TEXT 1
TEXT
sri-rajovaca
bhagavan chrotum icchami
harer adbhuta-karmanah
avatara-katham adyam
maya-matsya-vidambanam
Maharaja Pariksit said: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, is
eternally situated in His transcendental position, yet He descends to
this material world and manifests Himself in various incarnations. His
first incarnation was that of a great fish. O most powerful Sukadeva
Gosvami, I wish to hear from you the pastimes of that fish incarnation.
TEXTS 2-3
TEXT
yad-artham adadhad rupam
matsyam loka-jugupsitam
tamah-prakrti-durmarsam
karma-grasta ivesvarah
etan no bhagavan sarvam
yathavad vaktum arhasi
uttamasloka-caritam
sarva-loka-sukhavaham
What was the purpose for which the Supreme Personality of Godhead
accepted the abominable form of a fish, exactly as an ordinary living
being accepts different forms under the laws of karma? The form of a fish
is certainly condemned and full of terrible pain. O my lord, what was the
purpose of this incarnation? Kindly explain this to us, for hearing about
the pastimes of the Lord is auspicious for everyone.
TEXT 4
TEXT
sri-suta uvaca
ity ukto visnu-ratena
bhagavan badarayanih
uvaca caritam visnor
matsya-rupena yat krtam
Suta Gosvami said: When Pariksit Maharaja thus inquired from Sukadeva
Gosvami, that most powerful saintly person began describing the pastimes
of the Lord’s incarnation as a fish.
TEXT 5
TEXT
sri-suka uvaca
go-vipra-sura-sadhunam
chandasam api cesvarah
raksam icchams tanur dhatte
dharmasyarthasya caiva hi
Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said: O King, for the sake of protecting the
cows, brahmanas, demigods, devotees, the Vedic literature, religious
principles, and principles to fulfill the purpose of life, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead accepts the forms of incarnations.
TEXT 6
TEXT
uccavacesu bhutesu
caran vayur ivesvarah
noccavacatvam bhajate
nirgunatvad dhiyo gunaih
Like the air passing through different types of atmosphere, the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, although appearing sometimes as a human
being and sometimes as a lower animal, is always transcendental. Because
He is above the material modes of nature, He is unaffected by higher and
lower forms.
TEXT 7
TEXT
asid atita-kalpante
brahmo naimittiko layah
samudropaplutas tatra
loka bhur-adayo nrpa
O King Pariksit, at the end of the past millennium, at the end of
Brahma’s day, because Lord Brahma sleeps during the night, annihilation
took place, and the three worlds were covered by the water of the ocean.
TEXT 8
TEXT
kalenagata-nidrasya
dhatuh sisayisor bali
mukhato nihsrtan vedan
hayagrivo ‘ntike ‘harat
At the end of Brahma’s day, when Brahma felt sleepy and desired to lie
down, the Vedas were emanating from his mouth, and the great demon named
Hayagriva stole the Vedic knowledge.
TEXT 9
TEXT
jnatva tad danavendrasya
hayagrivasya cestitam
dadhara saphari-rupam
bhagavan harir isvarah
Understanding the acts of the great demon Hayagriva, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, Hari, who is full of all opulences, assumed the
form of a fish and saved the Vedas by killing the demon.
TEXT 10
TEXT
tatra raja-rsih kascin
namna satyavrato mahan
narayana-paro ‘tapat
tapah sa salilasanah
During the Caksusa-manvantara there was a great king named Satyavrata
who was a great devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Satyavrata
performed austerities by subsisting only on water.
TEXT 11
TEXT
yo ‘sav asmin maha-kalpe
tanayah sa vivasvatah
sraddhadeva iti khyato
manutve harinarpitah
In this [the present] millennium King Satyavrata later became the son
of Vivasvan, the king of the sun planet, and was known as Sraddhadeva. By
the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he was given the post of
Manu.
TEXT 12
TEXT
ekada krtamalayam
kurvato jala-tarpanam
tasyanjaly-udake kacic
chaphary ekabhyapadyata
One day while King Satyavrata was performing austerities by offering
water on the bank of the River Krtamala, a small fish appeared in the
water in his palms.
TEXT 13
TEXT
satyavrato ‘njali-gatam
saha toyena bharata
utsasarja nadi-toye
sapharim dravidesvarah
Satyavrata, the King of Dravidadesa, threw the fish into the water of
the river along with the water in his palm, O King Pariksit, descendant
of Bharata.
TEXT 14
TEXT
tam aha satikarunam
maha-karunikam nrpam
yadobhyo jnati-ghatibhyo
dinam mam dina-vatsala
katham visrjase rajan
bhitam asmin sarij-jale
With an appealing voice, the poor small fish said to King Satyavrata,
who was very merciful: My dear King, protector of the poor, why are you
throwing Me in the water of the river, where there are other aquatics who
can kill Me? I am very much afraid of them.
TEXT 15
TEXT
tam atmano ‘nugrahartham
pritya matsya-vapur-dharam
ajanan raksanarthaya
sapharyah sa mano dadhe
To please himself, King Satyavrata, not knowing that the fish was the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, decided with great pleasure to give the
fish protection.
TEXT 16
TEXT
tasya dinataram vakyam
asrutya sa mahipatih
kalasapsu nidhayainam
dayalur ninya asramam
The merciful King, being moved by the pitiable words of the fish,
placed the fish in a water jug and brought Him to his own residence.
TEXT 17
TEXT
sa tu tatraika-ratrena
vardhamana kamandalau
alabdhvatmavakasam va
idam aha mahipatim
But in one night that fish grew so much that He could not move His
body comfortably in the water of the pot. He then spoke to the King as
follows.
TEXT 18
TEXT
naham kamandalav asmin
krcchram vastum ihotsahe
kalpayaukah suvipulam
yatraham nivase sukham
O My dear King, I do not like living in this waterpot with such great
difficulty. Therefore, please find some better reservoir of water where I
can live comfortably.
TEXT 19
TEXT
sa enam tata adaya
nyadhad audancanodake
tatra ksipta muhurtena
hasta-trayam avardhata
Then, taking the fish out of the waterpot, the King threw Him in a
large well. But within a moment the fish developed to the length of three
cubits.
TEXT 20
TEXT
na ma etad alam rajan
sukham vastum udancanam
prthu dehi padam mahyam
yat tvaham saranam gata
The fish then said: My dear King, this reservoir of water is not fit
for My happy residence. Please give Me a more extensive pool of water,
for I have taken shelter of you.
TEXT 21
TEXT
tata adaya sa rajna
ksipta rajan sarovare
tad avrtyatmana so ‘yam
maha-mino ‘nvavardhata
O Maharaja Pariksit, the King took the fish from the well and threw
Him in a lake, but the fish then assumed a gigantic form exceeding the
extent of the water.
TEXT 22
TEXT
naitan me svastaye rajann
udakam salilaukasah
nidhehi raksa-yogena
hrade mam avidasini
The fish then said: O King, I am a large aquatic, and this water is
not at all suitable for Me. Now kindly find some way to save Me. It would
be better to put Me in the water of a lake that will never reduce.
TEXT 23
TEXT
ity uktah so ‘nayan matsyam
tatra tatravidasini
jalasaye ‘sammitam tam
samudre praksipaj jhasam
When thus requested, King Satyavrata took the fish to the largest
reservoir of water. But when that also proved insufficient, the King at
last threw the gigantic fish into the ocean.
TEXT 24
TEXT
ksipyamanas tam ahedam
iha mam makaradayah
adanty atibala vira
mam nehotsrastum arhasi
While being thrown in the ocean, the fish said to King Satyavrata: O
hero, in this water there are very powerful and dangerous sharks that
will eat Me. Therefore you should not throw Me in this place.
TEXT 25
TEXT
evam vimohitas tena
vadata valgu-bharatim
tam aha ko bhavan asman
matsya-rupena mohayan
After hearing these sweet words from the Supreme Personality of
Godhead in the form of a fish, the King, being bewildered, asked Him: Who
are You, sir? You simply bewilder us.
TEXT 26
TEXT
naivam viryo jalacaro
drsto ‘smabhih sruto ‘pi va
yo bhavan yojana-satam
ahnabhivyanase sarah
My Lord, in one day You have expanded Yourself for hundreds of miles,
covering the water of the river and the ocean. Before this I had never
seen or heard of such an aquatic animal.
TEXT 27
TEXT
nunam tvam bhagavan saksad
dharir narayano ‘vyayah
anugrahaya bhutanam
dhatse rupam jalaukasam
My Lord, You are certainly the inexhaustible Supreme Personality of
Godhead, Narayana, Sri Hari. It is to show Your mercy to the living
entities that You have now assumed the form of an aquatic.
TEXT 28
TEXT
namas te purusa-srestha
sthity-utpatty-apyayesvara
bhaktanam nah prapannanam
mukhyo hy atma-gatir vibho
O my Lord, master of creation, maintenance and annihilation, O best of
enjoyers, Lord Visnu, You are the leader and destination of surrendered
devotees like us. Therefore let me offer my respectful obeisances unto
You.
TEXT 29
TEXT
sarve lilavataras te
bhutanam bhuti-hetavah
jnatum icchamy ado rupam
yad-artham bhavata dhrtam
All Your pastimes and incarnations certainly appear for the welfare of
all living entities. Therefore, my Lord, I wish to know the purpose for
which You have assumed this form of a fish.
TEXT 30
TEXT
na te ‘ravindaksa padopasarpanam
mrsa bhavet sarva-suhrt-priyatmanah
yathetaresam prthag-atmanam satam
adidrso yad vapur adbhutam hi nah
O my Lord, possessing eyes like the petals of a lotus, the worship of
the demigods, who are in the bodily concept of life, is fruitless in all
respects. But because You are the supreme friend and dearmost Supersoul
of everyone, worship of Your lotus feet is never useless. You have
therefore manifested Your form as a fish
TEXT 31
TEXT
sri-suka uvaca
iti bruvanam nrpatim jagat-patih
satyavratam matsya-vapur yuga-ksaye
vihartu-kamah pralayarnave ‘bravic
cikirsur ekanta-jana-priyah priyam
Sukadeva Gosvami said: When King Satyavrata spoke in this way, the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, who at the end of the yuga had assumed
the form of a fish to benefit His devotee and enjoy His pastimes in the
water of inundation, responded as follows.
TEXT 32
TEXT
sri-bhagavan uvaca
saptame hy adyatanad urdhvam
ahany etad arindama
nimanksyaty apyayambhodhau
trailokyam bhur-bhuvadikam
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O King, who can subdue your
enemies, on the seventh day from today the three worlds–Bhuh, Bhuvah and
Svah–will all merge into the water of inundation.
TEXT 33
TEXT
tri-lokyam liyamanayam
samvartambhasi vai tada
upasthasyati nauh kacid
visala tvam mayerita
When all the three worlds merge into the water, a large boat sent by
Me will appear before you.
TEXTS 34-35
TEXT
tvam tavad osadhih sarva
bijany uccavacani ca
saptarsibhih parivrtah
sarva-sattvopabrmhitah
aruhya brhatim navam
vicarisyasy aviklavah
ekarnave niraloke
rsinam eva varcasa
Thereafter, O King, you shall collect all types of herbs and seeds and
load them on that great boat. Then, accompanied by the seven rsis and
surrounded by all kinds of living entities, you shall get aboard that
boat, and without moroseness you shall easily travel with your companions
on the ocean of inundation, the only illumination being the effulgence of
the great rsis.
TEXT 36
TEXT
dodhuyamanam tam navam
samirena baliyasa
upasthitasya me srnge
nibadhnihi mahahina
Then, as the boat is tossed about by the powerful winds, attach the
vessel to My horn by means of the great serpent Vasuki, for I shall be
present by your side.
TEXT 37
TEXT
aham tvam rsibhih sardham
saha-navam udanvati
vikarsan vicarisyami
yavad brahmi nisa prabho
Pulling the boat, with you and all the rsis in it, O King, I shall
travel in the water of devastation until the night of Lord Brahma’s
slumber is over.
TEXT 38
TEXT
madiyam mahimanam ca
param brahmeti sabditam
vetsyasy anugrhitam me
samprasnair vivrtam hrdi
You will be thoroughly advised and favored by Me, and because of your
inquiries, everything about My glories, which are known as param brahma,
will be manifest within your heart. Thus you will know everything about
Me.
TEXT 39
TEXT
ittham adisya rajanam
harir antaradhiyata
so ‘nvavaiksata tam kalam
yam hrsikesa adisat
After thus instructing the King, the Supreme Personality of Godhead
immediately disappeared. Then King Satyavrata began to wait for that time
of which the Lord had instructed.
TEXT 40
TEXT
astirya darbhan prak-kulan
rajarsih prag-udan-mukhah
nisasada hareh padau
cintayan matsya-rupinah
After spreading kusa with its tips pointing east, the saintly King,
himself facing the northeast, sat down on the grass and began to meditate
upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu, who had assumed the form
of a fish.
TEXT 41
TEXT
tatah samudra udvelah
sarvatah plavayan mahim
vardhamano maha-meghair
varsadbhih samadrsyata
Thereafter, gigantic clouds pouring incessant water swelled the ocean
more and more. Thus the ocean began to overflow onto the land and
inundate the entire world.
TEXT 42
TEXT
dhyayan bhagavad-adesam
dadrse navam agatam
tam aruroha viprendrair
adayausadhi-virudhah
As Satyavrata remembered the order of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, he saw a boat coming near him. Thus he collected herbs and
creepers, and, accompanied by saintly brahmanas, he got aboard the boat.
TEXT 43
TEXT
tam ucur munayah prita
rajan dhyayasva kesavam
sa vai nah sankatad asmad
avita sam vidhasyati
The saintly brahmanas, being pleased with the King, said to him: O
King, please meditate upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kesava. He
will save us from this impending danger and arrange for our well-being.
TEXT 44
TEXT
so ‘nudhyatas tato rajna
pradurasin maharnave
eka-srnga-dharo matsyo
haimo niyuta-yojanah
Then, while the King constantly meditated upon the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, a large golden fish appeared in the ocean of inundation. The
fish had one horn and was eight million miles long.
TEXT 45
TEXT
nibadhya navam tac-chrnge
yathokto harina pura
varatrenahina tustas
tustava madhusudanam
Following the instructions formerly given by the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, the King anchored the boat to the fish’s horn, using the
serpent Vasuki as a rope. Thus being satisfied, he began offering prayers
to the Lord.
TEXT 46
TEXT
sri-rajovaca
anady-avidyopahatatma-samvidas
tan-mula-samsara-parisramaturah
yadrcchayopasrta yam apnuyur
vimuktido nah paramo gurur bhavan
The King said: By the grace of the Lord, those who have lost their
self-knowledge since time immemorial, and who because of this ignorance
are involved in a material, conditional life full of miseries, obtain the
chance to meet the Lord’s devotee. I accept that Supreme Personality of
Godhead as the supreme spiritual master.
TEXT 47
TEXT
jano ‘budho ‘yam nija-karma-bandhanah
sukhecchaya karma samihate ‘sukham
yat-sevaya tam vidhunoty asan-matim
granthim sa bhindyad dhrdayam sa no guruh
In hopes of becoming happy in this material world, the foolish
conditioned soul performs fruitive activities that result only in
suffering. But by rendering service to the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, one becomes free from such false desires for happiness. May my
supreme spiritual master cut the knot of false desires from the core of
my heart.
TEXT 48
TEXT
yat-sevayagner iva rudra-rodanam
puman vijahyan malam atmanas tamah
bhajeta varnam nijam esa so ‘vyayo
bhuyat sa isah paramo guror guruh
One who wants to be free of material entanglement should take to the
service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and give up the
contamination of ignorance, involving pious and impious activities. Thus
one regains his original identity, just as a block of gold or silver
sheds all dirt and becomes purified when treated with fire. May that
inexhaustible Supreme Personality of Godhead become our spiritual master,
for He is the original spiritual master of all other spiritual masters.
TEXT 49
TEXT
na yat-prasadayuta-bhaga-lesam
anye ca deva guravo janah svayam
kartum sametah prabhavanti pumsas
tam isvaram tvam saranam prapadye
Neither all the demigods, nor the so-called gurus nor all other
people, either independently or together, can offer mercy that equals
even one ten-thousandth of Yours. Therefore I wish to take shelter of
Your lotus feet.
TEXT 50
TEXT
acaksur andhasya yathagranih krtas
tatha janasyaviduso ‘budho guruh
tvam arka-drk sarva-drsam samiksano
vrto gurur nah sva-gatim bubhutsatam
As a blind man, being unable to see, accepts another blind man as his
leader, people who do not know the goal of life accept someone as a guru
who is a rascal and a fool. But we are interested in self-realization.
Therefore we accept You, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as our
spiritual master, for You are able to see in all directions and are
omniscient like the sun.
TEXT 51
TEXT
jano janasyadisate ‘satim gatim
yaya prapadyeta duratyayam tamah
tvam tv avyayam jnanam amogham anjasa
prapadyate yena jano nijam padam
A materialistic so-called guru instructs his materialistic disciples
about economic development and sense gratification, and because of such
instructions the foolish disciples continue in the materialistic
existence of ignorance. But Your Lordship gives knowledge that is
eternal, and the intelligent person receiving such knowledge is quickly
situated in his original constitutional position.
TEXT 52
TEXT
tvam sarva-lokasya suhrt priyesvaro
hy atma gurur jnanam abhista-siddhih
tathapi loko na bhavantam andha-dhir
janati santam hrdi baddha-kamah
My Lord, You are the supreme well-wishing friend of everyone, the
dearmost friend, the controller, the Supersoul, the supreme instructor
and the giver of supreme knowledge and the fulfillment of all desires.
But although You are within the heart, the foolish, because of lusty
desires in the heart, cannot understand You.
TEXT 53
TEXT
tvam tvam aham deva-varam varenyam
prapadya isam pratibodhanaya
chindhy artha-dipair bhagavan vacobhir
granthin hrdayyan vivrnu svam okah
O Supreme Lord, for self-realization I surrender unto You, who are
worshiped by the demigods as the supreme controller of everything. By
Your instructions, exposing life’s purpose, kindly cut the knot from the
core of my heart and let me know the destination of my life.
TEXT 54
TEXT
sri-suka uvaca
ity uktavantam nrpatim
bhagavan adi-purusah
matsya-rupi mahambhodhau
viharams tattvam abravit
Sukadeva Gosvami continued: When Satyavrata had thus prayed to the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, who had assumed the form of a fish, the
Lord, while moving in the water of inundation, explained to him the
Absolute Truth.
TEXT 55
TEXT
purana-samhitam divyam
sankhya-yoga-kriyavatim
satyavratasya rajarser
atma-guhyam asesatah
The Supreme Personality of Godhead thus explained to King Satyavrata
the spiritual science known as sankhya-yoga, the science by which one
distinguishes between matter and spirit [in other words, bhakti-yoga],
along with the instructions contained in the Puranas [the old histories]
and the samhitas. The Lord explained Himself in all these literatures.
TEXT 56
TEXT
asrausid rsibhih sakam
atma-tattvam asamsayam
navy asino bhagavata
proktam brahma sanatanam
While sitting in the boat, King Satyavrata, accompanied by the great
saintly persons, listened to the instructions of the Supreme Personality
of Godhead in regard to self-realization. These instructions were all
from the eternal Vedic literature [brahma]. Thus the King and sages had
no doubt about the Absolute Truth.
TEXT 57
TEXT
atita-pralayapaya
utthitaya sa vedhase
hatvasuram hayagrivam
vedan pratyaharad dharih
At the end of the last inundation [during the period of Svayambhuva
Manu] the Supreme Personality of Godhead killed the demon named Hayagriva
and delivered all the Vedic literatures to Lord Brahma when Lord Brahma
awakened from sleeping.
TEXT 58
TEXT
sa tu satyavrato raja
jnana-vijnana-samyutah
visnoh prasadat kalpe ‘sminn
asid vaivasvato manuh
King Satyavrata was illuminated with all Vedic knowledge by the mercy
of Lord Visnu, and in this period he has now taken birth as Vaivasvata
Manu, the son of the sun-god.
TEXT 59
TEXT
satyavratasya rajarser
maya-matsyasya sarnginah
samvadam mahad-akhyanam
srutva mucyeta kilbisat
This story concerning the great King Satyavrata and the fish
incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu, is a great
transcendental narration. Anyone who hears it is delivered from the
reactions of sinful life.
TEXT 60
TEXT
avataram harer yo ‘yam
kirtayed anvaham narah
sankalpas tasya sidhyanti
sa yati paramam gatim
One who narrates this description of the Matsya incarnation and King
Satyavrata will certainly have all his ambitions fulfilled, and he will
undoubtedly return home, back to Godhead.
TEXT 61
TEXT
pralaya-payasi dhatuh supta-sakter mukhebhyah
sruti-ganam apanitam pratyupadatta hatva
ditijam akathayad yo brahma satyavratanam
tam aham akhila-hetum jihma-minam nato ‘smi
I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, who pretended to be a gigantic fish, who restored the Vedic
literature to Lord Brahma when Lord Brahma awakened from sleep, and who
explained the essence of Vedic literature to King Satyavrata and the
great saintly persons.
Leave a Reply