Deities
Varuna
वरुण
varuṇa
Definition
Vedic god of cosmic order (rta) and the heavenly waters; later, ocean and west. Dikpala of west. Holds pasha (noose).
हिन्दी अर्थ
वरुण; जल-देव।
Sources Cited
- · Rig Veda
- · Atharva Veda
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वरुण
varuṇa
Vedic god of cosmic order (rta) and the heavenly waters; later, ocean and west. Dikpala of west. Holds pasha (noose).
वरुण; जल-देव।
Hindu thought is built from a vocabulary of carefully-distinguished terms. Words like varuna are not loose translations — each has a precise scriptural genealogy, a specific role in ritual or philosophy, and often a counterpart that completes its meaning. Many of the major Hindu darśanas (Sāṅkhya, Yoga, Vedānta, Mīmāṃsā, Nyāya, Vaiśeṣika) refined their vocabulary over centuries; the same Sanskrit term can carry different shades in different schools.
Varuna sits within a cluster of related concepts — rta, dikpala, pasha. Reading these together gives you the actual texture of the idea, rather than treating it as an isolated definition. Each Sanskrit term in this glossary is cross-linked to the others it presupposes.
Where useful we cite the primary scriptural source — the Upaniṣad, sūtra, or smṛti passage where the term is given its classical sense — alongside trusted modern dictionaries (Monier-Williams, V.S. Apte, Sanskrit Heritage). For practical questions about usage in pūjā or daily life, ask a paṇḍita in your tradition.
Twelve sons of Aditi — solar deities, one per month. Vivaswan, Aryaman, Pusha, Tvashta, Savita, Bhaga, Dhata, Vidhata, Varuna, Mitra, Indra, Vishnu (in some lists). Surya is the chief Aditya.
Fire god; second-most invoked in Rig Veda. Mediator between gods and humans (carries oblations). Dikpala of southeast. Trayi-vidya (three forms): Garhapatya, Ahavaniya, Dakshinagni.
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Grace; the fifth of Shiva's five acts. The act by which the Lord reveals truth and bestows liberation.
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Eight forms of Bhairava (fierce Shiva): Asitanga, Ruru, Chanda, Krodha, Unmatta, Kapali, Bhishana, Samhara. Each preside over the eight directions.
Eight forms of Lakshmi: Adi (primordial), Dhana (wealth), Dhanya (grain/food), Gaja (royalty), Santana (offspring), Veera/Dhairya (courage), Vijaya (victory), Aishvarya/Vidya (knowledge).
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