Srimadh Bagawatham - Matsyavataram

Continued From:  http://thoughtsonsanathanadharma.blogspot.ca/2013/11/srimadh-bagawatham-vamanavataram-part-5.html

Matsya Avataram:

http://library.thinkquest.org/07aug/00313/matsya_avatara.htm

 

Next Sukacharyar narrated the Lord’s Matsya Incarnation.

Satyavratan was the king of the Pandya country. Everyday he performed sandhya Vandanam at a river bank. One day he found a very beautiful fish. It was very small in size and it fell in to his water pot. 

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The king didn’t have a heart to release it back in to the river where it might be eaten by other big fish. The king took the fish to his palace and placed it inside a beautiful bowl containing water. The following day the king went to visit the fish and to his surprise the fish had out grown the bowl.

‘Dear king please move me to a bigger container,’ requested the fish.

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The king realized that it was no ordinary fish. He moved it to his palace pond. The following day he went to visit the fish and was amazed to see that it had even out grown the pond.

‘This pond has become very small for me. Please take me back to the river in which you found me.’

The king with the help of his men drove the fish to the river. He set it free in the river. The next day the king went to the river bank.and to his utter amazement the fish had grown so large that it acted as a dam blocking the flow of the water.

‘I find it difficult to live in this river. Please take me to the ocean.’

The king had the fish taken to the ocean. As the fish was released in to the ocean it once again addressed the king.

‘There is an impending deluge which will submerge all the lands. Gather the Saptha Rishis, everything that is good in a boat. Seven days from now I will meet you here. You will easily recogonize me because I will have one horn on my forehead. Tie the boat to my horn. I will tow your boat safely through the deluge water till the water ebbs.’

http://www.krishna.se/Art/matsya.html

The king started preparing for the deluge. He collected all the seeds, animals and people and along with the Saptha Rishis waited for the fish to appear. Soon the boat started to rock in the ocean. The great Fish appeared with one horn on its forehead. The king tied the boat to its horn. As the Fish started to pull the boat, the sky turned dark. At first water came down as drizzle but soon started to pour down accompanied by thunder and lightening. There was no sign of land anywhere. The Fish continued to pull the boat safely through the deluge waters. Finally the sky lightened and land was seen. The Fish brought the boat to the safety of the shore. The place where the boat was anchored is called as “navabandhana” and is a peak in the Himalayas. The Fish revealed to the king as Lord Vishnu. The Lord installed the king as the next Manu called as “Vaivasvatha Manu”. We live in the period of this Manu.

Esoteric Meaning:

The water in the pot represents knowledge and the small fish represents Paramatma present within the knowledge. Slowly Perumal grows in the mind of the knower and finally delivers the knower safely across the ocean of samsara.

Continued On:http://thoughtsonsanathanadharma.blogspot.ca/2013/11/srimadh-bagawatham-ambarisha-charitram.html