Matsya or Fish

A small baby fish which lives deep inside the Ocean asked his mother, mommy what is water? How it looks? How it feels? What is the taste, color, etc. The mommy fish said I don’t know but many enlightened souls said it is all around us and we live in water. It nurtures, protects, loves, enlightens us etc.

The baby fish asked mommy again. How can I see, taste, drink, bask in it. Mommy said we are doing this everyday but not realizing it. To realize this you start swimming up. Baby asked which way is up? How to get out of the water and see what is above?

Mommy said it is your effort to find out which is up. In your effort of realization of what is water, you may be lost forever. So my dear baby I want you to grow up, have family, gain all the knowledge of the ocean then try when you are absolutely ready with all your wisdom. When you are going up remember one thing, you will see light, which will guide you.

The fish grew with a focus to swim above. It practiced, practiced, practiced...

The universe is created in a complex way with science, divinity, spirituality and Conscience mixed with mysterious thing called soul which drives the whole thing. To realize the real secret or maya, you need to raise above this. Which is only possible with yoga, meditation and samadhi state. We are always basking in the grace of God, don’t realize it.

One day, The fish brimming with confidence by its practice, decided to swim towards above. Swam swan swam... many years passed by, no light in sight. Without loosing heart, it keep swimming. Suddenly it saw very very tiny light. It started swimming towards it frantically but never became bigger. As years passed by, he realized the light is becoming brighter and brighter. On one fine day fish popped its head above the water. First time it realized what is water and all the properties of it. Now it saw huge ball of blinding light(Supreme Conscience Aditi) in which it was able to bask in it forever...

This and beyond this Universe it is called Blissful Cosmic Ocean or Aananda Mahasamudram. It is also called Brahmman, which is pervaded everywhere in the universe. Like a fish we are living it and failed to realize and comprehend what it is. When we ponder like a fish in water, tend to see the creations and manifestations how they are displaying their true identity. By connecting with nature and seeing Vishnu in all, we get peak into the true nature of Brahmman.

Story of Vishnu Matsya Avatar

Once lived a demon named Hayagriva. He was the son of Sage Kashyapa and his wife, Danu. People hailed sage Kashyapa for being a boon to humanity, but Hayagriva was the exact opposite. The demon was chosen as the Danav Raj (king of the demons). And his sole motive was to stop the humans from becoming more powerful than the Danavs.

Hayagriva wanted to establish the Danav clan as the most superior one. Therefore, he made several attempts to disrupt the progress of divinity in humans. Hygriva knew that Lord Vishnu had handedover four Vedas to Lord Brahma, he decided to steal them and stop the sacred texts from reaching the humans. Hayagriva succeeded in stealing Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda and Atharva Veda from Brahmaloka. And therefore, to free the Vedas from his clutches, Lord Vishnu appeared as a fish.

Brahma knew that the people on earth will not be able to make use of the Vedas until they are purified. He knew that social values had degenerated, and hence, the need for reestablishing humanity had risen. Therefore, he sought help from Shiva to destroy humanity only to produce a conducive atmosphere for a revival of the human race.

Vishnu knew about Shiva's plan to cause massive floods. Therefore, he incarnated in the form of Matsya (a fish). Moreover, he had to save Manu and his wife Shatarupa, the couple that would be instrumental in conceiving humans once again.

Hence, after killing Hayagriva and retrieving the Vedas, the Matsya avatar of Vishnu saved Manu, Shatarupa, the Saptarishis (who represented knowledge) and one set of each of the other living beings. In the end, he handed over the Vedas to Manu so that he could use them for the welfare of humankind.