Varuna

Varuna: The Surrounder – A god of the 7 Rivers Civilization

In the oldest texts of India, such as the Rig Veda, we find a god named Varuna . He is often misunderstood, as many 19th-century authors wanted to compare him to the Greek or Roman gods. They sometimes presented him as the « king of the gods, » or as a kind of god of the sky or the sea. But all this comes from a misreading of the texts. Varuna is not above the other gods. In the civilization of the 7 rivers, there is no hierarchy among the deities. Each represents a force of nature or consciousness.

Varuna, in the Rig Veda, is often associated with Mitra , whose name means « friend. » These two gods almost always appear together. They are complementary. Mitra is the light of day, order, and trust between humans. Varuna, on the other hand, represents what surrounds us, what is invisible, what is beyond our understanding. He is linked to infinite space, the hidden laws of the universe, and the profound truth that cannot be seen. We can say that Mitra is what connects people to each other, and Varuna is what connects people to the universe.

Varuna is also the one who sees everything. He knows the most secret thoughts. Not to punish, but to help human beings free themselves from what troubles them. He is a god linked to inner consciousness, to wisdom, to what is greatest within us. In some hymns, he is called « the one who binds and unbinds. » This means that he can chain us with our sins, but above all, he can free us if we take a step toward the truth.

Mitra and Varuna were also venerated in other regions. Their traces can be found in the ancient spirituality of Iran and probably also in the Karakum and Oxus regions, which were part of the great cultural area of the Seven Rivers Civilization. This shows that this wisdom was not limited to one region. It circulated, carried by peoples who sought harmony between man, nature, and the universe.

Varuna is therefore not a distant or authoritarian god. He is a force that surrounds, that observes, but above all, that invites inner clarity. In Vedic ceremonies, he is called upon to purify, to calm the mind, to elevate the soul. He is close to what we might today call cosmic consciousness.

In the civilization of the seven rivers, the gods are not masters to be feared. They are companions, energies that help human beings grow. Varuna, along with Mitra, reminds us that peace comes both from inner truth and from the fraternal bond between beings.