10. Matsya Purana 1

Title Thumbnail & Hero Image: Matsya Purāṇa - Bas-relief, source: www.pinterest.com, access date: March 11, 2026.

10. Matsya Purāṇa 1

First revision: Mar.11, 2026

Last change: Mar.12, 2026

Searched, gathered, rearranged, translated, and compiled by Apirak Kanchanakongkha.

Page 9

Chapter 1

(Description of Matsya avatara)
1.

Bhava's¹ terrible Tāṇḍava⁰¹ dance scattered the diggajas.² May his lotus feet remove all impediments. In his Matsya avatara, when Viṣṇu rose from Patala, the blow of his tail caused the oceans to rise and mingle with the upper half of Brahmāṇḍa, before they fell again and sprinkled the surface of the earth.³ May the words uttered through his avatara's mouth, which are the words of the Śruti texts, remove everything inauspicious. Jaya should be uttered after bowing down to Nārāyaṇa, Nara, supreme among men, Devi Sarasvati and Vyasa.⁴ I also prostrate myself before Svayambhu, who is described as Aja,
---------------
^1. Bhava (भव) is Śiva's name.
^2. Diggaja (दिग्गज), Diggajas are elephants (gaja) who support and guard the directions (दिक् - dik - direction, quarter, space). one (Diggaja) of the eight elephants said to guard and preside over the eight cardinal points.
^3. Matsya avatara is Viṣṇu's incarnation in the form of a fish. There are seven nether regions. Patala is a generic term for all of these taken together and also the name for one of these. Brahmāṇḍa is the cosmic egg.
^4. This is an invocation that occurs at the start of the Mahābhārata, originally known as Jaya. But it is an invocation that also occurs at the beginning of a Purāṇa, Jaya now signifying the Purāṇa. Nara and Nārāyaṇa are ancient Ṛṣis, usually spoken of together. Sarasvati is tehgoddess of learning and speech.
Notes & Narratives:
^01. Tāṇḍava (ताण्डव - ตาณฑวะ) - Śiva's cosmic dance.
1.
2.
3.

back

humanexcellence.thailand@gmail.com

Visit : 6575168