||Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudhevaya||

Chapter – 109 – The legend of Matsya Avathar -1

The sacred scripture Srimad Bhagavath Mahapuran comprises various legends that are strictly related to the life of humans on the Earth.  It is not a plain story; it is the lessons on human life.  The story of Gajendra taught us about the misconception of humans that all those possession, wealth, family, children and relatives, are the only source for happiness in life. The elephant Gajendra took great pleasure in various amusements in the herd of elephants, was once trapped in the clutches of a crocodile and called out for help, none of the family members or his own physical strength could get him out the mouth of the crocodile.  He was miserably failed to protect himself, so he called out supreme Lord Hari.  In this way, most of the realities in life go against expectations.  In the story of ‘ Samudra Manthan’ Sage Durvass offered the highly auspicious garland that was received from the abode of Lord Vishnu to Lord Indra who received it carelessly, later it was thrashed on the floor by Airavatha.  Sage Durvassa expected congenial behavior from Lord Indra was disturbed by his arrogance and cursed the deities to lose their fame and glory.  The legend of Mahabali who is well known for his great sacrifices, as an Emperor he had the self-assurance that he could offer anything to  Vatu Vamana, but the turn of events made Mahabali sacrifice himself to Vatu Vamana.  More often the expectation does not match with the realities of life.   Whatever experienced in life has been taken as the greatest lesson learned, and shut down the doors to learn new things could destroy the growth of an individual.    Therefore an inquisitive mind followed with humility is essential for the growth of spirituality as well as the material living.  The greatest knowledge can be attained only with a sense of humility and curiosity.

Pareekshith spoke “Oh! Bhagavan, I would like to hear the glorious incarnation of Lord Hari as Maya Matsya/giant fish.  Why did the all-pervading Lord who has immense prowess, manifested as giant fish and performed various amusements? Why did he assume lowly creature like a fish?”

Shuka Bhramam speaks “ Oh! Rajan, supreme Lord Hari has taken various incarnations, surprisingly all his incarnations have the nature of ‘wind’ that does not attach to the matter; it has free-flowing nature and will not get polluted with the changes in the atmosphere.  Hence, whatever forms assumed by the supreme Lord will not stain him due to his independent nature like ‘Air’.  I shall narrate the story of Mathsyavathar to you.  Once, the whole universe was immersed/Laya in water due to the influence of ‘Time’, at that moment, Lord Bhrama who had the possession of four Vedas on his face was seized away by a demon named Haygreevah, hence Lord Hari assumed the form of a giant fish and regained the Vedas from the demon and handed to Lord Bhrama. The King Sathyavratha who is an ardent devotee of Lord Hari attained the grace of the Supreme Lord.”

Shuka Bhramam continues “ Oh! Rajan,  King Sathyavratha was taking penance on the river banks of Krithamala, one day he entered to perform ablutions in the river, he took a handful of water and found a baby fish in it while dropping the fish,  it requested the King ‘ Oh! Rajan, Oh! Deenavathsala, I am helpless, you have seen big water creatures in this river, and if you drop me in the water they would swallow me. So kindly protect me.” The King was not aware of the real nature of the fish, he decided to protect it.  He put back the fish in his Kamandalu and took it to his hermitage.   In a short, while the fish began to speak “ Oh! Rajan, I cannot fit my body in this vessel, therefore kindly transfer me from this vessel.” King Sathyavratha was curious, transferred the fish into a big vessel.  In this way, he keeps transferring the fish according to its size of the growth, finally, it has grown up to the size of  a gigantic aquatic animal, and it requested the king to deposit  in the ocean.”