Varuṇa — Regent of the West

Varuṇa — Regent of the West  
Varuṇa (the Coverer or Binder), the personification of the Mysterious Law of the Gods presides over the relationship of humans with the gods.

He is the ruler of the "other side," of the invisible world. He represents the inner reality of things, higher truth (Ṛita), and order in their transcendent aspects, beyond understanding.

His absolute power is felt during the night and in all that is mysterious, while man-made laws, represented by Mitra, rule the day. Although usually linked with Mitra, Varuṇa is occasionally invoked alone.

He is everywhere, in the universe and around it, pervading all things as the inner law and order of creation. He established and maintains natural and moral laws, expressions of the cosmic order. His laws are unassailable and rest upon him as on a mountain.

As the King, Varuṇa is the Justice-giver, whose duty is to punish the guilty. He catches the evildoers and binds them with his noose.

In the later mythology Varuṇa came to be relegated to the position of a god of death. Indra, the ruler of the sphere of space, took precedence over him, as the ruler of the sky.

In the Mahābhārata (2.9) and all later texts Varuṇa appears as the lord of the waters, the ruler of the sea or the subterranean waters. He is the giver of rain and has been the owner of the soma.

He is the regent of the Western direction. His domain is the Western Ocean. He is rich and happy. He also rules over one of the lunar mansions (nakṣatra).

The name Varuṇa may be derived from the root vr, meaning "to surround, envelop, cover." It refers to all that veils or covers, all that is mysterious, cryptic, hidden.

Varuṇa is also the lord of the causal waters that surround the world. It can also be derived from the root vr, "to restrain," "to check," referring to the god's character as the enforcer.

His city, the most beautiful in the world, is called Starry-Night (Vibhāvarī), or Earthly-City (Vasudhā-nāgara), or Joyful (Sukha).

He has two wives the junior being Prosperity (Riddhi), and the elder wife Vāruṇī, is the goddess of liquor. She is sometimes called Gauri, the Fair One.

His sons are:—Nourisher (Puṣkara), Strength (Bāla) and a daughter Liquor (Surā). Another son, Wrong-Deed (Adharma), married Misfortune (Nirṛti). Her sons are are:—Ill-omens (nairṛta) and demons (rākṣasas), Fear (bhaya), Terror (Mahā-bhaya), and Death (Mṛtyu).

Symbols

Varuṇa appears as handsome and well-dressed. He rides upon the Makara — a mythical sea-monster sometimes associated either with a shark or a crocodile. His right hand shows the Abhayā-mudra — gesture of removing fear. In his left hand he holds a nāga-pāśa — noose made of a serpent.