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Jal

(1) To burn.  (2) Water.  Or Apa in Hindee. Jal or Apa Deity or Absolute water (Apa) is one of the five cosmic elements. It is considered as a Deity. Its visible forms are water, a river or a fluid.

A. Mission and Special Features - Creation of animate and inanimate Nature; Overcoming diseases; Cleansing and purifying others, washing away dirt. It is invoked to liberate oneself from immoral acts, demerits and curses. Idols of this Vedic deity are not found anywhere. Control over reservoirs of water.

Not only is the Vedic word Asur (असुर) meaning demon far more ancient than the Sanskrit word Sur (सुर), but is also the root word. Asur is derived from two words - Asu (असु) and r (र). R means the one who has mastery over something. He is thus the one who possesses Asu, the element of supernatural power which is fluid in nature. Deities, man, animals and all other objects in the universe possess this emotion (Ras) of supernatural power and on account of it all of them are able to sustain themselves and carry out activities. This energy of emotion of supernatural power itself is the Great Illusion (Maayaa) of Varun. This illusion is the energy possessing the qualities of planning, liberating (Nirvaan) and creating.’

According to the Puraan its associated Deity is Varun (deity of rain). Varun is the presiding deity of the western direction and of the region of serpents (Naag Lok).

Ability and manifest energy - Ability - Creation 50%, sustenance 40% and dissolution 10%. Manifest energy - 10%

B. Origin and meaning - Sayanaachaarya has derived this word Varun (वरुण) from vri (वृ) meaning to encompass or envelope. Varun is the one who entraps sinners in bondage or envelopes them like darkness.

C. Other Names - Prachetaa, Pashi, Yadsampaati, Appati (master of water).

D. Science behind the idol - He is depicted as big bellied, has four arms and is seated on a chariot drawn by seven swans. He holds a lotus and a noose in the two right hands and a conch and a casket filled with gems in the left. His consort, Gauri is seated on his left lap and Gangaa and Yamunaa, the two rivers are depicted standing on his either side (Vishnudharmottar Puraan).

E. Family - Consorts - Vaarunee, Jyeshthaa and Sheetatoya. Son - Maharshi Bhrigu. Bhrigu acquired knowledge about the principle because of which spirits survive and into which they merge, from his father. At that time though actually it was nightfall, it appeared like twilight. Hence Varun is considered as the Deity of the night or the Deity of the Apaan vital energy.

F. Ritualistic worship : During ritualistic worship of any Deity, Varun is invoked onto a pot (Kalash). It is customary to invoke Varun after installation of a pot and to worship him at the beginning of various spiritual rites such as Punyaha vachan and several other rituals performed to avert evil or to acquire good fortune.’

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