Lord Vishnu has taken various incarnations from time to time to protect the earth and the universe. Out of the ten major incarnations, Matsya incarnation is the first incarnation. The story of this incarnation is related to the destruction and re-creation of the universe.
The story of Matsya incarnation
According to the legend, once at the end of Satya Yuga, King Satyavrata (later known as Vaivasvat Manu) was performing penance on the banks of a river. One day, while he was bathing in the river and offering water to God by filling his hands with water, a small fish came into his hand. The fish prayed to the king, "O King, I am very small and helpless. Big creatures can eat me. Please protect me." King Satyavrata felt pity for the fish and put it in his kamandal. But, surprisingly, the fish quickly grew bigger and said to the king, "Take me from here to a bigger place, because now I cannot stay in the kamandal." The king put it in a pond, but the fish grew bigger. Then he released it in the river, but the size of the fish kept on increasing. Finally the king released it in the sea. Then the fish showed its true form and told that it was Lord Vishnu himself. The Lord told the king, "At the end of Satya Yuga there will be a deluge of the universe. Everything will be submerged in this deluge. You prepare a huge boat and keep all the animals, plants and Vedas safe in it. When the deluge comes, I will come to you in the form of a huge fish. You stay under my protection."Importance of Matsya Avatar
- Protection of Creation: Lord Vishnu protected the creation from destruction at the time of Pralaya.
- Establishment of Dharma: He preserved knowledge by protecting the Vedas and scriptures.
- Help of devotees: By guiding King Satyavrat, the Lord gave the message that he is always the protector of Dharma and truth.
