VARUNA. - V. is the god of the starry sky, who presides over rta, the order both moral and cosmic.
He placed the sun in the sky, intelligence in hearts, milk in cows, and caused the rivers to spring forth which, by virtue of his magical power, flow into the one sea without filling II. From his most lofty seat the omniscient one sees and watches all things; the sun serves him as an eye. Guardian of the moral order, he discovers and punishes the most secret faults, and therefore the repentant sinner implores: « Release us from the sin committed », which is conceived as a snare with which V. death. In the greater number of Rigvedic hymns (v. RGVEDA) V. Mitra, the solar god, to whom the same characteristics are attributed. The two associated gods are often
asked for the gift of rain: « Moisten us, O sovereigns, with the milk of heaven! » (Rgv., V, 63, 5).