The Religion of the Veda: The Ancient Religion of India (from Rig-Veda to Upanishads) c8.92

c8.92

Professor Oldenberg is not the only scholar to whom Varuna has suggested the moon. Yet I think that this interpretation, when taken outside of that hypothesis which involves the entire solar system, has not very much in its favor beyond the close dualic connection of Varuna with Mitra, the sun. I confess, moreover, that I am not quite willing to listen to any interpretation of this god which leaves out in the cold Greek *Οὐρανός*. There has been some phonetic scepticism about the equation *varuṇas* = *οὐρανός* which time has not justified. Greek *οὐρανός* is Indo-European *u̯oru̯-nnos* or *u̯oru̯-enos*; Sanskrit *varuṇas* is Indo-European *u̯oru-nos*. The two forms differ no more than, for instance, Vedic *nūtanas* and *nūtnas*, "recent," or Greek *στεγανός* and *στεγνός*, "covered." Here is a situation met with quite often in this kind of inquiry. The interpretation of the myth is, as usual, not quite certain. Few interpretations of advanced myths are quite certain. Next, the etymology, like that of many etymologies of mythic proper names, likewise brings with it no bonded guaranty. The next step is, that they who do not believe in the interpretation are prone to belittle the etymology. But there is little gain in pooh-poohing an etymology which will not stay pooh-poohed. The time will never be when any interpretation that disregards this obvious comparison will pass current free from perplexity and misgivings. All settlements that do not regard it will be temporary and doomed in the end to be repudiated. It would seem to me that we must accept this important etymology, and submit to its guidance. It shows that Varuna belongs not only to the Indo-Iranian (Aryan) time, but reaches back to the Indo-European time, and that he represents, on the impeccable testimony of *οὐρανός*, some aspect of the heavens, probably the encompassing sky, in accordance with the stem *u̯oru* which is its essential element. Rig-Veda 8. 41. 3 states that Varuna, the distinguished god, embraces the all, and Rig-Veda 1. 50. 6 states that Mitra (the sun) is the eye of Varuna. The dualism of Heaven and its eye, the sun, is not less well taken than the dualism sun and moon.