Varda

Varda Elentári is a Vala, wife of Manwë.

When Melkor first began to create his discord, Varda saw his mind, and hated him. Melkor fears and hates Varda the most out of the Valar.

Varda is said to be too beautiful for words. Within her face radiates the light of Iluvatar. She resides with Manwë in Valinor. Varda created the stars with the dews from the vats of Telperion, the silver of the Two Trees.

The Valar, being divine beings below a greater, more ultimate Creator, Ilúvatar, are thought of as being the Middle-earth equivalent of saints and angels; it has therefore been suggested that Varda, in her role as the most loved and prayed-to Vala, may be an equivalent of the Virgin Mary in Tolkien's own Catholic faith.

Varda with Manwë in Valinor, by Ted Nasmith.

Names

Varda means sublime or lofty in Quenya, and Elentári means Star-queen. An epithet of her is Tintalle which means Star-kindler.

In Sindarin she is also known as Elbereth (Star-queen), Gilthoniel (Starkindler), Fanuilos (Ever-white), and Baráda (the equivalent of Varda in Sindarin). In Telerin she is called Baradis.

She is also referred to by the epithets The Kindler, Lady of the Stars, Queen of the Stars, Snow-white. They are translations of her Elvish names.

In NetHack and some other Roguelike games, the name Elbereth is used as a protective charm. [1]