The Keeper of Truth: Varuna’s Judgment

In the time before the oceans knew their bounds and the rivers carved their paths, Varuna, the mighty god of waters and cosmic order, ruled the heavens and the seas. His gaze saw all, for Varuna was not only the lord of the oceans but the keeper of Rta, the eternal law that governed the harmony of the universe. Through him, the stars remained in their courses, the waves danced to the pull of the moon, and truth held dominion over all beings.

But one fateful day, a disturbance came that threatened to unbalance the cosmic order Varuna so carefully guarded. A great king, known for his wisdom and strength, had made a solemn oath to Varuna—a promise to honor a sacred pact and offer a ritual sacrifice to the gods. Yet in his pride and arrogance, the king delayed, neglecting the ritual, and in doing so, broke his sacred vow to the god of the seas.

Varuna, seated upon his throne beneath the depths, could feel the balance of the universe tremble. He knew that an unkept oath had the power to unravel the very fabric of truth, and if left unchallenged, it would open the door for chaos and lies to flood the world. With the calmness of the infinite sea before a storm, Varuna rose from his watery kingdom.

He summoned his loyal messengers, the shining waves and swift winds, and commanded them to remind the king of his unfulfilled promise. But the king, drunk on his power and swayed by his advisors, ignored the warnings. Days passed, and the king’s defiance grew. The seas began to churn, and the sky darkened as the harmony of Rta was strained.

In his palace, the king awoke to find his once-bountiful rivers dry, the winds howling with fury, and his people starving under an unyielding drought. Still, he did not repent, convinced his rule was beyond the reach of the gods.

Varuna, patient but resolute, could wait no longer. He summoned the great river Ganges, the holiest of all waters, and unleashed its power. With a mighty roar, the river broke its bounds, flooding the king’s lands and sweeping away all in its path. The king, terrified, realized too late the consequences of his broken oath.

Desperate to atone, the king traveled to the edge of the world, where the sky meets the ocean. There, he called out to Varuna, pleading for mercy. But Varuna, emerging from the depths in his majestic form, his eyes gleaming with the light of stars and his crown adorned with the waves of the sea, remained silent.

The king knelt before the great god, humbled and broken, offering his life in exchange for the return of balance. In the crashing of the waves and the whisper of the winds, Varuna finally spoke.

“O king, the law of the universe is not yours to bend. You have broken your oath, and the balance is shattered. But know this—Rta is not the force of punishment. It is the force of truth, and in truth, there is always a path to redemption.”

With a wave of his hand, Varuna commanded the seas to recede and the rivers to return to their courses. The rains fell, the crops bloomed, and the people rejoiced. But the king, forever changed, knew that his recklessness had nearly cost the world its order. He vowed from that day forward to serve Varuna and uphold the laws of truth and justice, never again to break his word.

And so, the cosmic order was restored, and Varuna, ever watchful, returned to his seat beneath the waves, the protector of truth, balance, and the eternal law that binds the heavens, the earth, and all who dwell within them.