Lord Varuna is a Celestial God in the Vedic texts. He is the God connected with sky, sea, truth, and Rta. We have come to know him through numerous ancient scriptures and religious texts. In Hinduism, he is the God of Oceans. He is omnipresent and is the guardian deity of the Western direction. The name, Varuna, means "he who covers." In this article, we will look into his origin, weapons, and significance of Lord Varuna. Apart from Hinduism, Lord Varuna plays a significant role in Sikhism, Buddhism, and Jainism.

As per the belief system, Lord Varuna is the son of Sage Kashyapa. His mother is Aditi, who is equivalent to Goddess Earth. It is because of that we call Lord Varuna as Aditya. Mitra is a close associate of Lord Varuna, who accompanies him all the time as a companion.

The weapon used by Lord Varuna: Lord Varuna is one of the most significant Hindu deities. We can find his representation in different forms throughout the decades. He carries a noose as a weapon, which he uses to bind sinners. He ties people who lied or worked against their words with the rope. He took the noose with him all the time. Apart from that, Lord Varuna rides a chariot rode by seven swans. He holds different items in his hands as well. They include a lotus, conch, vessel of gems, and noose. In some representations, we can find Lord Varuna as riding a Makara or a sea monster. In such depictions, the noose is in the form of a snake. There are other portrays in Hindu temples and other places where Lord Varuna travels on a crocodile instead. These are all the different ways in which we can find Lord Varuna represented. He uses his weapon to capture sinners and deliver them.

Representation of Lord Varuna in different ancient texts: We see Lord Varuna as a prominent figure in various religious textbooks and scriptures. We can find his mention in the Vedas, the Upanishads, the Mahabharata, the Ramayana, and several other texts as well. Here, we will look into the different ways in which the books have portrayed Lord Varuna.

1. In Rig Veda, we come to find Lord Varuna as the guardian of the moral law. There are numerous Hymns on him in the Rig Veda. For instance, you can see that Hymn number 7.86 focuses on Lord Varuna. Varuna, along with Mitra, deals with societal affairs. They are both Asuras, and Lord Varuna is the King of Asuras. However, a Deva adopts Lord Varuna after some time. He punishes the sinners and is also capable of forgiving them.
2. In Yajur Veda, we see Lord Varuna as the patron deity of remedies. Whereas in Atharva Veda, Lord Varuna is a person with all the knowledge of the world.
3. In the Brihadaranayka Upanishad, we can notice that he is the God of the Western quarter. He is also present in water and depends upon both heat and fire.
4. Katha Upanishad focuses on the story of Lord Varuna. His birth as the son of Aditi. In this work, we can find the reference of Aditi to our Mother Earth. We can notice Lord Varuna's portrayal in Yajur Veda as well. Here, the work tries to bring a parallel between Lord Vishnu and Lord Varuna.
5. In Mahabharata, there is a reference to Lord Varuna. Here, we find him portrayed as the Lord of waters. It was when Krishna and Arjuna were in the Kandeva forest. They took the help of both Lord Agni and Lord Varuna. Lord Varuna gives Arjuna a bow called Gandia. It does not possess any weakness and is equal to a thousand bows.
6. In Ramayana, when Rama and his men tried to cross the ocean to reach Lanka to save Sita from Ravana. He decided to perform Tapas and invoke Lord Varuna. He conducted it for three days and three nights. But there was no sign of Lord Varuna. Rama was upset and angered by the situation. He decided to attack the ocean and dry it up. When Rama started to burn it with flames, Lord Varuna appeared. He said that he would not be able to dry up the sea because of its depth. So, Lord Varuna permitted them to build a bridge that would connect the two lands. Lord Varuna added that he would not cause any hindrance during the process.

These are some of the many references to Lord Varuna in the ancient textbooks and scriptures. They play a crucial role in framing our belief system in Hinduism. 

Significance of Lord Varuna in Hinduism: As mentioned above, Lord Varuna is the God of the ocean, sky and is also the source of truth and justice. Before he became the God of the ocean, he ruled over the Adityas. Here, we will consider some of Lord Varuna's significance in Hinduism.
1. Lord Varuna is the God who has created the laws of the Universe and also about human mortality. He is the God who can provide immortality to some people.
2. Lord Varuna maintains the cosmic order and also works towards Rta justice.
3. Lord Varuna is the God who created the Earth, the air, and heaven as per some belief systems. He also formed rainfall that flows through the rivers. He is also the reason behind the blowing of the wind.
4. Lord Varuna is also the guardian of the kingdom of death, governed by Lord Yama.
5. Devotees connect Lord Varuna with Raksha Bandhan. Here, the devotees offer him coconut to receive his blessings.

These are some of the significances associated with Lord Varuna in Hinduism. He is a God who plays a crucial role in Hinduism as a God of the ocean. He also punishes and delivers sinners. Lord Varuna is omnipotent and omnipresent as well.