MATSYA AVATHARAM (Incarnation of Fish)
पुरा हयग्रीवमहासुरेण षष्ठान्तरान्तोद्यदकाण्डकल्पे ।
निद्रोन्मुखब्रह्ममुखात् हृतेषु वेदेष्वधित्स: किल मत्स्यरूपम् ॥१॥
puraa hayagriiva mahaasureNa ShaShThaantaraantOdyadakaaNDakalpe |
nidrOnmukha brahma mukhaaddhR^iteShu vedeShvadhitsaH kila matsyaruupam || 1 ||
In the sixth Manvantara, a great cosmic cycle (a Kalpa) was nearing its end when Brahmā woke up to find the holy Vedas gone, taken by the great demon Hayagrīva. To retrieve the holy Vedas and preserve the knowledge of the cosmos, Lord Vishnu took the form of a fish (Matsya). Matsya Avatar teaches us how to preserve true wisdom, counter ignorance fast, and uphold righteousness in the face of chaos. This event gives knowledge and righteousness eternal protection.
सत्यव्रतस्य द्रमिलाधिभर्तुर्नदीजले तर्पयतस्तदानीम् ।
कराञ्जलौ सञ्ज्वलिताकृतिस्त्वमदृश्यथा: कश्चन बालमीन: ॥२॥
satyavratasya dramilaadhibharturnadiijale tarpayatastadaaniim |
karaa~njalau sanjvalitaakR^itistvamadR^ishyathaaH kashchana baalamiinaH || 2 ||
Near the river, the pious and upright King Satyavrata carried out his sacred rite. He paid homage to the divine powers by using water (tarpana). During this moment of intense devotion, Lord Vishnu materialized before the king as a glowing little fish that he held in his hands. This fish was different from others because it was bright, revealing its supernatural and divine nature. The purpose of the Lord’s Matsya Avatar incarnation was to safeguard the holy Vedic knowledge before he would save humanity from disaster. This sloka demonstrates that for those who exhibit sincere devotion, God offers help in the most basic and minimal ways.
We trust that a higher power leads us through sincere actions, and small signs help us protect our wisdom and values.
क्षिप्तं जले त्वां चकितं विलोक्य निन्येऽम्बुपात्रेण मुनि: स्वगेहम् ।
स्वल्पैरहोभि: कलशीं च कूपं वापीं सरश्चानशिषे विभो त्वम् ॥३॥
kshiptaM jale tvaaM chakitaM vilOkya ninye(a)mbu paatreNa muniH svageham |
svalpairahObhiH kalashiiM cha kuupaM vaapiiM sarashchaanashiShe vibhO tvam || 3 ||
Out of compassion, King Satyavrata brought the tiny, gleaming fish home after carefully carrying it into a tiny container. The fish’s rapid growth during its brief existence exceeded the capacity of all water containers, including bowls, wells, ponds, and lakes. The fish’s remarkable growth revealed its divine nature, as it had come to Earth to rescue humanity and recover the stolen Vedas during the global flood. In this sloka, the Lord shows how He can take on simple forms to accomplish lofty goals. The spirit and knowledge seek natural expansion, just as the fish finds no limits in its growth, so the true essence of divinity and true potential cannot remain constrained.
योगप्रभावाद्भवदाज्ञयैव नीतस्ततस्त्वं मुनिना पयोधिम् ।
पृष्टोऽमुना कल्पदिदृक्षुमेनं सप्ताहमास्वेति वदन्नयासी: ॥४॥
yOgaprabhaavaadbhavadaaj~nayaiva niitastatastvaM muninaa payOdhim |
pR^iShTO(a)munaa kalpadidR^ikshumenaM saptaahamaasveti vadannayaasiiH || 4 ||
Sage Satyavrata was guided by God’s will and divine yogic power to transport the little divine Matsya to the vast ocean. After the sage expressed his genuine desire to comprehend cosmic and temporal mysteries, the Lord showed him compassion. The sage was instructed to get ready and wait until the end of the seven days, at which point divine revelation would manifest. A fundamental truth about divine grace is revealed by this life-changing event: spiritual wisdom and transformation require patience, trust, and preparation. The greatest blessings will always come in divine timing, even if they are not immediately apparent, so we should cultivate our inner patience while having faith in life’s unseen processes.
प्राप्ते त्वदुक्तेऽहनि वारिधारापरिप्लुते भूमितले मुनीन्द्र: ।
सप्तर्षिभि: सार्धमपारवारिण्युद्घूर्णमान: शरणं ययौ त्वाम् ॥५॥
praapte tvadukte(a)hani vaaridhaaraa pariplute bhuumitale muniindraH |
saptarShibhiH saardhamapaaravaari NyudghuurNamaanaH sharaNaM yayautvaam || 5 ||
The Lord’s prophecy was fulfilled on the day of the heavy rains, which flooded the entire planet and left it permanently submerged in deep waters. In the face of the overwhelming flood waters, the great sage Satyavrata and the seven sages, known as the Saptarishis, attempted to survive. At the feet of the Lord, they found true protection from the storm in their confusion and helplessness. This demonstrates how the human spirit must overcome the challenges that life throws at it. When the familiar world around them crumbles because of personal crises, losses, or confusion, wise people do not cling to worldly support. Their souls achieve serenity through introspection and total surrender to God, as all temporality dissolves before Him.
धरां त्वदादेशकरीमवाप्तां नौरूपिणीमारुरुहुस्तदा ते
तत्कम्पकम्प्रेषु च तेषु भूयस्त्वमम्बुधेराविरभूर्महीयान् ॥६॥
dharaantvadaadeshakariimavaaptaaM nauruupiNiimaaruruhustadaa te |
tatkampakampreShu cha teShu bhuuya stvamambudheraavirabhuurmahiiyaan || 6 ||
O Lord Mukunda, Sage Satyavrata and the Saptarishis boarded a large boat at Your divine command, which became a symbol of stability amid chaos. For the second time, you, O Lord, revealed yourself when the boat was tossed into chaos by the raging ocean waves. The boundless waters unveiled Your glorious form, surpassing the earlier divine manifestation to offer protection and direction. Using the metaphor of a boat, the text explains how faith and practising mindfulness can be used as boats to help seekers navigate the rough seas of worldly existence (samsara). We have the opportunity to grow into a more robust and powerful spiritual vision of God that strengthens our inner spirit when life shakes us.
झषाकृतिं योजनलक्षदीर्घां दधानमुच्चैस्तरतेजसं त्वाम् ।
निरीक्ष्य तुष्टा मुनयस्त्वदुक्त्या त्वत्तुङ्गशृङ्गे तरणिं बबन्धु: ॥७॥
jhaShaakR^itiM yOjanalakshadiirghaaM dadhaanamuchchaistara tejasaM tvaam |
niriikshya tuShTaa munayastvaduktyaa tvattungashR^inge taraNiM babandhuH || 7 ||
O Lord Achyuta, the sages saw You in Your glorious and terrifying form as a huge fish (Matsya) that stretched for hundreds of yojanas and radiated beautiful divine light. The sages put all of their faith in Your guidance and tied their boat to Your glorious horn, which provided them with refuge during the cosmic flood. The sages who tied their boat to the Lord’s horn did so as an anchor point, giving up their lives to the divine rather than depending on unstable earthly foundations. Since all other forms of protection are still subject to change, true security arises from a divine connection.
आकृष्टनौको मुनिमण्डलाय प्रदर्शयन् विश्वजगद्विभागान् ।
संस्तूयमानो नृवरेण तेन ज्ञानं परं चोपदिशन्नचारी: ॥८॥
aakR^iShTa naukO munimaNDalaaya pradarshayan vishvajagadvibhaagaan |
samstuuyamaanO nR^ivareNa tena j~naanaM paraM chOpadishannachaariiH || 8 ||
Holding the boat in its hands, the divine Matsya form showed the sage assembly the entire universe. As the sages praised the Lord for discovering the cosmic realm, the benevolent Matsya Avatar showed them the highest wisdom. Understanding how everything is interconnected is the first step toward true wisdom, as our modern world has specialized knowledge into discrete pieces.
कल्पावधौ सप्तमुनीन् पुरोवत् प्रस्थाप्य सत्यव्रतभूमिपं तम् ।
वैवस्वताख्यं मनुमादधान: क्रोधाद् हयग्रीवमभिद्रुतोऽभू: ॥९॥
kalpaavadhau saptamuniin purOvat prasthaapya satyavratabhuumipaM tam |
vaivasvataakhyaM manumaadadhaanaH krOdhaaddhayagriivamabhidrutO(a)bhuuH || 9 ||
Matsya Avatar completed his task at the end of Kalpa by giving the Saptarishi their divine mission before transporting Satyavrata across the seas. The Lord created him as Vaivasvata Manu and designated him as the earth’s ruler. Following that, the demon who had stolen the Vedic texts, Hayagriva, was destroyed by the Lord. The destructive forces of ignorance and chaos that strive to obstruct the discovery of true knowledge are symbolized by Hayagriva. Matsya Avatar shows that divine support is still necessary to maintain wisdom and righteousness in the world by protecting sages and putting the Vedas back where they belong.
स्वतुङ्गशृङ्गक्षतवक्षसं तं निपात्य दैत्यं निगमान् गृहीत्वा ।
विरिञ्चये प्रीतहृदे ददान: प्रभञ्जनागारपते प्रपाया: ॥१०॥
svatungashR^ingakshata vakshasaM taM nipaatya daityaM nigamaan gR^ihiitvaa |
viri~nchaye priitahR^ide dadaanaH prabha~njanaagaarapate prapaayaaH || 10 ||
Using his horn to pierce Hayagriva’s heart, Matsya Avatar destroyed him. After overcoming the demon, Matsya Avatar retrieves the holy books known as the Vedas. Upon receiving these holy texts, Brahma was delighted and he presented them to the sages. The sloka illustrates the necessity of protecting and honouring wisdom and knowledge. In the same way that Matsya Avatar defeats the demon and restores sacred knowledge, people and society should preserve and disseminate knowledge along with truth and moral principles.