“When oceans rise, Lord Vishnu becomes the shoreless saviour.”

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Introduction

Matsya Avatar the very 1st incarnation of Lord Vishnu from the “Dashavataras“, he has taken this avatar in “Satya-Yuga” in this incarnation he is in the form of “FISH“. In this form “Lord Vishnu” is carrying a “CONCH” to destroy the evil and the “Shesh-Nag” is protecting “Lord Vishnu” by sitting on his head. Lord Vishnu’s “Fish Form” had a unique identity a “THORN” on his back and his unique weapon “CONCH” when he transform himself in full “Fish Form” and Shesh-Naag held “King Manu’s” boat with his tail and took it to his destination, “Himagiri Mountain”.

From the Matsya Avatar, we learn that challenges in life come like floods — sudden and overwhelming — and they will continue to come. But just as Shri Hari, in the form of a divine fish, destroyed evil forces and guided King Manu to safety on the highest peak, Mount Himagiri, we too must find strength during hard times.

Even Shri Hari had to face great difficulty — protecting the Vedas, defeating the demon, and helping King Manu — all at once. Imagine the immense responsibility He carried. Yet, He remained composed and purposeful.

This teaches us that during difficult times, we must be calm and focused, like a fish that gracefully cuts through waves. Without panic, it carries its loved ones to a place of safety. Similarly, we must lead our families through hardships with strength, wisdom, and serenity.

Even today, Lord Vishnu lives on in the sacred form of Matsya — ever watchful, ever protective — silently guiding humanity through every tide of hardship. From time to time, He reappears as divine intervention, not merely to protect, but to restore Dharma when morality begins to crumble.

However, we often fail to recognize His presence. He has already blessed us with the wisdom to discern, to reflect, and to rise above the blind competition that consumes human lives.

Let us not wait for another divine storm to awaken us. Let us walk the path of Dharma now — with humility, awareness, and unwavering faith.

“Matsya rises — when Dharma sinks, divinity swims to save.”

Why did Vishnu take Matsya’s avatar?

This is not just a story — it is a divine way of life, shown to us by the Lord Himself. Through His own divine actions, He revealed how this Earth was born and how we gradually moved from the pure Satya Yuga to the present Kali Yuga.

This was the time when nothing else existed in this solar system except the sacred sound of “OM” — the eternal vibration, which was none other than Mahadev (Lord Shiva) Himself. From the right arm of Lord Shiva, through the power of OM, emerged Sri Hari Vishnu, who was entrusted with the divine responsibility of preserving creation.

Upon witnessing His own birth, Sri Hari humbly bowed to the Supreme Father — Mahadev — and requested His permission to begin fulfilling His divine duty. He asked Mahadev where He should reside to carry out His purpose. With Mahadev’s blessings, Sri Hari chose to eternally dwell in the Kshira Sagar — “The Ocean of Milk.”

As He settled into the Kshira Sagar, Lord Vishnu used His divine strength to create Mata Lakshmi from His left side, so that when He would later begin the creation of the universe, there would be no lack or shortage of anything for anyone.

Having established balance, He entered into a deep, divine sleep — Yog Nidra.

Many Yugas passed in this silence, and from the navel of the sleeping Lord Vishnu, a beautiful lotus emerged, from which Lord Brahma took birth. We know Him as the Creator of the Universe.

It is Lord Brahma who formed this creation — the Earth, which we lovingly call Dharti Maa.

With great love and deep devotion, Lord Brahma created this Earth. To take care of this sacred creation, He gave birth to a divine being — Prajapati Raja Manu. He became the first king of mankind, and it is from his name that the word “Manushya” (human) was born. He is our original father, the one who gave birth to the human race.

Wherever goodness takes birth, evil also arises alongside it — such is the balance of this world. Along with Raja Manu, another son was born from Brahma Dev. His name was Rishi Kashyapa, and he became well known in this world of illusion (Maya) as a great sage and teacher.

Rishi Kashyapa had three wives:

1. Mata Aditi
2. Mata Diti
3. Mata Gana

The children born to Mata Aditi, because of her pure heart and noble upbringing, came to be known as the Devas (gods). On the other hand, the children of Mata Diti and Mata Gana, though also divine in origin, were not given the same high values and virtues. Because of this, their offspring were called Asuras (demons) and Daityas (giants).

“This tale belongs to a time when the creation of the universe had just begun. The cosmos, in all its newness, was formed by Lord Brahma himself. His creation was wondrous — beautiful, enchanting, and harmonious. Everything reflected divine balance and peace. But as it is said, whenever there is great beauty and serenity, there arises a shadow that seeks to disturb it.

In the same way, thoughts that were impure, actions that were unrighteous, and minds that were ignorant also took birth — to test the purity of the creation. These dark traits manifested themselves through the sons of Sage Kashyapa and Mother Diti.

On one side were the Devas — the children of Mother Aditi and Sage Kashyapa — luminous beings of virtue, truth, and divine knowledge. On the other side arose the Daityas or Rakshasas — the children of Mother Diti and the same Sage Kashyapa — beings of great power, but often led astray by ego, greed, and delusion.

“But the question arises: If both the Devas and the Daityas were born from the same father, why were they so different? Why did one path lead toward righteousness and the other toward destruction”?

The answer lies not in their blood, but in their intentions, their choices, and the wombs that nurtured their thoughts. This divine contrast was not a flaw in creation, but a purposeful balance — a dance between light and shadow, good and evil, truth and illusion. It was the stage set for Shri Hari Vishnu’s first descent — the beginning of the Dashavatar — to restore cosmic balance.”

Rishi Kashyap – The Great Sage and the Sacred Yagya.

Rishi Kashyap, the noble sage, was wandering in distress. His mind was troubled by the actions of the children born to his two wives. Their deeds had become a cause of great concern for the world. He was deeply worried about the state of the Earth and humanity.

After deep contemplation, he decided to perform a sacred yagya (ritual offering) to seek protection and preservation of the universe from the harm caused by his own sons. Consulting the Panchang (astrological almanac), he selected the auspicious day of Bhadrapad Purnima, before sunrise, to begin the yagya.

He called his three wives to speak with them.

Rishi Kashyap: “O Aditi, Diti, and Gana — I need to speak to all of you about something very important. Please come here.”

Mata Gana: “But what is the matter, my Lord?”

Rishi Kashyap: “Please come closer, Devi Gana. I shall explain everything in detail.”

Mata Gana: “As you wish, Swami.”

Without any question, Mata Aditi and Mata Diti respectfully entered the ashram and sat down. Then the sage spoke—

Rishi Kashyap: “As all three of you already know, this world is in great turmoil. On one hand, Aditi’s sons are radiating divine light across the universe. On the other hand, your children, Devi Diti and Devi Gana, have thrown the entire creation into chaos and destruction.”

Hearing this, Mata Diti and Mata Gana lowered their heads in sorrow. Then Mata Aditi, with compassion, spoke:

Mata Aditi: “Please don’t speak like this, Swami. Your words deeply wound the hearts of my dear sisters. I humbly request you to refrain from saying such things.”

Rishi Kashyap: “Even I do not wish to speak harshly, Devi Aditi. But what else should I do? I cannot bear to watch this beautiful creation of my father, Lord Brahma, being destroyed. As his son, this sorrow is even greater for me. And because of the love I hold for my own children, I find myself unable to punish them.”

All Three Matas: “Swami… please don’t worry. We will all try together to guide them back to the right path. Do not burden yourself with sorrow.”

Rishi Kashyap: “How can I not worry, O Goddesses? We must also think about the future of this world. If our children had even a little wisdom, they would have corrected themselves and shown love for this beautiful universe, not hatred. That is why I have decided to perform a great yagya — to protect this creation and guide its future.”

Mata Diti: “A yagya? What kind of yagya, Swami?”

Rishi Kashyap: “This yagya will be performed to protect the world and eliminate the coming dangers. But…”

All Three Matas: “But what, Swami?”

Rishi Kashyap: “But for this yagya to be successful, I need the presence of all three of you. We must sit together and complete the ritual. As you know, no yagya, no worship, no charity is ever complete without the presence of the wife.”

The three goddesses listened carefully to the sage’s words and gave their consent with faith and devotion. Then—

Rishi Kashyap: “O goddesses, we shall begin this sacred yagya on the upcoming Bhadrapad Purnima, before sunrise. The offering (ahuti) must be made before the end of the first watch of the day, as Lord Shri Hari is the main deity of this yagya.”

The three divine consorts agreed to the time, purpose, and guidelines of the ritual, and together they resolved to complete the yagya with their husband.

One Day Before the Yagya

On the eve of the yagya, Rishi Kashyap gathered all the necessary items and carefully placed them at the site of the yagya. He made sure that nothing was left undone and no obstacle would hinder the ritual.

The Day of the Yagya

Before the break of dawn, Rishi Kashyap and Mata Aditi sat in readiness, awaiting the arrival of Mata Gana and Mata Diti. But when there was no sign of them, the sage began the ritual, and Mata Aditi joined him with devotion. Together, they completed the yagya.

Just after the offering was made, Mata Diti and Mata Gana arrived. Seeing them, Rishi Kashyap, filled with divine anger, said:

Rishi Kashyap: “Devi Gana and Devi Diti, what did I request of you?”

Mata Gana and Mata Diti stood silently, gazing at their husband’s feet in remorse.

Rishi Kashyap: “I have asked you a question, and I deserve an answer.”

Mata Gana: “Swami, you had requested us to join you today in completing the yagya.”

Rishi Kashyap: “Then may I know why you have come so late?”

Neither Mata Gana nor Mata Diti could offer any response. Even after the sage asked repeatedly, they remained silent, thinking it best to say nothing.

Rishi Kashyap: “Now you understand, O Gana and Diti, why your sons behave the way they do. Because if you yourselves have no respect for time, purpose, or your husband’s sacred request, what wisdom will you pass on to your children? Mark my words — the day is not far when your sons will not hesitate even for a moment to bring you harm.”

Saying this, the sage departed. His words pierced the hearts of the two goddesses like arrows. Realizing their mistake, they fell to the ground in sorrow and began to weep.

They clung to Mata Aditi in grief and begged for forgiveness.

Mata Aditi: “Calm yourselves, my dear sisters. Be patient. Our Swami will surely find a way. Please have faith.”

Four Vedas- Birth & Theft.

“For within Sage Kashyapa, two streams of nature flowed.
One was the path of righteousness — devoted to the welfare of all beings, engaged in the chanting of the holy name of Hari, and distanced from impure and unworthy conduct.
The other was equal in strength to the first, yet stood in complete opposition to it — a single, consuming force called Krodha (Anger), capable of stealing away all faith, peace, and compassion.

Mother Aditi embraced the virtuous and sattvic qualities of Sage Kashyapa, and thus gave birth to sons who embodied light and dharma.
But Mother Diti nourished and amplified his Krodha, and from this union were born sons whose hearts inclined toward darkness.

Among them was Hayagriva, the firstborn of Mother Diti and Sage Kashyapa.
From birth, he was unlike a full human, for the very meaning of ‘Hayagriva’ is ‘One with the head of a horse’.
Indeed, he was born not as a half-human, half-horse being, but fully in the form of a Sea Horse.
For if a soul takes birth in the womb of an animal, it is born entirely in that form — never divided between two.

Hayagriva took great pride in his form, and with the limited knowledge he had received from his father, Sage Kashyapa, he came to understand the power of tapasya (austerity).
Resolving to test its strength, he turned his mind toward deep penance to please Lord Brahma.

Through severe austerities, Hayagriva won a boon from Brahma and, filled with arrogance, began to spread chaos throughout the worlds.

It was during this time that he learned from his father about the sacred Vedas — divine knowledge manifested by Lord Brahma Himself — destined to be received by humankind in the future.
These Vedas, once embraced by humanity, would make people wise, noble, and spiritually elevated.

But in the darkened heart of Hayagriva, this truth gave rise not to reverence, but to envy.
And so, the seeds of his dreadful desire to steal the Vedas were sown — setting the stage for the divine intervention of Shri Hari Vishnu’s first descent, the “Matsya Avatar.”

The Origin of the Vedas

According to the command of Lord Narayan and Mahadev, when Lord Brahma created this universe, along with creation itself, he also brought forth the Vedas. All the Vedas and Puranas were made an inseparable part of Prakriti (Nature).

At that time, the Vedas and Puranas were not written in any script, for this was the very beginning of the universe. Therefore, they existed only within Nature itself. Because they were part of Nature, no ordinary human could read or understand them. To read them, one required a special divine vision — and in those times, no human possessed such vision.

In the early days of creation, not only this world but the entire universe was largely inhabited by animals. Every species of animal dwelt here in abundance, while the human race had only just begun. In truth, at that time, the animals created by the Lord possessed far greater tolerance, patience, and generosity than we humans. They also had intelligence — yet what they lacked was true knowledge, and for this reason, the Lord blessed humankind with wisdom and discernment.

It is often said — and perhaps rightly believed — that when God gives someone less in one area, He grants them much more in another. This is so that whatever a being has been given, they may use it to empower themselves, make themselves worthy of this world of illusion, and when times of difficulty arise, that very gift will stand as their shield.

Just as the Lord blessed us humans with knowledge and wisdom, in the same way, He also blessed animals with a treasure we humans can never possess. Through this gift, they are still many steps ahead of us, for they can see everything in this world — not only what is visible, but also what we humans cannot see.

We have all seen, time and again, how in the night, the bhairav (dogs) bark or howl. We often think they are doing so without reason, perhaps fighting among themselves, and so we chase them away. But the real reason behind this is something we do not understand — because in their vision, nothing is hidden. Whenever they sense an evil presence or a bad wind, they immediately begin to bark or growl. When something inauspicious is about to happen — something they can see — they cry out.

Therefore, we should never assume that the barking or howling of a bhairav (dog) is without meaning, nor should we react with annoyance. Instead, we should try to understand the warning they are giving us.

But the question remains — how exactly did Hayagriva steal the Vedas?

This knowledge filled Hayagriva with greed and jealousy. He thought to himself,

“If I can steal the Vedas before humans can claim them, then I alone will hold the wisdom of creation. All will bow before me, and no one will have the power to challenge me.”

Hayagriva was the son of Rishi Kashyap, and though only in a small measure, the virtues of his father were present in him as well. When he came to know that the Vedas and the Puranas were embedded within nature itself, he decided to use the knowledge he had received in his childhood from his father. Through that knowledge, he absorbed all the Vedas and Puranas into himself from nature.

But how exactly did he perform this act? As we have already said, the Vedas were all contained within nature, and to read them one required a unique vision — a vision that the Lord had granted to the animals. Hayagriva took advantage of this very gift, and with ease, he read the Vedas that were hidden within nature and separated them from it. All this was possible only because Hayagriva was one of the sons of Rishi Kashyap. Yet, instead of using his intelligence for the righteous purpose of preserving the Vedas, he used it for stealing them.

This had already taken place, and Lord Shri Hari Vishnu and Mahadev were both watching all these events unfold, while deep in their yogic meditation, smiling quietly.

For it is said that the appointed time of death always calls a being closer to itself, making them act in such ways that, unknowingly, they run toward their end.

But what was the reason for Mahadev and Shri Hari Vishnu’s smile? When we asked our Guru, he explained it to us in this way —

Shri Hari Vishnu was smiling because the end of Hayagriva was approaching, and seeing his rapid pace toward destruction brought a knowing smile to the Lord’s face.

And Mahadev was smiling because, very soon — in fact, in the blink of an eye — he would be blessed with the divine vision of Shri Hari’s first incarnation as Matsya, the Fish Avatar.

This entire divine sequence of events had already unfolded. Both Shri Hari Vishnu and Lord Mahadev, while deeply immersed in their yogic meditation (yog-nidra), watched all of it unfold—and they smiled.

“Because it is said that every being is eventually drawn toward the moment of their kaal (destined end), and destiny, in its mysterious ways, makes them perform such actions that unknowingly they start running toward their own destruction.“

The theft of the Vedas, the great deluge (Pralay), the slaying of Hayagriva, the protection of King Manu and of every living being, and the task of carrying them all to the Himalaya peaks — all these events happened at the same time. For Shri Hari Vishnu, to accomplish all of this together seemed nearly impossible. Yet, when we look upon it through the vision of the future, we can see clearly that the mission of Shri Hari Vishnu’s Matsya Avatar — though filled with great hardship — was indeed successful.

And how was this achieved? Let us now understand…

“After all these events had unfolded, Lord Brahma humbly offered his plea to Shri Hari Vishnu, who was resting in deep Yogic slumber.”