Çrémad-Bhägavatam

Eight Canto
Part 4

Tavakathamritam.com
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Contents Summary and Introduction

Twenty-fourth Chapter: This chapter describes the Supreme Personality of Godhead’s
incarnation as a gigantic fish, Matsya, and it also describes the saving of Mahārāja Satyavrata
from an inundation of the world. Matsya in the ‘first’ Avatar mentioned, amongst 22 (SB
1.3.15) respectively 25 lila or pastimes Incarnations in the Bhagavatam (2-7.12), and He is also
described in the Dasavatar-stotram, as the first amongst ten lila-avatars:
pralaya-payodhi-jäle dhåtavän asi vedaà
vihita-vahitra-caritram akhedam
keçava dhåta-ména-çaréra, jaya jagadéça hare
O Keçava! Jagadéça – Lord of the universe! All glories to You, who have assumed the form
of Matsya! You easily acted as a boat in the form of a gigantic fish to give protection to the
Vedas, which had become immersed in the turbulent sea of devastation.
As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (4.8), paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ, vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām: The Supreme
Lord appears on this planet for the protection of the sādhus, or devotees, and for the destruction
of the miscreants. He especially descends to give protection to the cows, the brāhmaṇas, the
devas, the devotees and the Vedic system of sanatana dharma. Thus, He appears in various
forms - sometimes as a fish, sometimes a boar, sometimes as Nṛsiṁhadeva, sometimes as
Vāmanadeva and so on - but in any form or incarnation, although He comes within the
atmosphere of the material modes of nature, He is unaffected. This is a sign of His supreme
controlling power. Although He comes within the material atmosphere, māyā cannot touch
Him. Therefore, no material qualities can be attributed to Him in any degree.
Once, an asura named Hayagrīva stole the Vedic knowledge away from Lord Brahmā at the
time of an occasional devastation (partial during Manu’s day). Therefore, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead took the incarnation of a fish at the beginning of the period of
Svāyambhuva Manu and saved the Vedas. And during the reign of Cākṣuṣa Manu there was a
king named Satyavrata, who was a great pious ruler. To save him, the Lord appeared as the fish
incarnation for a second time and instructed him in the science transcendental knowledge. King
Satyavrata later became the son of the sun-god and was known as Śrāddhadeva (the present
Manu. He was established as Manu by the Supreme Lord.
At the end of the Yuga, the future Vaivasvata Manu, of the name Satyavrata, would see that
the Lord in the fish incarnation is the shelter of all kinds of living entities, up to those in
the earthly planets. Because of my fear of the vast water at the end of the yuga, the Vedas
drop out of my (Brahmä's) mouth, and the Lord enjoys those vast waters and protects the
Vedas. (SB 2.7.12)
Çré Matsya is described in the First Canto (1.3.15): “When there was an inundation after the
period of the Cäkñuña Manu and the whole world was deep within water, the Lord accepted
the form of a fish and protected Vaivasvata Manu, keeping him up on a boat.” (This is the
description of the second Matsya Avatar)
And in the Padma Puräëa (Uttara 229.16): Thus, addressed by Brahmä, the Supreme Lord
Håñékeça assumed the form of a fish and entered the great ocean. Brahmä had prayed to the
Supreme Lord, “O protector of the Vedas, an asura has stolen the Vedas from my mouth.
Please save us!” (This is the first Matsya Avatar)
The Laghu Bhagavatamrita (1.3.36) mentions, quoting Vishnu-dhamottara Purana, that the
Matsya Avatar appears in every Manu age and thus appears fourteen times in a day of Brahmä.
Queen Kunti prays:
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janma karma ca viśvātmann, ajasyākartur ātmanaḥ

tiryaṅ-nṝṣiṣu yādaḥsu, tad atyanta-viḍambanam
O soul of the universe, that You work, though You are inactive, that You take birth, though
You are the vital force and the unborn, and that You descend amongst animals, men, sages and
aquatics, is very much bewildering. (SB 1.8.30)

First Part of the Eight Canto: Chapter (24)

XXIV. Matsya Avatar
First Matsya Avatar 5
Second Matsya Avatar 6
Prayers 7
Appearance of Lord Matsya and more Prayers 8
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Mahārāja Parīkṣit asked further: 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, Matsya. O most
powerful Śukadeva Gosvāmī, I wish to hear from you the pastimes of that fish incarnation.
What was the purpose for which the Supreme Personality of Godhead accepted the abominable
form of a fish (in tama-guna), 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 anguish. O sage, what
was the purpose of this incarnation? Kindly explain this to us, for hearing about the pastimes
of the Lord is auspicious for everyone. (1-3)
First Appearance in the Sväyambhuva Age
Sūta Gosvāmī said: When Parīkṣit Mahārāja thus inquired from Śukadeva Gosvāmī, that most
powerful sage began describing the pastimes of the Lord’s incarnation as a fish: O King, for
the sake of protecting the cows, brāhmaṇas, devatas, sadhus, the Vedas, the vedic Dharma
(sanatana-dharma), and principles to fulfill the purpose of life (artha), the Supreme Personality
of Godhead incarnates Himself. 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. (4-6)
Once when Lord Brahmā felt sleepy during the day, (an occasional) annihilation took place and
the three worlds were overflooded by the water of the ocean. During that time the Vedas were
emanating from his mouth and the great asura named Hayagrīva stole them. Understanding the
acts of the great asura, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, who is full of all opulences,
assumed the form of a fish (the first Matya Avatar during Sväyambhuva Manus time) and saved
the Vedas by killing the asura. (7-9)
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oṁ namo bhagavate mukhyatamāya namaḥ

sattvāya prāṇāyaujase sahase balāya mahā-matsyāya nama
I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is pure
transcendence. He is the origin of all life, bodily strength, mental power and sensory ability.
Known as Matsyāvatāra, the gigantic fish incarnation, He appears first among all the
incarnations. Again, I offer my obeisances unto Him. (SB 5.18.25)
Here the word sattvāya is used, meaning pure goodness on the transcendental platform. There
are many incarnations of the Supreme Lord: Varāha mūrti (the boar form), Kūrma mūrti (the
tortoise form), Hayagrīva mūrti (the form of a horse) and so on. Yet we should never think any
of Them material. They are always situated on the platform of śuddha-sattva, pure
transcendence. (Part of Purport)

Lord Matsya’s Second Appearance

During the Cākṣuṣa-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. (8.24.10)
In this present Vaivashvata Manu age, the seventh Manu, King Satyavrata became the son of
Vivasvān (the sun god), and was known as Śrāddhadeva - Vaivasvata, the son of
Vivasvān. By the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he was given the post of Manu.
One day while Satyavrata, the king of Draviḍadeśa, was performing austerities by offering
water on the bank of the river Kṛtamālā, a small fish appeared in his palms. While the King,
wanted to threw the fish back into the water, with an appealing voice, the small fish said: “My
dear King, protector of the poor, why are you throwing Me back in the water of the river, where
there are other aquatics who can kill Me? I am very much afraid of them.” (11-14)
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Out of mercy, King Satyavrata, not

knowing that the fish was the Supreme
Lord, decided with great affection to give
the fish protection. Being moved by the
pitiable words of the fish, he placed the
fish in a water jug and brought Him to his
own residence. (15-16)
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. “I do
not like living in this water pot with such
great difficulty. Therefore, please find
some better reservoir of water where I can
live comfortably.” (17)
Then, taking the fish out of the water pot, the King threw Him in a well. But within a moment
the fish developed to the length of over one meter. The fish then said: “O King, this reservoir
of water is not fit for My happy residence either. Please put Me in a more extensive body of
water, for I have taken shelter of you.” (18-20)
O Mahārāja Parīkṣit, 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. 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.” (21-22)
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. While being
thrown in the ocean, the fish said: “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.” (23-24)

Prayers to Lord Matsya

After hearing these sweet words from the Supreme Lord in the form of a fish, the King, being
bewildered, asked Him: “Who are You? You simply bewilder us. 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. You must be the inexhaustible Supreme
Lord; to show Your mercy to the living entities, You have now assumed the form of an aquatic.
namas te puruña-çreñöha, sthity-utpatty-apyayeçvara
bhaktänäà naù prapannänäà, mukhyo hy ätma-gatir vibho
O my Lord, master of creation, maintenance and annihilation, O best of enjoyers, Lord Viṣṇu,
You are the leader and destination of surrendered devotees like us. Therefore, let me offer my
respectful obeisances unto You. (28)
sarve lélävatäräs te, bhütänäà bhüti-hetavaù
jïätum icchämy ado rüpaà, yad-arthaà bhavatä dhåta
All Your pastime-incarnations (lélävatära) 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. (29)
na te 'ravindäkña padopasarpaëaà
måñä bhavet sarva-suhåt-priyätmanaù
yathetareñäà påthag-ätmanäà satäm
adédåço yad vapur adbhutaà hi naù
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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. (30)
Śukadeva Gosvāmī 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: “O King, who can subdue
your enemies, on the seventh day from today the three worlds Bhūḥ, Bhuvaḥ and Svaḥ - will
all merge into the water of inundation. When all the three worlds merge into the water, a large
boat sent by Me will appear before you. (31-33)
O King, you should collect all types of herbs and seeds and load them on that great boat. Then,
accompanied by the saptarñis and surrounded by all kinds of species 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 will be the effulgence of the ṛṣis. (34-
Then, as the boat is tossed about by the powerful winds, attach the vessel to My horn by means
of the great serpent Vāsuki, for I shall be present by your side. Pulling the boat, with you and
all the ṛṣis in it, O King, I shall travel in the water of devastation until Lord Brahmā’s slumber
is over. (34-37)
You will be thoroughly advised and favored by Me, and because of your inquiries, everything
about My glories, which are known as paraṁ brahma, will be manifest within your heart. Thus,
you will know everything about Me.” (38)
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. (39)
After spreading kuśa 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, Viṣṇu,
who had assumed the form of a fish. (40)
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. As Satyavrata
remembered the order of the Supreme Lord, he saw a boat coming near him. He collected all
the herbs and creepers, and, accompanied by saintly brāhmaṇas, he got aboard the boat. The
saintly brāhmaṇas, being pleased with the King, said to him: “O King, please meditate upon the
Supreme Lord, Keśava, so that He will save us from this impending danger and arrange for our
well-being.” (41-43)

The Appearance of Matsya

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. Following the instructions
formerly given by the Supreme Lord, the King
anchored the boat to the fish’s horn, using the serpent
Vāsuki as a rope. Being satisfied, he began offering
prayers to for the pleasure of Lord Madhusūdana:
.

anädy-avidyopahatätma-saàvidas
tan-müla-saàsära-pariçramäturäù
yadåcchayopasåtä yam äpnuyur
vimuktido naù paramo gurur bhavän
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“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. (46)
jano 'budho 'yaà nija-karma-bandhanaù
sukhecchayä karma saméhate 'sukham
yat-sevayä täà vidhunoty asan-matià
granthià sa bhindyäd dhådayaà sa no guruù
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. (47)
yat-sevayägner iva rudra-rodanaà
pumän vijahyän malam ätmanas tamaù
bhajeta varëaà nijam eña so 'vyayo
bhüyät sa éçaù paramo guror guruù
One who wants to be free of material entanglement should take to the service of the Supreme
Lord and give up the contamination of ignorance, involving pious and impious activities. Thus,
one regains one’s original identity, just as a block of gold or silver sheds all dirt and becomes
purified when treated with fire. May that inexhaustible Supreme Lord become our spiritual
master, for He is the original spiritual master of all other spiritual masters. (48)
The word varṇam refers to the luster of one’s original identity. The original luster of gold or
silver is brilliant. Similarly, the original luster of the living being, who is part of the sac-cid-
ānanda-vigraha, is the luster of ānanda, or pleasure. Ānandamayo bhyāsāt. Every living entity
has the right to become ānandamaya, joyful, because he is part of the sac-cid-ānanda-
vigraha, Kṛṣṇa. Why should the living being be put into tribulation because of dirty
contamination by the material modes of nature? The living entity should become purified and
regain his svarūpa, his original identity. This he can do only by devotional service. Therefore,
one should adopt the instructions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is described here
as guror guruḥ, the spiritual master of all other spiritual masters. (Part of Purport)
VCT: One should not claim that one can destroy ignorance by knowledge. Only by service
to you the jéva (pumän) can destroy his contamination of ignorance, just as silver or gold
(rudra-rodanam) gives up its impurities by fire… Similarly, by jïäna and other process the
jéva does not give up his impurities.
na yat-prasädäyuta-bhäga-leçam
anye ca devä guravo janäù svayam
kartuà sametäù prabhavanti puàsas
tam éçvaraà tväà çaraëaà prapadye
Neither all the devas, nor the so-called gurus nor all other people (like parents or kings), 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. (49)
One should not reject you and instead worship devatäs for quick mercy. The devatäs, parents
and superiors (guru-varga) or kings desiring to give happiness either together or separately,
cannot produce even one ten-thousandth of your mercy - not even one particle of your
mercy. (VCT)
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acakñur andhasya yathägraëéù kåtas

tathä janasyäviduño 'budho guruù
tvam arka-dåk sarva-dåçäà samékñaëo
våto gurur naù sva-gatià bubhutsatäm
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.
The conditioned soul, being wrapped in ignorance and therefore not knowing the goal of life,
accepts a guru who can juggle words and make some display of magic that is wonderful to a
fool. Sometimes a foolish person accepts someone as a guru because he can manufacture a
small quantity of gold by mystic yogic power. Because such a disciple has a poor fund of
knowledge, he cannot judge whether the manufacture of gold is the criterion for a guru. Why
should one not accept the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, from whom unlimited
numbers of gold mines come into being? Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ
pravartate. All the gold mines are created by the energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Therefore, why should one accept a magician who can manufacture only a small portion of
gold? Such gurus are accepted by those who are blind, not knowing the goal of life. Mahārāja
Satyavrata, however, knew the goal of life. He knew the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and
therefore he accepted the Lord as his guru. Either the Supreme Lord or His representative can
become guru. The Lord says, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te: “One can get
relief from the clutches of māyā as soon as he surrenders unto Me.” Therefore, it is
the guru’s business to instruct his disciple to surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead
if he wants relief from the material clutches. This is the symptom of the guru. This same principle
was instructed by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu: yāre dekha, tāre kaha ‘kṛṣṇa’-upadeśa. In other
words, one is advised not to accept a guruwho does not follow the path of instruction given by
Lord Kṛṣṇa. (Purport)
na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ
durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ
andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās
te ’pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ
Persons who are strongly entrapped by the consciousness of enjoying material life, and who
have therefore accepted as their leader or guru a similar blind man attached to external sense
objects, cannot understand that the goal of life is to return home, back to Godhead, and engage
in the service of Lord Viṣṇu. As blind men guided by another blind man miss the right path and
fall into a ditch, materially attached men led by another materially attached man are bound by
the ropes of fruitive labor, which are made of very strong cords, and they continue again and
again in materialistic life, suffering the threefold miseries. (SB 7.5.31)
jano janasyädiçate 'satéà gatià
yayä prapadyeta duratyayaà tamaù
tvaà tv avyayaà jïänam amogham aïjasä
prapadyate yena jano nijaà 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. (51)
So-called gurus instruct their disciples for the sake of material profit. Some guru advises that
one meditate in such a way that his intelligence will increase in regard to keeping his body fit
for sense gratification. Another guru advises that sex is the ultimate goal of life and that one
should therefore engage in sex to the best of his ability. These are the instructions of
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foolish gurus. In other words, because of the instructions of a foolish guru one remains
perpetually in material existence and suffers its tribulations. But if one is intelligent enough to
take instructions from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as enunciated in Bhagavad-gītā or
the Sāṅkhya philosophy of Kapiladeva, one can very soon attain liberation and be situated in
his original position of spiritual life. The words nijaṁ padam are significant. The living entity,
being part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, has the birthright to a position
in Vaikuṇṭhaloka, or the spiritual world, where there is no anxiety. Therefore, one should follow
the instructions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Then, as stated in Bhagavad-
gītā, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti so ’rjuna: after giving up one’s body, one will
return home, back to Godhead. The Lord lives in the spiritual world in His original personality,
and a devotee who follows the instructions of the Lord approaches Him (mām eti). As a spiritual
person, such a devotee returns to the Personality of Godhead and plays and dances with Him.
That is the ultimate goal of life. (Purport)
tvaà sarva-lokasya suhåt priyeçvaro
hy ätmä gurur jïänam abhéñöa-siddhiù
tathäpi loko na bhavantam andha-dhér
jänäti santaà hådi baddha-kämaù
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. (52)
taà tväm ahaà deva-varaà vareëyaà
prapadya éçaà pratibodhanäya
chindhy artha-dépair bhagavan vacobhir
granthén hådayyän vivåëu svam okaù
O Supreme Lord, for self-realization I surrender unto You, who are worshiped by the devas 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.” (53)
Śukadeva Gosvāmī 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. The Lord explained to King Satyavrata the
spiritual science known as sāṅkhya-yoga, the science by which one distinguishes between
matter and spirit, along with the instructions contained in the Purāṇas and the saṁhitās. The
Lord explained Himself in all these literatures. (54-55)
While sitting in the boat, King Satyavrata, accompanied by the great rishis 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 rishis (heard
attentively) free of doubt about the Absolute Truth. (56)
At the end of the last inundation [during the period of Svāyambhuva Manu] the Supreme
Personality of Godhead killed the demon named Hayagrīva – who stole the Vedas during the
time when Lord Brahmā was a little sleepy - and delivered all the Vedic literatures to Lord
Brahmā when he awoke from sleeping – this is the first Matsya Avatar. (57)
King Satyavrata was illuminated with all Vedic knowledge by the mercy of Lord Viṣṇu, the
second Matsya Avatar in Cākṣuṣa-manvantara age. And in this period – in the present
Manvantara age -, he has now taken birth as Vaivasvata Manu, the son of the sun-god. (58)
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Blessing of the Story

This story concerning the great King Satyavrata and the fish incarnation of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu, is a great transcendental narration. Anyone who hears it is
delivered from the reactions of sinful life. (59)
avatäraà harer yo 'yaà, kértayed anvahaà naraù
saìkalpäs tasya sidhyanti, sa yäti paramäà gatim
One who narrates this description of the Matsya Avatar and King Satyavrata will certainly have
all his ambitions fulfilled, and he will undoubtedly return home, back to Godhead. (60)
pralaya-payasi dhätuù supta-çakter mukhebhyaù
çruti-gaëam apanétaà pratyupädatta hatvä
ditijam akathayad yo brahma satyavratänäà
tam aham akhila-hetuà jihma-ménaà 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 Brahmā when Lord Brahmā
awakened from sleep, and who explained the essence of Vedic literature to King Satyavrata and
the great saintly persons. (61)

pralaya-payodhi-jäle dhåtavän asi vedaà

vihita-vahitra-caritram akhedam
keçava dhåta-ména-çaréra, jaya jagadéça hare

End of chapter Twenty-four

End of the Eight Canto