Varuna
Varuna (/ˈvɜːrʊnə, ˈvɑːrə-/; Sanskrit: वरुण, IAST: Varuṇa) is a Hindu god, associated with the sky, oceans, and water. In the Vedic scriptures, he is paired with the god Mitra and is the lord of Ṛta (justice) and Satya (truth). Varuna is also mentioned as an Aditya, the sons of the goddess Aditi.
| Varuna | |
|---|---|
God of the Sky, Oceans, and Water | |
| Member of Adityas | |
Varuna on his mount Makara | |
| Affiliation | Adityas, Deva, Dikpala |
| Abode | Ocean |
| Mantra | Oṃ jala bimbāya vidmahe nīla puruṣāya dhīmahi tanno varuṇaḥ pracodayāt Oṃ Varunāya Namaḥ |
| Weapon | Noose, Varunastra, Gandiva |
| Mount | Makara |
| Personal information | |
| Parents | |
| Children | Lakshmi, Sushena, Vandi, Dakshasavarni Manu, Vasishtha, Pushkara, Bala, Sura, Andharmaka, Kali (demon) (sons) and Varuni (daughter) |
| Equivalents | |
| Greek equivalent | Poseidon |
| Roman equivalent | Neptune |
| Norse equivalent | Njörðr |
In the later Hindu texts like the Puranas, Varuna is also a Dikpala or guardian of the western direction. He is depicted as a youthful man, mounted on Makara (crocodile) and holding a Pasha (noose, rope loop) and a pitcher in his hands. He has multiple wives and fathered many children, including the Vedic sage Vasishtha.
He is also mentioned in the Tamil grammar work Tolkāppiyam, as Kadalon the god of sea and rain. He is found in Japanese Buddhist mythology as Suiten. He is also found in Jainism.