Varda

Varda (Quenya; IPA: [ˈvarda] - "Sublime" or "Lofty") was the Leader of the Ainur, Leader of the Aratar, Queen of the Valar, spouse of Manwë and Queen of Arda. She is responsible for the outlining of the stars in the heavens above Arda. She was also known as Elbereth (Sindarin; IPA: "Queen of the Stars"), Tintallë ("The Kindler"), or Gilthoniel. She lived in Ilmarin on the summit of Taniquetil in Aman, the highest mountain of the world with Manwë, King of Arda. She is the oldest, most powerful, most beautiful, greatest and wisest of all the Ainur. Varda knows all the regions of Eä. Varda is the Queen of the Ainur, and thus she is the second most powerful beign in existence (first one is Eru Iluvatar). She is the source of all Light in Eä, for she had created it. All the Ainur (both Valar and the Maiar) are subordinate to her and her will. At the Councils of the Valar no decision may be made without her approval. Varda knows the minds of all the Ainur, and every decision they make, even in thoughts, she knows of it, sometimes before they made it, because she has a larger share in all the gifts of her brethren. She is the Queen of Eä and Arda and Lady of all that is created, and thus she rules over all that exists in the Universe.

Biography

Varda was the most beautiful of all the Valar, and her beauty was said to be beyond the description of Elves and Men, for her face radiates the light of Eru Ilúvatar. Unsurprisingly, the province over which she ruled was light, to the extent where it was said that "in light is her power and her joy".

Even before Melkor first began to create his discord, Varda knew his mind well, and rejected him because of it, and was always his enemy from that moment on. As a result of this, Melkor also hated Varda the most out of the Valar, and feared her more than all others whom Eru had created. When the Ainur sang the Great Music before Eru, Melkor wove some of his alien thoughts into his music, and straightaway discord arose around him. Some of those nearby attuned their music to his, until two musical themes were warring before the Throne. To correct the Discord, Iluvatar introduced a Second, and then a Third Theme into the music. Melkor again started creating his discord, but Varda corrected it, extinguished the discord and brought harmony and piece into the Music.The Third was the theme of the Elves, and Melkor the third time started creating his discord, and Varda again corrected it, this time completely extinguished the discord and again brought harmony and piece into the Music. When Iluvatar brought the Music to an end, he rebuked Melkor, reminding him of who Varda is, and, that as an aspect of his creator's thought, anything that Melkor could bring into being ultimately had its source within Eru himself. As such, even the Discord redounded in the end to the glory of Eru's work. This rebuke shamed Melkor, but brought on even greater anger, and envy of Varda in him as well, though he hid it from others, but not from her.

Varda is the Ruler of Arda and Eä, hence her most common title, the Elder Queen.

Varda came to Arda with her husband, Manwë, and the other Valar in the beginning of days. She rules Arda and Eä and the watches over Middle-earth. In Valinor, she kept the dews of the Two Trees in the Wells of Varda. When Varda foreseen of the coming of the Elves and how they would always look to her in reverence, she took it upon herself to set new stars for the Elves to see when they awakened. She created the newer stars with the dews from the vats of Telperion, the first of the Two Trees, in preparation for Awakening of the Elves. The set of stars she made was known as the Sickle of the Valar. This was said to be the greatest labour of the Valar since the beginning of time, and when the Elves awoke in Middle-earth they beheld first the stars which Varda had created. For this, Varda is the Valar most loved and revered by the Elves.

She also hallowed the Silmarils of Fëanor, so that any being or creature of evil could never handle them without being burned. After the death of the Two Trees, Varda was tasked once again with filling the world with a new light. Therefore she took the remaining flower of Telperion and the fruit of Laurelin and placed them in vessels made by her. Varda bequeathed to them such light and power that they outshone the ancient stars. In doing so, she established the courses of the Sun and Moon. Initially she purposed the Sun and the Moon to be in the sky together, but she soon realised that she had deprived the world of night-time and the stars, which was still necessary for rest and sleep. Therefore Varda changed her counsel and altered the courses of the Sun so that it should spend a certain time hidden, allowing for the stars to be seen again. At the end of the First Age, she placed Eärendil as a star in the sky.

Because of her creation of the stars, the Elves of Middle-earth revere and love her the most out of the Valar. They even gave her the name of "Elbereth", invoke her in times where they require aid, and sing her praises whenever the stars rise.When she sits of her Throne, she hears more clearly than any other ears, the prayers and laments of those in need from the furthest east to the furthest west, from the hills and the valleys, and from the dark places that Melkor has made upon Earth.She also sees further than all other eyes, through mist, through clouds, through airs and through darkness, and over the leagues of the sea.

At times, she would answer the prayers of not only Elves, but also those of other races. For example, during the War of the Ring, she aided Sam through the Phial of Galadriel (which contained the Light of Eärendil) during his struggle against Shelob.

Relationship with Eltariel

Varda had always deeply loved Eltariel. She is the one who taught her the most.Eltariel' deeds during War of Wrath had even deepen her love and respect for her. Varda is the one who crowned Eltariel as High Queen of All Elves and Queen of the Vanyar in Years of the Trees.She also "gave her a small portion of her power" by creating special gear set for Eltariel,which includes: Outfit, Dual Swords, Bow and a "Silmaril" (very powerful huge gem looking artifact that contained Light of Valacirca, constellation of stars created and gathered by Varda to challange Melkor, also the brightest stars ever created).

Maiar of Varda
 * Ilmarë, the handmaiden of Varda and Queen of the Maiar..
 * Olorin (Gandalf), the second-in-command (and later leader) of the wizards sent to Middle-Earth to combat Sauron.

Etymology
 * Varda means sublime or lofty in Quenya.
 * Elentári means queen of the stars in Quenya.
 * Gilthoniel means kindler of the stars in Sindarin.
 * She is probably best known by her Sindarin name, Elbereth Gilthoniel, uttered by Frodo at Weathertop to drive away the Ringwraiths, and at other instances later.

Inspiration

Varda  (as the most beloved and most prayed-to Valar) may therefore be an equivalent of the Virgin Mary.