MR J. MUIR ON THE PRINCIPAL DEITIES OF THE RIGVEDA. 559 



The attributes and functions assigned to Varuna impart to his character a 

 moral grandeur and sanctity far surpassing that ascribed to any other Indian 

 deity. He is supposed to have unlimited control over the destinies of mankind. 

 He is continually supplicated to drive away evil and sin. He is entreated not to 

 steal away, but to prolong life ; and to spare the suppliant who daily transgresses 

 his laws. With his bonds or nooses he seizes and afflicts transgressors. Mitra 

 and Varuna conjointly are said to be armed with many nooses for entangling 

 liars. And Indra and Varuna are described as binding men with bonds not 

 formed of cords. On the other hand, Varuna is said to be gracious even to him 

 who has committed sin. He is the wise guardian of immortality, and a hope is 

 held out to the good that they shall behold him reigning together with Yaraa in 

 blessedness in the world to come. 



I shall add some specimens of a hymn (Rigveda vii. 86) already translated by 

 Professor Max Muller, in which Vasishtha, the rishi, or seer, who appears to be 

 the author, expresses his sense of Varuna's displeasure, and implores the restora- 

 tion of his favour. I. begin with the third verse : — " Seeking to know that sin, 

 Varuna, I inquire; I resort to the wise to ask. The sages all tell me the 

 same ; it is Varuna who is angry with thee. 4. What great sin is it, Varuna, for 

 which thou seekest to slay thy worshipper and friend ? * Tell me, unassailable 

 and self-existent god ; and, freed from sin, I shall speedily come to thee with 

 adoration. 5. Release us from the sins of our fathers, and from those which we 

 have committed in our own persons. king, release Vasishtha like a robber 

 who has fed upon cattle ; release him like a calf from its tether. 6. It was not 

 our will, Varuna, but some seduction, which led us astray, — wine, anger, dice, or 

 thoughtlessness. The stronger perverts the weaker. Even sleep occasions sin." 



The following touching hymn (vii. 89) has also been already translated by 



His spies descending from on high glide all this world around, 



And thousand-eyed their gaze they cast to earth's remotest bound. 



Whate'er beyond the heaven and earth, whate'er exists between, 



That too by Varuna the king is all distinctly seen. 



The ceaseless winkings all he counts of every mortal's eyes : 



He wields this universal frame, as gamester holds his dice. 



Those knotted nooses which thou fling'st, god, the bad to snare, — 



All liars let them overtake, but all the truthful spare." 

 With this hymn compare Psalm cxxxix. 1-10, passim; with verse 2, compare St Matthew 

 xviii. 20 ; and with verse 5, St Matthew x. 30, 



* In another place (vii. 88, 4, fF.) the same seer alludes to his previous friendship with Varuna, 

 and to the favours formerly conferred on him by that deity, and inquires the reason of their cessa- 

 tion. " Varuna placed Vasishtha on his boat ; by his power the wise and mighty god made him a 

 rishi, to offer praise in an auspicious period of his life, that his days and dawns might be prolonged. 

 5. Where are those friendships of us two 1 * Let us seek the harmony which we enjoyed of old. I 

 have gone, O self-existing Varuna, to thy vast and spacious house with a thousand gates. He who 

 was thy friend, intimate, constant, and beloved, has, O Varuna, committed offences against thee. 

 Let not us who are guilty reap the fruits of our sin. Do thou, wise god, grant protection to him 

 who praises thee." 



* Compare Psalms Ixxxix. 49, and xxv. 6. 



VOL. XXIII. PART III. 7 M 



