Varuna is known today as the god of the sea and Indra as the god of the rain. Varuna is associated with saltwater, located on the ground, and Indra is associated with freshwater, which comes from the sky. Varuna is the guardian of the western horizon, and Indra, the guardian of the eastern horizon. Thus, we see a tension between the two deities in the Puranas. It is further amplified when we hear that Varuna is Lakshmi's father while Indra's wife, Sachi, is a form of Lakshmi.

This tension between Varuna and Indra is an ancient one. In the Rigveda, Varuna is a god associated with order and morality, and is often seen together with Mitra, who was identified as an asura. This Vedic asura is not the same as the Puranic asura. In Vedic times, an asura was a deity, no different from a deva. The division emerged later, clearly.