beast of
both land and sea with fanciful features. Almost any weird combination of animals
could be a Makara. But the two common features of all Makara forms are: a long and
a probing snout; and the other, an elaborate and spread out tail.
75.1. In the Indian Iconography , Makara is a composite figure, generally, with a
trunk as that of an elephant, ears like that of a cow, eyes as those of a fish, body as
that of a boar, and the tail elaborate and bushy like that of a peacock ; and its legs
resemble that of a lion . It could even be presented as fantastic marine monster
structured with the body and tail of a fish and the forelegs, neck, and head of an
antelope, an alligator, or a shark; or whatever.

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75.2. It is also called kantaka, Asita-dramstra (black teeth) and jala-rupa (water
form). Makara may be shown either as carrying a rider on its back (vahaka yuktam) or
it may not (svatantram). It may even be shown as if it is ready to pounce and attack
(yuddha sannaddham) or just being playful (kridabhi-ramakam).

75.3. A feature of Indian temple architecture is Makara –Torana the ornamental arch
way to the temple entrance; it also adores the doorway to the sanctum. Makara
toranas are very varied with endless permutations of elaborate patterns and designs.
But, invariably the toranas are artfully designed to suggest as if the doorway is held
afloat, at either end, by the extended snouts of two Makars with frothy or bushy
peacock tails. Even the Buddhist monuments including the gateway to the ancient
Sanchi stupa are decorated by Makara toranas.

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75.4. Sometimes, when it is used as a decorative motif its entire body may not be
depicted; but, only its head could be detailed along with its tail either well spread out
and standing up (puchcham urdhva visrtam) or spread around (sarvato gatam) or
hanging down to earth (bhu-pranta vikshiptam) .

75.5. Makara’s face alone is used in Indian temple architectural element

as kirtimukha “glory face”.

75.6. Makara as a decorative and as a royal insignia is well accepted. It is a widely

used decorative embellishment and a symbol in most Indian works of art and in
iconography.

Makara – an Indian symbol that travelled worldwide

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76.1. Makara is essentially an Indian symbol. It is very ancient too. In the Bhagavad-
Gita Sri Krishna mentions “I am Makara among the aquatics (jhasanam makarah) just
as the Ganga among the rivers and Rama among the warriors”- (Gita .10.31). As a
sea creature, Makara may have initially been a fish or a crocodile but later on it took
many fanciful forms. The Makara concept seems to have captured the imagination of
rest of the ancient world too. Makara in its various forms and manifestations spread to
west .And it is said, Makara‘s metamorphosis is the Babylonian water-god Ea an
antelope-fish; the goat-fish Capricorn of the Zodiac; the horse-headed sea-water
animal or water-serpent Nykkur of Norse legends; and, the mythical seahorse and the
dragon. Even the Sphinx could be termed a Makara. It is also explained that in old-
Greek Makara means ‘the blessed ‘and is root of Greek names such as Makarios.
76.2. The combination of the features of an aquatic animal, a serpent, an elephant and
the dragon; as also the mystic symbolisms associated with it inspired the legends,
myths and all art forms in Burma, China , Far East and in Buddhism. It is also said;
the ancient flag of ancient seafaring people of Sri Lanka, the Karware carried the
Makara emblem with an image of a fish at its centre. Burma’s animal of five
beauties is also a Makara.

Makara Symbolism

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77.1. Makara is rich in symbolism. Ananda K Coomaraswamy (in his Yaksha) writes
“Makara is a great Leviathan (serpent) moving through the primeval waters, the
cosmic ocean of the night sky, which contain the essence of life.” He suggests,
Makara stands for Prakrti that manifests the un-manifest. He equates Makara with the
abode of lotus which in turn symbolizes life.
77.2. In the Indian calendar , Makara –Sankranthi (in December/ January) marks the
end of winter solstice and the entering of the Sun into the tenth house of the
Zodiac heading toward the northern hemisphere. It is the dawn for the gods. It also is
the birth of time; and the first day of the New Year. Makara is associated with
creation-process; thus, it symbolizes time and its cyclic nature. Makara is therefore
prominently placed in Sun temples.
77.3. The Makara, its forms and symbolisms have permeated Indian art and living at
various levels. Apart from being a royal insignia and serving as a decorative designer
as a structural bracket, Makara is the vahana, the vehicle or the ride, of Varuna, the
goddesses Lakshmi, Ganga and Saraswathi; and, is the banner on Kamadeva’s flag.
The earrings of Vishnu and other gods are in the shape of Makara (Makara-
kundala).In astrology Makara is related to constellation of Capricorn (Makara-raasi)
with Sea-Goat as its symbol.
There is even a depiction of the five-faced Hanuman riding a Makara

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77.4. The elephant-like trunk of the Makara and the waters bring together Lakshmi
goddess of beauty and prosperity and Ganga the river goddess. Elephants are
associated with clouds, rains and waters. Makara which serves Lakshmi, Ganga and
other river-goddesses as their vahana, the ride, is also connected with water.

[Note: Wherever there is discrepancy between the narration and the picture ; please
take the narration and ignore discrepancy.]

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 Continued
in the Next Part
References and Sources
1. Indra and Varuna in Indian Mythology by Dr. UshChoudhuri; Nag Publishers,
Delhi, 1981
2. The Indian Theogony by Dr.Sukumari Bhattarcharji, Cambridge University Press,
1970
3. Asura in early Vedic religion by WE Hale; Motilal Banarsidass; Delhi, 1986
4. Goddesses in ancient India by PK Agrawala; Abhinav Publications, New
Delhi,1984
5. The Hymns of Atharvan Zarathustra by JM Chatterji; the Parsi Zoroastrian
Association, Calcutta, 1967; http://www.avesta.org/chatterj_opf_files/slideshow.htm.
6. Outlines of Indian Philosophy –Prof M Hiriyanna; Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi, 2005
7.Original Sanskrit texts on the 0rigin and history of the people of India, their region
and institution By J. Muir;Trubner & co., London, 1870.
8. A classical dictionary of Hindu mythology and religion, geography, history, and
literaturebyJohn Dowson; Turner & co, Ludgate hill. 1879.
9. Vaidika Sahitya Charitre by Dr. NS Anantharangachar; DVK Murthy, Mysore,
1968
10. Sri Brahmiya Chitra Karma sastram by Dr. G. Gnanananda

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11. Zarathustra Chapters 1-6 by Ardeshir Mehta; February 1999
http://www.indiayogi.com/content/indgods/varuna.aspx
http://www.bookrags.com/research/varua-eorl-14/
http://www.bookrags.com/wiki/Varuna
http://www.hinduweb.org/home/dharma_and_philosophy/vshirvaikar/Dnyaneshwari/
Dnch10pg1.html
http://rashmun.sulekha.com/blog/post/2010/03/vedic-literature-the-degradation-of-
varuna-and-indra.htm
http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Varuna
http://www.indiadivine.org/audarya/vedic-verses/453851-vak-suktam-aka-devi-
suktam.html
http://www.svabhinava.org/HinduCivilization/AlfredCollins/RigVedaCulture_ch07-
frame.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahura_Mazda
http://www.iamronen.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/ReadingLila.pdf
http://www.hummaa.com/player/player.php
Varuna and his decline – Part Seven
05OCT
Varuna and Ahura Mazda

It is generally accepted that the Ahura Mazda of the Avesta is indeed the Varuna of
Rig Veda. Before we come to that let’s talk of few other things.
X. Before parting of ways
The Old World
78.1. In the Vedic times the people on either side of the great river Sindhu were
closely related. The communities that lived in what is Iran today and in what is Sind
and Punjab today shared common traditions, myths and legends as also a common
cultural milieu. Their faith, as also many of their religious rites were virtually the
same; and were often called by same or similar names. The language spoken on either
side of the great river; the words, grammar and syntax of the idioms sprung from same
roots.
78.2. For, in those days what we now call the frontier between the two lands—the
imaginary line dividing people of imaginary differences—did not exist; the Vedic
people populated both Iran and India equally freely. They established kingdoms,
formed alliances, and created common systems of: worship, living and trade; as also
measurement and mathematics. They developed ongoing cultural and trade contacts
with peoples of rival cultures as far away as Mesopotamia, Phoenicia and even Egypt;
and carried their language so far west that the westernmost Isles of the Eurasian land
mass came to be called “Eire” after Arya the term used by these people to describe
themselves.
The gods and the priests

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78.3. Of the gods worshipped on both the sides, Indra the Deva and Varuna the
mighty Asura were prominent. The worship was commonly through the medium of
the formless fire (Agni); they prayed to Agni to lead them along the good path
(Agneye naya supatha rayé asman – Yajurveda 40.17). It appears that the older deity
Varuna who upholds the moral order was more widely accepted in the western region
(Iran) while Indra the warrior god had more followers on the east of the Sindhu.
The priests guiding the communities on the west of the great river were the Bhrigus
(identified by some scholars as the tribe of the Anu or Anva), while Angirasas were
the priests of the Puru people and of the dominant Bharatas on the eastern side. There
was certain amount of rivalry between the Bhrigus and the Angirasas though both
groups came from same stock (descendents of Prajapathi). It was not, therefore, a
conflict between two diverse cultures. What separated the two clans was the conflict
of ideas and rivalry rather than as enmity. That rivalry went far back into the pre-
Vedic past. During the times of the early Rig Veda the Angirasas were regarded the
dominant priests, while the Bhrigus or the Atharvanas synonymous with fire-priests
were on the fringe.
The Bhrigus
79.1. The Bhrigus, also known as Bhargavas, are the descendents of the sage
Bhrigu. The cult of the sage Bhrigu whose name derives from the root bhrk meaning
‘the blazing of the fire’ professed immense reverence towards the elements of fire on
earth viz the life and warmth-giving Sun and the Fire. Though all Rishis, in general,
have associations with these two elements, the Bhrigus’ attachment to fire was a
special one. They were the first to introduce the fire-ritual and the Soma-ritual; and
were the first to discover the nexus between fire and water (Apam Napat).The Bhrigus
were associated with water as also fire. The fire-worshipping Bhrigus were close to
the life on seas, rivers. The vast stretch of the mouths of the mighty Sindhu as it
branched into number of rivulets to join the occasion was the region of the Bhrigus. It
is where they resided and flourished. That is the reason that the present day Baruch
was known as Bhrigu-kaksha or Bhrigu kaccha the region of the Bhrigus.
79.2. The Bhrigus followed the doctrine of the ancestors (pitris) or the older gods
(Asura). The Supreme Asura the Father -Varuna the Asura Mahat (the mighty Asura)
was highly venerated by the Bhrigus. The Bhrigu cult which adopted monotheistic
approach wholly favoured the worship of the invisible Asura the Father Varuna
through the medium of the formless fire Agni that lights the path of the Fathers (the
fire does not have much of a form—at least not a static one). They dis-favoured icon
worship. The Bhrigus strived to abide by Rta the physical and moral laws of Varuna.
And, insisted on sharp distinctions between the good and evil.
79.3. The main text of the Bhrigus was the Atharvana Veda. They were, in particular,
known as Atharvans. Sri Sayana-charya described the Atharvanas as of firm resolve
and steadfast mind. Elsewhere, Bhrigus were described as very proud people, hot
tempered and independent. It is said; they valued free thinking more than the rules.

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Bhrigus were also the expert physicians, mathematicians, architects and artists. The
Bhrigus compiled their almanac with reference to the star by the name of their
preceptor Shukra (Venus)) [as did the ancient Egyptians, Mayas, Incas, Assyrians, and
Babylonians].
The Angirasas
80.1. In contrast, the Angirasas who professed worship of younger gods (Deva) were
the preceptors of the Puru Aryans the heroes of Rig Veda on the east of the Sindhu.
The name Angirasa too is connected with fire as the ‘glowing coal or the shouldering
ember’ (Angara).The Angirasas are described as the sons of the flame resembling the
lustre of the dawn and as the drinkers of Soma. They are hailed as the warriors, the
fighters for the cows or rays of sun (gosu yodhaah); and are credited with gaining
back the cows, the horses, the waters and all treasures from the grasp of the sons of
Darkness. Their association with the Dawn and the Sun and the Cows comes through
in several ways.
80.2. Angirasas were dexterous users of words and were superb poets. They are the
masters of the Rik who expressed their thought with clarity and brightness
(svaadhibhir rkvabhih – RV: 6. 32.2).Their poetry is charged with high idealism,
soaring human aspirations and an intense desire to grow out of the limited human
confines. Angirasa are said to have composed the very first verse of the Rig Veda, the
hymn to Agni.
80.3. The Angirasas were more closely associated with mountains, hills, dales, vast
open spaces; and were mainly in the foothill regions of the Himalayas. They were
more attuned to contemplation and pursuit of knowledge (than wealth and pleasure).
They adopted the yajna and soma practices from the Bhrigus. The Angirasas compiled
their almanac with reference to star bearing the name of their preceptor Brihaspathi,
Guru (Jupiter) [as did the people of ancient Chinese, Japanese, Malaya, Indonesia,
etc].
Bhrigu –Angirasa rift
81.1. Though both the Bhrigus and Angirasas were closely associated with fire, the
Bhrigus in particular came to be known as the Atharvanas- the high priests who
worship fire. Further, though both Bhrigus and Angirasas performed Yajna with great
fervour, the latter tended to personify the gods and to lend them a form (murtha).This
tendency to shift towards worship the formless through a personalized form or an idol
(murti) seems to have displeased the Bhrigus and exacerbated the rift between the two
great sages and their followers. The Bhrigus on the west of the Sindhu asserted their
method of worship was pristine and their gods who were more ancient (Asura). The
Angirasas on the other hand believed that the younger gods (Deva) were more
dynamic, powerful and more responsive to prayers. Each group tended to look down
upon the other; and to decry the gods of the rival cult.
81.2. The rise of Indra the king of Devas and the steep decline of Varuna the Asura
and his eventual eclipse in the Vedic pantheon had lot to do with widening the rift

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between the clans of the two sages. Varuna in the early Rig Veda was a highly
venerated god. He was hailed as the sole sovereign sky-god; the powerful Asura, the
King of both men and gods, and of all that exists. He governed the laws of nature as
also the ethical conduct of men. But with time, Varuna was steadily stripped of his
powers one-by-one and relegated to a very minor rank. Further, one of the most
fundamental aspects of Varuna the Rta, which signified the greatest good not merely
ensured the physical order but also the moral order in the universe, was given a goby.
81.3. The shabby treatment meted out to Varuna the Asura Mahat, the watering down
the laws of Varuna the Rta offended the Bhrigu clan greatly. Bhrigu was after all the
son of Varuna.
The Bhrigus professed monotheism and formless worship of Varuna; and stood
by Rta. Even while the battles of minds and hearts were being waged the rival groups
lived side by side.
Y. Rift formalized
Separation of Books
82.1. The rift between the two clans was more or less formalized when the composite
text Atharvana Veda, also called Bhrigu – Angirasa Samhita, was split into two books
along the lines of their affiliations: the Bhargava Veda (the Veda of the Bhrigus)
and Angirasa Veda (the Veda of the Angirasa).It is believed that the Atharva Veda
which has come down to us in India is, in fact, only one-half of the original text – the
Angirasa Veda part. The other half the Bhargava Veda is lost to us.
82.2. Shri Jatindra Mohan Chatterji argues that the Bhrigus whose notions of God, of
his worship and of the moral order were not well accepted in the east took with them
their sacred text Bhargava Veda over to the west of the Sindhu River. Shri Chatterji
says that Zend Avesta is the Bhargava Veda text that was lost to India. He asserts that
the Bhargava Veda the missing Book of the Bhrigu Angirasa Samhita is indeed the
Zend Avesta (The Hymns of Atharvan Zarathustra – Published by The Parsi
Zoroastrian Association, Calcutta, 1967).
Please click on http://www.avesta.org/ and then go to The Hymns of Atharvan
Zarathushtra in the page for the E-Book.
82.3 . Thus, the Indo-Iranians became divided into two groups of people on the basis
of the method of worship and accent on certain principles. And it is apparently this
division that led to the breakup of the original Aryan Land into two parts: Iran and
India. In the process, both countries lost something. Iran, on the one hand, lost the Rig
Veda, with its hymns in praise of Indra and along with it the Saman and Yajus as well.
India, on the other hand, lost half of the Atharva Veda, namely the Bhragava
Samhita or Bhargava Veda. Thereafter due to vicissitudes and ironies of history the
two lands could never come together again. They, sadly, remain separated- forever.
82 .4 . When the Aryan community was undivided the terms Asura and Deva both
denoted gods of high respect. The gods were referred to Asura as also Deva. But with

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the parting of their ways each tribe accorded its own chosen words of abuse to the
terms Asura or Deva, depending on to which side of the Sindhu they belonged.
Z …. And after
Language of the Avesta and Vedic Sanskrit
83.1. The Zend Avesta (chhanda = verse, meter; Avesta = apistaka = pusthaka)
literally means the Book of Hymns, which indeed was the nature of the Bhragava
Samhita or Bhargava Veda. Shri JM Chatterji observes that the language of the
Avesta and the language of the Vedas resemble very closely since they are based in a
common linguistic foundation.
It is said; their relation is so close that entire passages from the Gathas can be
rendered into Vedic Sanskrit by application of the phonetic rules – that is by
exchanging some sounds for others- such as S for Sh; Z for Zh; and ,C for Ch. For
instance; the Sanskrit terms aham (‘I’), jihva (tounge), sapta (seven), hima (snow)
and yajna (sacrifice ritual) would become ajem, hijva, hapta, zyma, and yasna,
respectively, in the Iranian texts. Similarly Pita(Sk) would be Pitar (Av); Mans (Sk)
– Manah (Av); Hotar (Sk) – Zotar (Av); Mitra (Sk) – Mithra (Av); Arya (Sk)-
Ariyan (Av); and, Martyanam (Sk) – Masyanam (Av) and so on. Such rendering can
produce verses in Sanskrit that are correct not only in form but also in poetic flow.
Further, some terms – e.g. Shukra (bright), Krishna (dark) – carry the same form and
meaning in either text.
83.2. One could find a Sanskrit equivalent for almost any Avestan word. For instance:
The Avesthan : aevo pantao yo ashahe, vispe anyaesham apantam (Yasna 72.11);
could be rendered in Sanskrit as : abade pantha he ashae, visha anyaesham
apantham (translation: The one path is that of Asha, all others are not-paths).
Another example (left) of Avestan text from Yasna 10.6 is rendered word for word in
Sanskrit on the right. Translated it means: `Mithra that strong mighty angel, most
beneficent to all creatures, I will worship with libations’

83.3. The Cambridge History of India observes, “The coincidence between

the Avesta and the Rig-Veda is so striking that the two languages cannot have been
long separated before they arrived at their present condition.” The linguist, Professor
T. Burrow of Oxford University also argued for strong similarities between language
of Avesta and Vedic Sanskrit. And, HD Griswold (in his The Religion of the Rig
Veda) went so far as to point out that each can be said to be “a commentary on the
other … No scholar of the Avesta worth the designation can do without a thorough
grounding in Vedic Sanskrit”.
Zend Avesta and the Gathas

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84.1. Zend Avesta is the oldest and the most famous religious text of Iran. As
mentioned earlier, it is believed to be a version of the Vedic text Bhrigu Veda of
the Atharva Veda. The Avesta comprises four books: Yasna (book of
hymns), Yashta (book of prayers), visparatau (book of Rta or righteousness)
and vidaevadata (book of laws). The hymns composed by the prophet Zarathustra are
inserted into the original text of the Avesta in the Book of Yasna. His hymns – Gatha
(Gita or songs) numbering seventeen consisting 238 verses are indeed the core and
cream of the Avesta despite the fact that they form only a tiny portion of the whole
text. These Gathas of inspired poetry composed in ancient form were sung by
Zarathustra the poet-prophet to invoke and glorify the Great God Ahura Mazda. They
are highly devotional in nature expounding the essence of Rta (Asha) the greatest
good, the good mind (voshu) and righteousness. They also reveal the mind and the
personality of Zarathustra the first prophet of mankind. He exhorts people to lead a
life of righteousness as directed by Ahura Mazda.
The Gathas also contain biographical glimpses of Zarathustra.
Zarathustra

85.1. The traditions of Iran believe that Ratu (Rishi) Zarathustra descended from a
long line of sage-kings (Raja-rishi). Zarathustra describes himself : as of the Bhrigu
clan, a Bhargava ‘ I am Spitama Zarathustra’ (the Avestan term Spitatama = shukla
(Snkt) = white which is the colour associated with Bhrigu); as in the line of sage
Vashishtha (Vahishta in the Avesta: Vahishtem Thwa Vahishta yem); as an Atharvan
(fire priest); as a Zoatar (hotar (Snkt)= priest officiating at the yajna) ; as a reciter of
Mantras (Mantrono dutim –Ys.32.13) ; and as a Mantra teacher (Manthra-
ne :Ys.50.5).
85.2. He declares that “silent meditation is the best for man” (Ys.43.15); and exhorts
to worship the formless-one “in essence and in vision’ (Ys.33.71). He was not very
fond of rites and rituals; and was positively against worship of icons. Zarathustra
proclaimed his immense faith in the Great One; and said that the formless Supreme
can be realized through intense Love alone (in the sense of deep Bhakthi) –“, O
Ahura, Who Art the Greatest Good; with love would I worship Thee” (Gatha: 28.82).

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According to Shri JM Chatterji, Zarathustra was a Vedic sage in the line of Bhrigu
and Vashista; and the Gathas resemble in tenor and spirit the devote and forceful
hymns sung in praise of Varuna by sage Vashista in the Atharva Veda (AV.4.16.7-8).
85.3. Scholars believe that Zarathustra lived during the late Vedic age when Varuna
was being phased out; when he was no longer the greatest god; and when Indra ruled
as the king of gods. Given the fact that he lived in the regions west of the Sindhu and
that he belonged to the Bhrigu-clan, Zarathustra was naturally inclined towards the
worship of Varuna the formless Great Asura. There is therefore in Zarathustra’s
hymns a strong streak of monotheism; great love for his God; immense faith in
prayers and in God’s mercy; and a very clear and a precise moral sense of the right
and the wrong.
Ahura Mazda
86.1. Zarathustra declared there is only one God and He is formless. He is the only
one worthy of highest worship. Zarathustra gave that ‘formless mighty spirit’ one and
only one name: Ahura Mazda. Zarathustra’s monotheism is so strict and
uncompromising that never in his Gathas does he address or refer to his God by any
other name. And, he declared ‘Ahura Mazda alone is worthy of worship’ (Gatha:
29.4).
86.2. The terms Ahura (Asura= the formless mighty lord) and Mazda (Mahat =
Greatest; or Medha = Vedhas = wise) were already in use and well known in the
eastern regions of Iran as alternate names of the ancient god Varuna. The virtues and
attributes of Varuna were also well known. But, ever since Zarathustra employed the
compound term -Ahura Mazda – it became widely accepted in preference to the
earlier name Varuna.
86.3. Ahura Mazda was conceived as a formless invisible God. The prime attribute of
the invisible God is his essence. Zarathustra visualized his God in his heart and mind;
and described him in varieties of ways. Zarathustra sang the glory of his God Ahura
Mazda the spirit in his being as:
the uncreated God; the mighty formless spirit; highest deity; wholly wise, benevolent
and good; Most beneficent spirit; Maker of the material world; Holy One; the creator
and upholder of the moral order Asha (Rta); All-Wise Lord of All He Surveys; the
source of all goodness; the friend of the righteous, the destroyer of the evil and the
creator of the universe which is completely good.
86.4. He bursts into a series of superlatives: the All Brilliant; the All Majestic; the All
Greatest;;the Greatest Good; Most Beneficent Spirit; the Best(Vahishtem); and the
Most Beautiful (Ys: 31 .21).
86.5. Zarathustra describes Ahura Mazda in as many as one hundred-and-one epithets,
of which the forty-fourth is Varuna. In the Avesta, Varuna stands for the ‘all –
embracing sky’.

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86.6. Ahura Mazda was invoked in a triad, with Mithra and Apam Napat (described as
the spirit of the waters). Ahura Mazda was not worshiped through a murti or an idol;
in fact, the idols were smitten in the congregations.
[Till the Achaemenid period (ca. 550–330 BC) it was customary for the emperors to
have an empty chariot drawn by white horses to honour Ahura Mazda. However,
stone carved Images of Ahura Mazda began to appear in the Parathion period (ca.129
BC-224 AD).]
86.7. Further, In the Gathas where the battle between good and evil is a distinguishing
characteristic of the religion, the Daevas (Devas the Vedic gods) are the “wrong
gods”, the followers of whom need to be brought back to the path of the ‘good
religion’.
Ahura Mazda and Varuna
87.1. Scholars, who have studied the Gathas closely, observe the virtues, powers and
attributes of Ahura Mazda and that of Varuna of the Rig Veda are almost identical.
Many strongly believe that Ahura Mazda is indeed the Varuna. For instance,
Bloomfield (in his Hymns of the Atharva-Veda, Sacred Books of the East, 1897)
declared: “It seems to me an almost unimaginable feat of scepticism to doubt the
original identity of Varuna and Mazda”. And, similarly Nichol Manicol (Indian
Theism, London, 1915) observed that “the evidence that identifies Varuna with Mazda
is too strong to be rejected”.
Rta and Asha
We need to talk a bit more about Rta the very heart of Varuna-doctrine and hence the
core of Zarathustra’s Gathas.
88.1. Rta in Rig Veda is the principle that supports and upholds all creation; it
governs the physical and moral order in the universe. Rta in the Avesta is
termed Asha; and Asha carries the same connotation as Rta. Asha the greatest good of
all is the basic and the most important tenet of the Avesta. The term Asha occurs in
the Avesta texts in a variety of forms such as: asha, arsh, eresh, arta and ereta.
88.2. Asha is raised to a very exalted position; to the level of Ahura Mazda himself.
Ahura Mazda is described as ‘of one accord with Asha’; and as one ‘who is highest
in Asha, and one who has advanced furthest in Asha.’
Asha is the changeless eternal law of Ahura .It was in accordance with that law that
the universe came into being; it is by Asha that the universe is sustained; and it is by
obeying which universe is progressing towards its destiny and fulfilment.
As the moral order in the Universe, Asha signifies righteousness, Truth, Justice and
Divine will. Asha is also the spiritual enlightenment. As it usually happens, it is hard
to find an exact term in English language to capture an Indian concept. It is the case
with Rta and Asha too.
88.3. A prayer calls out Asha as “the Love, the greatest Love and the enlightenment of
he who honours Asha just for the love of it”; and yearns “Through the best Asha,
through the highest Asha, may we get a vision of Thee O Ahura Mazda, may we draw

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near unto Thee, may we be in perfect union with Thee” (Ys.60.12).Finally “there is
but one path…the path of Asha; all the rest are false” (Ys.71.11)
Great Reformer
89.1. Zarathustra was not only a great prophet but was also a great reformer. He did
not overthrow the older Vedic region and its beliefs. Instead, he reformed the ancient
religion and lent it a definite sense of direction. [In a way, the religion of Zarathustra
is closer to the Vedic religion than is the Buddhism.]
89.2. Zarathustra re-established Varuna and his doctrine of moral order, of Love and
of faith in God. He placed the formless and unseen, the one and only God at the centre
of kingdom of justice. He emphasized the dichotomy of the good and bad; the value
systems and the wisdom in life. He asked his people to Love God and the Truth for its
own sake. He played down the role of rituals and encouraged contemplation; exhorted
to worship the formless God ‘in essence and vision’ and to seek him in silent
meditation.
89.3. Varuna symbolized purity in life in all its aspects. Zarathustra sought to re-
establish in his land the sense of purity as also the values and the wisdom of the
ancient Great and Noble God Varuna.
[ I fondly recall my dear departed friend Dorabjee ( whose story you read earlier; if
you have not , please do read now my tribute to an old friend ) . It was Dorabjee who
during my early years in Bombay led me to acquaintance with the Gathas
of Zarathustra and to the realization how close they were to the hymns of Atharva
Veda. I trust my friend, wherever he is, would not be displeased with my effort.]

References and Sources

1. Indra and Varuna in Indian Mythology by Dr. Usha Choudhuri; Nag Publishers,
Delhi, 1981
2. The Indian Theogony by Dr.Sukumari Bhattarcharji, Cambridge University Press,
1970
3. Asura in early Vedic religion by WE Hale; Motilal Banarsidass; Delhi, 1986
4. Goddesses in ancient India by PK Agrawala; Abhinav Publications, New
Delhi,1984

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5. The Hymns of Atharvan Zarathustra by JM Chatterji; the Parsi Zoroastrian
Association, Calcutta, 1967; http://www.avesta.org/chatterj_opf_files/slideshow.htm.
6. Outlines of Indian Philosophy –Prof M Hiriyanna; Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi, 2005
7.Original Sanskrit texts on the 0rigin and history of the people of India, their region
and institution By J. Muir;Trubner & co., London, 1870.
8. A classical dictionary of Hindu mythology and religion, geography, history, and
literaturebyJohn Dowson; Turner & co, Ludgate hill. 1879.
9. Vaidika Sahitya Charitre by Dr. NS Anantharangachar; DVK Murthy, Mysore,
1968
10. Sri Brahmiya Chitra Karma sastram by Dr. G. Gnanananda
11. Zarathustra Chapters 1-6 by Ardeshir Mehta; February 1999
http://www.indiayogi.com/content/indgods/varuna.aspx
http://www.bookrags.com/research/varua-eorl-14/
http://www.bookrags.com/wiki/Varuna
http://www.hinduweb.org/home/dharma_and_philosophy/vshirvaikar/Dnyaneshwari/
Dnch10pg1.html
http://rashmun.sulekha.com/blog/post/2010/03/vedic-literature-the-degradation-of-
varuna-and-indra.htm
http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Varuna
http://www.indiadivine.org/audarya/vedic-verses/453851-vak-suktam-aka-devi-
suktam.html
http://www.svabhinava.org/HinduCivilization/AlfredCollins/RigVedaCulture_ch07-
frame.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahura_Mazda
http://www.iamronen.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/ReadingLila.pdf
http://www.hummaa.com/player/player.php
All images are by courtesy of Internet
https://sreenivasaraos.com/tag/varuna-in-rig-veda/

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