Varuna Gatha quest – How to start Varuna Gatha
Varuna Gatha is one of the Adventure with Aranara quests that unlocks after you complete World of Aranara and unlock the Tree of Dreams. Head to the spot shown below in Apam Woods, where you meet with and rescue Arapandu, an Aranara on a mission to fix the Varuna device – the big glowing blue thing in the center of the forest lake. Varuna Gatha starts as soon as you find Arapandu. Track the quest, and head to the new location where they’re waiting. Your next task is defeating two Fungi – the large flying ones – in Apam’s large trees. It’s easier to locate the first one if you start from one of the forest teleport waypoints, and the second is accessible by using the four-leaf sigils. Follow Arapandu again. This time, they show you the Varuna mechanism’s “leaves and branches,” stone devices the machine uses to absorb energy and function properly. They, too, need restoration, but all you need to do is rotate the pointed stones so the pointy bit is facing the central branch (stone pile). This initial puzzle is fairly straightforward, since the stones are all clustered around the branch. Once this is done, Arapandu tells you there are three more Aranara in the wild trying to restore more branches, and that’s when the quest splits off into three more. You can tackle them in any order, but we’re going in the order the game uses.
Varuna Gatha – Memory of Stone
Follow the quest marker to the Yasna Monument area. Aranakula is cowering near the rock face for fear of nearby Fungi. You need to escort them to the large stone monument nearby, but without engaging in combat. Enemies have a broad red circle around them indicating their line of sight, but there aren’t too many mushrooms around to cause trouble. Stay well away from any you do find, and then this no combat requirement ends once you reach the monument.
Find the branch together with Aranakula
After you clear the spores from the monument – which you can do just by interacting with them, no elements required – face towards the giant green bubble in the pond. Jump down to the water level, and face the small hill again. There’s a small opening where the branch is. Head inside, and speak with Aranakula. Follow the streams of energy to find the leaves, and as before, turn them so the pointy bit is pointing at the branch. You can’t see the branch this time, but if you just point them toward the hill with the monument, that’ll do the trick. After that’s finished, you can instantly go back to the Aranara rest stop or keep exploring.
Varuna Gatha – Irate Iron Chunk
Iron Chunk is a bit more straightforward. Follow the quest marker to the ruins near the desert, and speak with Arabalika. After a lengthy conversation, you face several Ruin Guards. Arabalika applies Dendro to them, so use that to your advantage in combat to trigger Dendro reactions and take the guards down faster. Arabalika asks you to find the mechanism, which is literally right in front of you. Activate it, and glide down into the well. Make sure to pick up the Dendroculus on your way down too. Repeat the process with the leaves and branch, and make sure you’re ready for battle. After activating the branch, two Ruin Graders come to life and attack.
Varuna Gatha – Slumbering Roots and where to find the Grove of Dreams
The third quest takes you into a cave near the Apam Woods Domain, but the quest marker itself is a bit deceptive, since it leads you to a little nook behind a dead tree, where you find absolutely nothing. Head to the spot shown in the image above, near the wrecked monuments, and drop down into the Grove. Play the melody to find Arakunti, and then play it again near the Silapna to start the process of finding leaves. Play the rhythm again at the Silapna to finish this quest and return to the rest spot.
Varuna Gatha – A Prayer for Rain on the Fecund Land
The final step in the quest takes you deep under the forest. After the cutscene plays, head to the Varuna machine, and glide down into the opening. Pick up the Dendroculus as you go, and then once you reach the bottom, you eventually need to fight a strong Fungus. It flees after you deplete roughly half of its health and leaves you facing several more mushroom enemies. If you stay to fight them, make sure to do so out of the water. The Electro crystals in the pond mean you continue to take Electro damage and deal with interrupted attacks otherwise. Repeat this process two more times until you can finally deal with the fungus.
Coordinates of the Rain and Sun Domain
While you’re here, take a slight detour before the final arena and unlock the Coordinates of Sun and Rain Domain. This is a one-time Domain challenge with a few valuable rewards on offer, including a four-star Gilden Dreams Artifact, and you just need to play the lyre near the Dendro barrier to access it. Once this is all complete, you can play the lyre to adjust the water level in Apam Woods whenever. There’s a teleport waypoint tucked away near some shrubbery outside the clearing with the device, so you can instantly warp back there whenever. While you’re down Vimara Village way, head over to Port Ormos to get some fishing in and grab the End of the Line Bow. And back in Vanarana, keep an eye out for some Nilotpala Lotus locations to help level-up Tighnari.
