Varuna
Varuna | |
---|---|
Equivalents | |
Greek equivalent | Poseidon |
Roman equivalent | Neptune |
Norse equivalent | Njörðr |
Varuna (
In the later Hindu texts like the
He is also mentioned in the Tamil grammar work Tolkāppiyam, as Kadalon the god of sea and rain.[11] He is found in Japanese Buddhist mythology as Suiten.[10] He is also found in Jainism.[12][13]
Etymology
In Hindu tradition, the theonym Váruṇa (Devanagari: वरुण) is described as a derivation from the verbal root vṛ ("to surround, to cover" or "to restrain, bind") by means of a suffixal -uṇa-, for an interpretation of the name as "he who covers or binds", in reference to the cosmological ocean or river encircling the world, but also in reference to the "binding" by universal law or Ṛta.[10]
The etymological identification of the name Ouranos with the Sanskrit Varuṇa is based in the derivation of both names from theHindu texts
Vedas
In the earliest layer of the Rigveda, Varuna is the guardian of moral law, one who punishes those who sin without remorse, and who forgives those who err with remorse.[18][19] He is mentioned in many Rigvedic hymns, such as 7.86–88, 1.25, 2.27–30, 8.8, 9.73 and others.[18][10] His relationship with waters, rivers and oceans is mentioned in the Vedas. Rig veda 10.123 says Hiranyapaksha (golden winged bird) as the messenger of Varuna. The golden winged messenger bird of Varuna may not be a mythical one but most probably flamingos because they have colourful wings and the sukta further describes Vulture as the messenger of Yama, the beaks of both these birds have similar morphology and flamingos are seen nearby seashores and marshlands.[20][21]
The Rigveda also features him as the god of the sky.[22]
Varuna and
According to Doris Srinivasan, a professor of Indology focusing on religion, Varuna-Mitra pair is an ambiguous deity just like Rudra-Shiva pair.[27] Both have wrathful-gracious aspects in Indian mythology.[28] Both Varuna and Rudra are synonymous with "all comprehensive sight, knowledge", both were the guardian deity of the north in the Vedic texts (Varuna later gets associated with west), both can be offered "injured, ill offerings", all of which suggest that Varuna may have been conceptually overlapping with Rudra.[27] Further, the Rigvedic hymn 5.70 calls Mitra-Varuna pair as rudra, states Srinivasan.[27] According to Samuel Macey and other scholars, Varuna had been the more ancient Indo-Aryan deity in 2nd millennium BCE, who gave way to Rudra in the Hindu pantheon, and Rudra-Shiva became both "timeless and the god of time".[28][29]
In Vajasaneyi Samhita 21.40 (
In Yajurveda it is said: "In fact Varuna is Vishnu and Vishnu is Varuna and hence the auspicious offering is to be made to these deities." || 8.59 ||[34]
Upanishads
Varuna, addressed as Varuni explained
Ramayana
Rama interacts with Varuna in the Hindu epic
With his bow and arrow, Rama prepares to attack the oceans to dry up the waters and create a bed of sand for his army of monkeys to cross and thus confront Ravana. Lakshmana appeals to Rama, translates Menon, that he should return to "peaceful paths of our fathers, you can win this war without laying waste the sea".[36] Rama shoots his weapon sending the ocean into flames. As Rama increases the ferocity of his weapons, Varuna arises out of the oceans. He bows to Rama, stating that he himself did not know how to help Rama because the sea is deep, vast and he cannot change the nature of sea. Varuna asked Rama to remember that he is "the soul of peace and love, wrath does not suit him". Varuna promised to Rama that he will not disturb him or his army as they build a bridge and cross over to Lanka. Although, most of the sources claim it was Samudra, the god of the oceans who met Rama not the water god Varuna.[36]
In Tolkappiyam
The Tolkāppiyam, a Tamil grammar work from the 3rd century BCE divides the people of ancient Tamilakam into five Sangam landscape divisions: kurinji, mullai, paalai, marutham and neithal.[37] Each landscape is designated with different gods. Neithal is described as a seashore landscape occupied by fishermen and seatraders, with the god of sea and rain, Varunan or Kadalōn.[11][38] "Varuna" means water which denotes the ocean in the Tamil language.[39]
Festivals
Cheti Chand
The Cheti Chand festival in the Hindu month of Chaitra[40] marks the arrival of spring and harvest, but in Sindhi Hindu community, it also marks the mythical birth of Uderolal in the year 1007.[41][42][43] Uderolal morphed into a warrior and old man who preached and reprimanded Mirkhshah that Muslims and Hindus deserve the same religious freedoms. He, as Jhulelal,[43] became the saviour of the Sindhi Hindus, who according to this legend, celebrate the new year as Uderolal's birthday.[43][41]
Chaliya saheb
Chalio or Chaliho, also called Chaliho Sahib, is a forty-day-long festival celebrated by Sindhi Hindus[44][45][46] to express their gratitude to Jhulelal for saving them from their impending conversion to Islam. The festival is observed every year in the months of July to August; dates vary according to the Hindu calendar.[44][45] It is a thanksgiving celebration in honor of Varuna Deva for listening to their prayers.[44][45]
Narali Poornima
Nārali Poornima is a ceremonial day observed by Hindu fishing communities in
Beyond Hinduism and India
Sri Lankan Tamils (Karaiyar caste)
Karaiyar is a Sri Lankan Tamil caste found mainly on the northern and eastern coastal areas of Sri Lanka, and globally among the Tamil diaspora. They are traditionally a seafaring community that is engaged in fishing, shipment and seaborne trade. They fish mostly in deep seas, and employ gillnet and seine fishing methods. The Karaiyars were the major maritime traders and boat owners who among other things, traded with pearls, chanks, tobacco, and shipped goods overseas to countries such as India, Myanmar and Indonesia. The community known for their maritime history, are also reputed as a warrior caste who contributed as army and navy soldiers of Tamil kings. They were noted as the army generals and navy captains of the Aryacakravarti dynasty. The Karaiyars emerged in the 1980s as strong representatives of Sri Lankan Tamil nationalism. The nuclear leadership of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam have background in the wealthier enterprising section of the Karaiyars.
The word "Karaiyar" is derived from the Tamil language words karai ("coast" or "shore") and yar ("people").[48] The term Kareoi mentioned by 2nd century CE writer Ptolemy, is identified with the Tamil word "Karaiyar".[49] The Portuguese and Dutch sources mentions them under the term Careas, Careaz, or Carias, which are terms denoting "Karaiyar".[11]
Kurukulam, Varunakulam and Arasakulam were historically one of the significant clans of the Karaiyars.
Sindhi Hindus
Jhulelal is believed by Sindhi Hindus to be an incarnation of Varuna.
Buddhism
Theravada
The Pali Canon of the Theravada school recognizes Varuṇa (Sanskrit; Pali: Varuna) as a king of the devas and companion of Sakka, Pajāpati and Isāna. In the battle against the Asuras, the devas of Tāvatiṃsa were asked to look upon the banner of Varuna in order to have all their fears dispelled (S.i.219).
The
The
Buddhaghosa states (SA.i.262) that Varuna is equal in age and glory (vanna) with Sakka and takes the third seat in the assembly of devas.[58]
Mahayana
In
In Japan, he is called "Suiten" (水天 lit. "water
Shinto
Varuna is also worshipped in Japan's
See also
- Ādityas
- Apam Napat
- Asura
- Guardians of the directions
- Hindu deities
- Mitra (Vedic)
- Mitra–Varuna
- Rigvedic deities
- Shukra
- The king and the god
Notes
References
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- ^ Georges Dumézil, Ouranos-Varuna – Essai de mythologie comparée indo-européenne (Paris: G.-P. Maisonneuve, 1934).
- ^ Manfred Mayrhofer, Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Altindoarischen, vol. 2, s.v. "Vsáruṇa" (Heidelberg: Carl Winter, 1996), 515–6.
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- ^ "Jhulelal Jayanti 2021 (Cheti Chand) [Hindi]: जानिए झूलेलाल जी को विस्तार से". S A NEWS. 2021-04-09. Retrieved 2021-04-14.
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- ^ a b c Chaliho festival Archived September 16, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b c Sindhis celebrate Chalio festival
- ^ Sindhi Festivals > Chaliho Archived April 25, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
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External links
- Media related to Varuna at Wikimedia Commons
- Quotations related to Varuna at Wikiquote
- Asura Varuna, R. N. Dandekar (1939)
- Great Vayu and Greater Varuna, Mary Boyce (1993)