OHM:Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 8: Chapter 24: Malsyavatharam or The story of the descent of the divine Fish

.(Collected by MPRNair)

Out of intense interest to hear another story of Bhagavan, growing from a Sookshma to Sthoola, like that started right
earnestly from the very beginning of His birth (Tam Adbhutam Balakam..shown Viswaroopam to Devaki Ma), then heard
from the stories of Varaha Moorthy and Vamana Moorthy, King Pareekshit, though a Rajarshi, like a child out of innocence
, inquisitiveness and joy, asked Sree Sukabrahmam to narrate Bhagavans First and marvelous Avathara Katha as the Maya
Malsya, vidambanam.

The Sage also gladly began to tell the story of Bhagavans Avathara as a tamasic creature Malsya, by His wonderful
creative energy, only for the welfare of the universe. The almighty Lord actually assumes various forms only when seeking
the protection of cows, the Brahmanas, the gods and the righteous people and the Vedas too, as well as of righteousness and
whatever else, is worth seeking in the world. Though functioning in all creatures, high and low, as their Inner Controller
(Antharyami), the Lord, like the air or wind, does not acquire a high or low status occasioned by the modes of Prakrti, because
of His being devoid of the three Gunas. At the end of the previous Kalpa (covering a daytime of Brahmaji),
there came about an occasional dissolution of the universe consequent on Brahmaji's retiring to bed at the end of his day's
work and all the three worlds including the earth, were washed away by the ocean, because of that Pralayam. At that time,
Hayagreeva- the horse-headed demon who was standing nearby, stole away the Vedas, from Brhmaji and escaped. Perceiving
that action of Hayagriva - the Danava chief, the almighty Lord Sri Hari, assumed the form of a fish. In that very

Kalpa of Chakshusha Manwanthara, there was a Royal sage (Rajarshi), Satyavrata , King of Dravida Desha, and an
exalted soul devoted to Lord Narayana. He was practising austerities, and doing Tapas, subsisting on water alone. King
Satyavrata was the son of Vivaswan- the Sun god. He was known as Sraddhadeva, in the present Kalpa and was exalted later
to the position of Manu and his Manwanthara was named by Lord Sri Hari, as Vaivaswata Manwanthara.

One day a very beautiful and unknown fry (a tiny-fish)- appeared in the water, gathered in his palms from Krithamala
river, while he was doing jala-tarppana. King Satyavrata
immediately put it back into the water of the river. The baby fish cried out to him not to leave it, to be killed and eaten by
aquatic creatures. Not knowing the Lord, who had lovingly assumed the form of a fish in order to shower His grace on him,
King Satyavrata made up his mind to protect the fish, took and put it in his kamanadalu of water and brought it to his hermitage
(ashram). By overnight the fish grew big beyond the kamamnadu and requested the king to transfer it to a comfortable place.
He then put it in a pitcher, where again it grew bigger than the pot and consecutively he moved it from pond to well, lakes
and rivers, as it grew bigger and bigger and finally he put it in the ocean. The maya Malsya cried out aloud again, not to give
it to alligators and whales in the huge sea. Now, the King understood that it is not really a fish and that undoubtedly it is the
immortal Lord Narayana Himself, the Destroyer of sins, who have assumed the form of a very huge and gigantic fish by His
Maya, in order to shower His grace on all created beings. Wishing to know in particular, the King asked Bhagavan to tell the
purpose for which this manifestly gigantic form has been assumed. To which the glorious Lord replied to His loving devotee:
"On the seventh day following this day, all these three worlds-Bhuloka, Bhuvarloka and Swarloka will be submerged in the
ocean rising for the dissolution of the universe. When the three worlds are actually going to be submerged in the deluge water,

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a mysterious and spacious boat, sent by Me, will approach you. Take with you in the meanwhile, all the herbs and annual
plants as well as seeds of all types- both great and small, and surrounded by the seven seers-Saptarshees, and accompanied by
all varieties of animals, you shall board that commodious vessel and sail about undaunted in that undivided expanse of water,
devoid of light, guided by the effulgence of the Saptarshees alone. Attach that vessel-tossed about by a mighty gale-by means
of the great serpent Vasuki to My horn as I shall be present by your side at that time. Pulling you, boat and all, along with the
Saptarshees, I shall roam about in the vast expanse of water as long as the night of Brahmaji, which is of the same duration as
his day, is over. And at that time you will come to realize My glory--designated by the name of Para Brahma (the transcendent
Reality)-revealed by Me in your heart, through answer to your questions, though actually imparted by My grace

Having thus instructed the King Satyavrata, Sri Hari disappeared. The King awaited the time, which Lord Vishnu
told him. Then he saw the ocean clearly rising high on account of huge clouds pouring down heavy rain and consequently
overflowing its limits and inundating the earth on all sides. Revolving in his mind the command of the Lord, the king
perceived the vessel arrived by his side. Taking the herbs and plants collected by him, he boarded it along with the great
Saparshees. They lovingly asked him to meditate on Lord Vishnu and said that He would surely deliver them from the calamity
and bring happiness.

The Lord then appeared in that vast expanse of water in the form of a very big and huge golden Fish , possessed of a
horn and extending over an area of one lakh Yojanas (or eight lakh miles). Fastening the boat to the horn of the divine Fish,
with Vasuki for rope, as already enjoined by Sri Hari, King Satyavrata, full of joy, did a beautiful Stuti on Lord Sri Hari. The
Stuti descrbes the Glories of Bhagvan in beautiful words. People whose true knowledge of their own self, stands obscured by
dateless ignorance and who are exhausted by the turmoils of worldly existence, traceable to that nescience (avidya), realize
Your presence here, only when they take shelter in You by Your unaccountable grace. This ignorant Jiva (human soul), bound
(as it is) by its own (previous) Karma, performs actions with great pains in the hope of (attaining) happiness and is able to get
rid of that hope, as well as of its wrong notion in the shape of identification with body. Bhagavan is addressed as the Guru of
Sarvva Guru or Parama Guru. The King adds that through His worship (alone) can an embodied soul realize the
Atmaswaroopam of Bhagavan. You, however, impart (to the Jiva) undecaying and unfailing wisdom (knowledge of the Self),
through which the Jiva gradually become a realized soul.

He says that even poverty comes only after Avidya or Ajnanam. Bhagavan exhorts King Satyavritha to do seva to
others, which alone is considered as Uthama dharma. Here, we should remember our Bhagavatham told it more than 5000
years ago. Now all nations of the world have approved it as the most Sreshta Dharma. Bhagavan revealed to him as fully
cognizant (Abhijna:) and fully independent (Swarat). He (further) revealed to the royal sage Satyavrata, in its entirety the
mystery of His own Self in the form of a divine collection of Pauranik lore , called Matsyapurana Samhita, dealing with
Sankhya philosophy ,which teaches us how to differentiate between Prakrti and Purusha (Matter and Spirit), Yoga (union with
the Lord through Devotion) and rituals. Seated on board the vessel, with the (seven) seers, the king listened to the discourse
on the truth of the Self, (which is the same as) the eternal Brahman (the Infinite), delivered by the Lord (in the form of the
divine Fish), so (attentively) as to leave no doubt (in his mind). Having already killed the demon Hayagreeva , He restored

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the Vedas to Brahma (the creator) when the latter rose (from his slumber) at the end of the Pralaya (dissolution) that
(immediately) preceded the current Kalpa (known as the Sweta-Varaha Kalpa). The same king Satyavrata, who was (thus)
endued (both) with spiritual knowledge (as derived from the scriptures) and wisdom (Self-Realization) by the grace of Lord ,
figured in the present Kalpa as the Vaivaswata Manu (so-called because he was born as a son of the sun-god, and was also
known by the name of Sraddhadeva).Thus Bhagvan narrated the story in Malsya Purana to the King and the seven seers, in
the boat. Hearing all these, King Satyavritha cried out to Lord, for cutting the knot of his Hridaya-Grandthi, the seat of all
ego.

The 18 Puranas are compared to th18 limbs of Bhagvan and Malsya Purnam represents Bhagavans Udaram/ Belly/
Stomach.

Through the King SatyaVrita, the Lakshana of the 8th canto, that of Nirodha or VasanaNirasanam, that is the crushing
of the ego that stands on the way to attain Atma Jnana, and how to reach Bhagavan, are also perfectly done in the last chapter
of the 8th canto.

This Chapter also teaches us that unless and until we withdraw our mind from samsara dukkha , we are not going to
enjoy the Paramatma Sukham. Also for experiencing the Brahmatma Sukha/ Brahmananda , we have to take satyam as a
Vrita, as observed by the King Satya Vrita..

The transformation of various Mano-Vrithees are also brought to light in the 8th canto. In Gajendra Moksham, Mukthi
from Tamovrithi is illustrated; in Samudra Madthanam, that from Rajovrithy is shown, while in Mahabali Charitham, the
submission of Satwika-vrithy is described. Combining all these three Vrithees together, leads to Brahmakara Vrithy, which is
the ultimate realization of Brahman (Poornam Brahma Sanatanam). King SatyaVrita became a realized soul, by surrendering
all the above 3 Vrithees at the Lotus Feet of the Paramananda Mohodadhi/ the Jyothishamapi Jyothishi, our beloved Bhagvan,
the Supreme Enjoyer.

The Phalasruti of the Malsyavatara katha is that anyone who hears it, will be delivered totally from all sins and
certainly all his ambitions will be fulfilled and eventually he will reach the Param Dham of the Parabrahma. Srimad Bhagvatam
is the Supreme Purana, which teaches us that Harer Namaiva Kevalam = Recting Harinama alone, is Moksha Pradam.

Thus ends the twenty-fourth discourse entitled, The story of the Descent of the divine Fish' in Book Eight of the great
and glorious Bhagavata-Purana, by the sage Vedavyasa.