Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c9.3935

c9.3935

(ii) The capital city of Varuṇa one of the eight guardians of the universe was called Śraddhāvatī. (Devī Bhāgavata, Skandha 8).
(iii) At the time of the burning of Khāṇḍava forest Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna helped Agni (Fire). Agni prayed to Varuṇa to supply Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna with weapons so that they might fight with Indra. Varuṇa appeared with the emblem of a monkey depicted on it. (M.B. Ādi Parva, Chapters 234 and 237).
(iv) The image of Varuṇa should be dedicated in temples as sitting on a horned shark with a rope in hand. (Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 51).
(v) Once Varuṇa gave exhortations to Puṣkara, which he in his turn gave to Paraśurāma. (Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 151).
(vi) It is stated in Ṛgveda, Maṇḍala 1, Anuvāka 2, Sūkta 2, that Varuṇa and Mitra are the Deities of rain.
(vii) Once the King Marutta performed a sacrifice at which the guardians of the eight points were present. Rāvaṇa came to the sacrifice and tried to do harm to the hermits. At the beginning of the attack, the guardians of the points assumed forms of various creatures and escaped from the place. Varuṇa escaped in the form of a swan. (Uttara Rāmāyaṇa). (viii) Rāvaṇa defeated Yama. On his return he defeated the Uragas (serpents) of Pātāla (Nether world). After this, he challenged Varuṇa, who came out with his sons and army and fought with Rāvaṇa, who won the battle. (Uttara Rāmāyaṇa).
(ix) Varuṇa is a member of the assembly of Brahmā. (M.B. Sabhā Parva, Chapter 117, Stanza 51).
(x) When Arjuna went to the world of Devas, Varuṇa gave him the weapon Pāśa (rope). (M.B. Vana Parva, Chapter 41, Stanza 27).
(xi) Indra, Agni, Yama and Varuṇa tested Nala and finally gave him blessings. (For details see under Damayantī).
(xii) Once Varuṇa performed penance along with other gods in Viśākhayūpa. (M.B. Vana Parva, Chapter 90, Stanza 16). (xiii) Varuṇa once gave Ṛcīka thousand black-eared horses. (For further details see under Ṛcīka).
(xiv) At the coronation of Śrī Rāma, Varuṇa made his appearance and proclaimed that Sītā was chaste and pure. (M.B. Vana Parva, Chapter 291, Stanza 29).
(xv) Varuṇa had the bow Gāṇḍīva in his possession for hundred years. (M.B. Virāṭa Parva, Chapter 43, Stanza 6).
(xvi) Once Śrī Kṛṣṇa defeated Varuṇa. (M.B. Udyoga Parva, Chapter 130, Stanza 49). (xvii) Parṇāśā, the mother of the King Śrutāyudha once worshipped Varuṇa with vow and fast and Varuṇa gave her boons and a club to Śrutāyudha. (M.B. Droṇa Parva, Chapter 92). (xviii) Varuṇa gave Subrahmaṇya two followers named Yama and Atiyama. (M.B. Śalya Parva, Chapter 45, Stanza 45).
(xix) Besides Varuṇa gave Subrahmaṇya an elephant. (M.B. Śalya Parva, Chapter 46, Stanza 52).
(xx) Once Varuṇa performed a Rājasūya (royal consecration sacrifice) at Yamunātīrtha. (M.B. Śalya Parva, Chapter 49, Stanza 11).
(xxi) When Balabhadra Rāma died and his soul went to Pātāla (under world), there was Varuṇa also among those who came to receive him. (M.B. Mausala Parva, Chapter 4, Stanza 16). (xxii) At the time of his great departure, Arjuna threw the bow Gāṇḍīva and the arrows over the sea to return them to Varuṇa. (M.B. Mahāprasthāna Parva, Chapter 1, Stanza 41). (xxiii) Words such as Aditiputra, Āditya, Ambupa, Ambupati, Amburāṭ, Ambvīśa, Apāmpati, Devadeva, Gopati, Jalādhipa, Jaleśvara, Lokapāla, Salilarāja, Salileśa, Udakapati, Vāripa, Yādasāmbhartā and so on have been used as synonyms of Varuṇa in Mahābhārata.