Dashavatar – Matysa Avatar

By the end time of previous Chakshusha Manvantara, King Shraddhadeva son of Vivasvat was ruling in the Kingdom of Dravida (Southern India), a great king and supreme devotee of Lord Vishnu also known as “Satyavrat” because of his quality of always speaking truth, he was Sage in nature but due to his kingly surroundings and splendid lifestyle was still not devoid of Ego, hence Lord Vishnu decide to teach him the correct path before title him as “Manu” for next Manvantara and this is where the story of Matsya Avatar Begins.

One fine morning when Satyavrat was performing his daily morning rituals in river a small fish appears in his palm and surprisingly ask for refuge before king drop him into water as he was scared to be eaten by big fishes in River. By showing a nature of doubt on king’s ability to be able to provide a comfortable space, fish convinced King Satyavrat to take a pledge. Surrounded with the Ego and underestimating this little fish as a tiny creature King took a pledge of providing a comfortable space for living peacefully and brought him into his splendid palace. 

King arranged a water pot inside his palace and in the mood on Consolation said to fish that now he can fearlessly live his whole life in this pot, soon after king’s words fish started to grow making the pot uncomfortable with his size just in a couple of seconds, Without caring much Satyavrat order his servant for a bigger utensil and fish was shifted into it, but the same scene repeated again and fish shorten this utensil, this time Satyavrat ordered even much bigger container and this good size fish which was a tiny creature just a while ago was shifted once again, since the king was not compromising with his ego neither did the fish and he again defeated this big container with his size and started acting uncomfortable in it. This act repeated quite a lot of time  until king decide to move out of palace, with a bit of worrying Satyavrat shifted this as of now a big creature in his Garden Pond, but this unbeaten fish once again outgrow and ask for a comfortable refuge. Finally due to his pledge Satyavrat was in tension and decide to move the fish back into river as now he was in a pretty big size to be eaten by any other creature, somehow king manage to shift back this fish into river, his whole day has finished in this act now it was evening time sun was about to set but still Satyavrat has not given up his Ego completely hence fish decide for a final call and outgrow the size of river and ask for comfortable space as he is under the refuge of this great king.

Finally King Satyavrat given up his Ego completely now has understood the truth behind this creature that he is some much more powerful divine personality in form of fish, surrendered to this fish and he himself ask for the refuge. This magical creature was none other than the Beneficent Lord Vishnu, after hearing Satyavrat’s prayer Fish form Lord changed himself and appeared in a hyperphysical marvellous form known as “Matysa Avatar”

Matsya Avatar Lord Vishnu Saving King Satyavrat's Boat from Great Deluge

Supreme Lord than reveal about all destructive great deluge that would be coming very soon and ordered him to build a huge boat housing his family, Saptarishi’s (Divine Seven Sage), Nine types of Seeds, set of different type of birds, animals and other necessary creatures to repopulate the earth after the deluge would end and the oceans and seas would recede. Lord Vishnu also informed at time of deluge he will appear as a huge horned fish and Sheshnaag will act as a rope with which the king fastened the boat to horn of the fish. At time of deluge while roaming Lord will preach and also answer all the queries of King Satyavrat. The incident happen as indicated by Supreme Lord. After this Great Deluge when oceans receded, with the assistance of Saptarishi’s King and his family repopulated the Earth as instructed by Supreme Lord.
            “Shraddhadeva” is Present Manu and our Manvantara is called as “Vaivasvata” as Satyavrat is also know by his father‘s name.