章 15: SS 1 - First Avatar : Matsya

[A/n: I will be writing short stories that are either important for this story or the lore. These will also be the stories our protagonist has heard from the sages.

So, I have a question. Do you want me to write them as how MC heard it from the sages?

Or, do you want me to write it as if I am telling it to you as a narrator? This way, I get to explain to you things or words that are indian, so you can understand them. Also, I can make references to modern things.

Another way is I introduce dialogues of MC interrupting and asking questions to explain difficult words. But I think that will break the flow of the story.

For now, I am writing it in 2nd manner. But I'll change the next stories depending on what you say.

I'll do as you ask. For now, on to the story…]

***

Trinity of the the supreme Gods: Brahmā, Viṣṇu & Śiva.

Brahmā, the creator.

Viṣṇu, the preserver.

Shiva, the destroyer.

Whenever the need arises, all three gods come to earth in various avatars (Divine Manifestation) to uphold Dharma.

Among them, God Viṣṇu's ten (Daśa) particular avatars are very famous.

This is the story of the first avatar of Daśāvatar (Daśa + avatar), the Matsya (Fish) Avatar.

[A/n: I have taken a little bit of creative liberties]

***

This story dates back to a time long, long ago, even before the Satya Yuga, "the age of truth," began.

In the southernmost region of Bhārat, there flowed a river named Kṛtamālā.

One evening, at the riverbank, stood King Satyavrat, "the one devoted to truth."

He was weary.

Weary of the world around him.

Weary of humankind growing more corrupt each day.

Weary of witnessing the erosion of values in society.

The materialistic world seemed to stifle his soul, filling him with profound dissatisfaction.

The dispassionate King gazed silently at the river, grappling with the tumult of emotions swirling within his heart.

For days, he fasted and meditated, seeking solace and answers for his troubled mind to the God Viṣṇu.

He immersed himself in the rhythm of the flowing water, keenly observing the world around him.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, he resolved to set aside his thoughts momentarily. Stepping into the river, he cleansed himself and performed his evening prayer with reverence.

Cupping his hands to collect water for the ritual offering to Viṣṇu, his gaze fell upon the liquid in his palms. There, amidst the water, shimmered a small, golden fish.

The fish, silent like himself, seemed to be telling him with its wordless speech to help it. Save it from all the dangerous aquatic lifeforms in the river.

The silent plea of the fish resonated with the King's own sense of disquiet.

Moved by compassion for the creature, he carefully scooped it up and placed it into the earthen water jug he carried with him.

Unbeknownst to the King, the fish he had taken pity upon harbored a voracious appetite.

The following day, to his surprise, he discovered that the fish had grown exponentially, now nearly bursting out of the confines of the earthen water jug.

Even its head extended beyond the rim, straining the limits of its container.

Astounded, the King hurried back to his palace and transferred the fish into a larger container.

Yet, within a mere day, the fish had expanded to fill the new vessel completely.

There are land-grubbing people in the world. Who would've thought there would be a fish so greedy for aquatic real estate?

The King, undeterred by the lack of a larger vessel, continued to transfer the fish to ever larger containers.

Yet, like the boundless potential of the story's hero, the fish would reach its maximum size in a miraculously short time.

Before long, the King had to relocate it to a pond, and then eventually release it into the river, hoping that would suffice.

But, surprise, surprise!

The fish defied all expectations, relentlessly expanding to fill whatever space it was given.

The cute giant fish gave puppy eyes to the King, clearly finding its current space too confining.

Though the King was suspicious, he couldn't bear to ignore the fish's silent appeal. There was something about its gaze that resonated with him.

Thus, he resolved to transport the fish to the vast expanse of the sea, where it could thrive without constraint.

The moment the fish was released into the ocean, it underwent a remarkable transformation, expanding into a whale-sized creature before the King's astonished gaze.

Unable to contain his curiosity any longer, the King dared to ask the fish about its true identity.

The fish in turn replied in divine words that it was an avatar of God Viṣṇu and had been testing the faith & greatness of King Satyavrat.

King Satyavrat could only bow in front of the great god with reverence whom he prayed every day.

The fish, now transformed into a majestic whale before the King's astonished eyes, spoke with a voice that resonated deep within the King's soul, revealing that it was the avatar of the God Viṣṇu himself whom the King prayed to every day.

With humility and awe, King Satyavrat listened as the divine avatar revealed the cosmic significance of their encounter.

With a heavy heart, King Satyavrat listened to God Viṣṇu's warning of an impending cataclysm: a flood that would engulf the earth in seven days.

God Viṣṇu instructed Satyavrat to construct a vast ark, within which he must gather seeds from every plant, pairs of every animal species, and the revered sages and their families.

The Matsya avatar of God Viṣṇu would arrive seven days hence to fulfill his divine mission.

With this divine instruction, King Satyavrat diligently prepared for the impending cataclysm over the next seven days.

After seven days, torrential rain commenced, washing away all in its path, while fierce winds swept across the land, carrying away everything in their wake.

The water levels surged at an alarming rate—the great flood had arrived.

Soon, as promised, the Matsya Avatar appeared before the ark.

With a mighty roar, it bellowed orders to use the King of Snakes, Vāsuki, as a rope to tether the horn of the fish to the vessel.

Once the fish was secured to the ship, it took charge, guiding the vessel through the tempestuous sea.

From the southern reaches of Bhārat, they journeyed northward towards the Himalayas. During the voyage, the fish imparted Vedic knowledge to everyone aboard the ship.

As the storm subsided and the waters began to recede, the fish guided them to the highest peak of the Himavān mountain range.

From there, King Satyavrat led the world and repopulated humanity. As the progenitor of humankind, he came to be known as Manu.

***

Author's Note. A long one this time.

There is an obvious connection with famous stories like Noah's arc, Gilgamesh's story, and countless other stories found in each religion.

So this most likely happened in real life.

But other than that, I want to talk about the symbolic spiritual meaning told in this story.

YOU CAN SKIP THIS PART IF YOU WANT TO.

I modified this story and told it as the story of a spiritual seeker within us and a silent call of the divine in our lives.

The small fish symbolizes nascent spiritual awareness within us, which, when nurtured, matures into profound enlightenment.

It gradually grows and surpasses every place it resides. This awakened knowledge, represented by the fish, becomes instrumental in saving humanity.

The flood in the story symbolizes Maya, the illusion of worldly desires that pose a threat to our inner peace.

The boat represents our consciousness, which can only be saved through the awakening of knowledge (the fish) from the destructive waves of Maya.

The seven great sages symbolize the seven chakras, the centers of knowledge within our bodies.

Taking the boat to Mount Hemavan signifies seeking refuge from worldly desires, enabling us to rise above them and attain truth and peace.

Mount Hemavan represents our highest center of knowledge, located in our head.

Fun Fact: (From what I've heard) Noah is actually spelled in Islam as "Nuu" and originally in Hebrew as "Mnuu". Also, the root of the word 'Man' came from 'Manu'.