Varuna

In Mahabharata

Varuna is one of the four Dikpalakas - the others being Indra, Yama and Kubera. He is also the lord of waters. His Sabha is described by Narada to Yudhishthira as follows:

Varuna Sabha

Yama Sabha, called Pushkaramalini, is described by Narada to Yudhishthira when the former visited Maya Sabha at Indraprastha, Narada said,

“The celestial Sabha of Varuna is unparalleled in splendour. In dimensions it is similar to that of Yama. Its walls and arches are all of pure white. It has been built by Vishwakarma within the waters. It is surrounded on all sides by many celestial trees made of gems and jewels and yielding excellent fruits and flowers. Many plants with their weight of blossoms, blue and yellow, and black and darkish, and white and red, that stand there, or excellent bowers around. Within those bowers hundreds and thousands of birds of diverse species, beautiful and variegated, always pour forth their melodies. The atmosphere of that mansion is extremely delightful, neither cold nor hot. Owned by Varuna, that delightful assembly house of pure white consists of many rooms and is furnished with many seats. There sits Varuna attired in celestial robe, decked in celestial ornaments and jewels, with his queen, adorned with celestial scents and besmeared with paste of celestial fragrance. The Adityas wait upon and worship the illustrious Varuna, the lord of the waters.

Vasuki and Takshaka, and the Naga called Airavana; Krishna and Lohita; Padma and Chitra endued with great energy; the Nagas called Kambala and Ashwatara; and Dhritarashtra and Balahaka; Matimat and Kundadhara and Karkotaka and Dhananjaya; Panimat and the mighty Kundaka; and Prahlada and Mushikada, and Janamejaya, all having auspicious marks and mandalas and extended hoods; these and many other snakes, without anxiety of any kind, wait upon and worship the illustrious Varuna. Bali the son of Virochana, and Naraka the subjugator of the whole Earth; Sanghraha and Viprachitti, and those Danavas called Kalakanja; and Suhanu and Durmukha and Sankha and Sumanas and also Sumati; and Ghatodara, and Mahaparshwa, and Karthana and also Pithara and Vishwarupa, Swarupa and Virupa, Mahashiras; and Dashagriva, Vali, and Meghavasas and Dashavara; Tittiva, and Vitabhuta, and Sanghrada, and Indratapana, these Daityas and Danavas, all bedecked with ear-rings and floral wreaths and crowns, and attired in the celestial robes, all blessed with boons and possessed of great bravery, and enjoying immortality, and all well of conduct and of excellent vows, wait upon and worship in that mansion the illustrious Varuna, the deity bearing the noose as his weapon.

There are also the four oceans, the river Bhagirathi, the Kalindi, the Vidisha, the Venwa, the Narmada of rapid current; the Vipasha, the Shatadru, the Chandrabhaga, the Saraswati; the Iravati, the Vitasta, the Sindhu, the Devanadi; the Godavari, the Krishnavenwa and that queen of rivers the Kaveri; the Kimpuna, the Vishalya and the river Vaitarani also; the Tritiya, the Jeshthila, and the great Sone (Soane); the Charmanwati and the great river Parnasha; the Sarayu, the Varavatya, and that queen of rivers the Langali, the Karatoya, the Atreyi, the red Mahanada, the Laghanti, the Gomati, the Sandhya, and also the Trisrotasi, these and other rivers which are all sacred and are world-renowned places of pilgrimage, as also other rivers and sacred waters and lakes and wells and springs, and tanks, large or small, in their personified form, wait upon and worship the lord Varuna.

The points of the heavens, the Earth, and all the Mountains, as also every species of aquatic animals, all worship Varuna there. Various tribes of Gandharvas and Apsaras, devoted to music, both vocal and instrumental, wait upon Varuna, singing eulogistic hymns unto him. All those mountains that are noted for being both delightful and rich in jewels, wait in that Sabha, enjoying sweet converse with one another. The chief minister of Varuna, Sunabha by name, surrounded by his sons and grandsons, also attend upon his master. These all, in their personified forms, worship the deity. Such is the assembly room of Varuna seen by me before, in the course of my wanderings.”