FW: [detroit_gita] Matsyaavataram

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Forwarded for informationModerator vlaxmananTo: sonyskipdonna; mahadevan; jmahadevan; jvanah66; chirams; lakshmiparuchuri; lsateesh55; smurthy48187; vijaygari; ramanbilSubject: FW: [detroit_gita] MatsyaavataramFri, 20 Nov 2009 10:32:24 +0000detroit_gita ; detroit-rudhram (AT) googl (DOT) comFrom: vlaxmananDate: Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:27:09 +0000[detroit_gita] Matsyaavataram Dear All:After hearing various auspicious narrations (Gajendra Moksham, Samudra manatanam, stories of Prahalada and also of Bali Maharaja), King Parikshit asked Shukaacarya why Bhagavan chose to take the form of a fish - a form that is usually considered to be a lowly one in this world (Yadartam adadhaat roopam matsyam loka jugupsitam... Canto 8, Chapter 24, verse 2). Loka jugupsitam means considered to be lowly, or condemned, looked down upon. Parikshit wanted to know why the Supreme Being would want to assume such a form. In his reply, the sage Shukacarya begins his narration of the Matsyaavataram with the following sloka, which captures exactly the meaning of the more well-known sloka from Bhagavad Gita and the concluding verses of the Vishnu Sahastranamam, viz. Paritraanaaya saadhoonaam vinaashaaya ca dushkrutaam dharma samsthaapaartaaya sambhavaami yuge yuge. Shukaacarya says the same here: गो विपà¥à¤° सà¥à¤° साधूनां चंदासामॠअपि चेशà¥à¤µà¤°: lरकà¥à¤·à¤¾à¤®à¥ इचà¥à¤›à¤¨à¥ तनूरà¥à¤§à¤¤à¥à¤¤à¥‡ धरà¥à¤®à¤¸à¥à¤¯à¤¾à¤°à¥à¤¥à¤¾à¤¸à¥à¤¯ चैव हि ll Go vipra sura saadhoonam chandasaam api cheshwarahRakshaam ichchan tanoor dhatthe dharmasya-arthasya chaiva hiகோ விபà¯à®° சà¯à®° சாதூனாம௠சநà¯à®¤à®¸à®¾à®®à®ªà®¿ சேஷà¯à®µà®°:ரகà¯à®·à®¾à®®à¯ இசà¯à®šà®©à¯ தனூர௠ததà¯à®¤à¯‡ தரà¯à®®à®¸à¯à®¯à®¾à®°à¯à®¤à®¸à¯à®¯ சைவ ஹி Because of His desire to protect (rakshaam icchan) the cows (go), the Brahmanas (vipra), the pious (saadhu), and the Vedas (chandas), and also for the sake of restoring the glory (artha, also means the essence of) of Dharma, the Supreme Being takes on a body (that is appropriate). What is added here in this sloka is the statement "Chandasaam api". That was missing in the Gita verse. Shukaacarya tells us that Bhagavan also (api) has a deep desire to protect the Vedas (chandasaam). Hence, He took the form of a fish, when the Vedas escaped from Brahma's mouth when Pralaya set in as he fell asleep at the end of the previous kalpa (and Brahma's night began). The Pralaya that occurs at the end of each kalpa (one day of Brahma when the Universe remains manifested) is called Naimittika Pralaya. The waters of the Pralaya were all over and completely drowned the earth and all the other lokas. A demon named Hayagreeva then captured the Vedas as they were still being chanted by Brahma (even in his sleep) and kind of stole them away. Knowing this action of the demon, Bhagavan Hari decided to take the form of a fish - the exact word used by Shukaacarya is Shafaree, not Matsya. Shafaree refers to a small glittering fish. Around that time (i.e., as the kalpa was ending and Brahma was ready to fall asleep), a Rajarishi named Satyavrata was peforming penances and he had taken to consuming only water for his sustenance. This same Satyavrata was born again as the son of Vivaswaan - the Sun god - and became the Manu Vivaswata. (Hence our age is called Vaivaswata Manvantare when we recite our Sankalpa during a pooja.) This is stated clearly in verse 11, chapter 24 of Canto 8 by Shukaacarya. Satyavrata was standing in the river Krutamala (also known as Vaigai in modern times, the city of Madurai is located on the shores of the Vaigai river) and offering jala tharpana. To offer the water, he picks up a handful of water from the river. Now, Shukaacarya refers to Satyavrata as Dravideshwara - the king of Dravida desam. Reference to Dravida desam is found in several places in the Srimad Bhagavatam. As he picked up a handful of water to offer during jalatarpana, he found a small glittering fish in his hands. He promptly cast it back into the river. The fish asked the very compassionate king, in a very heart-wrenching way, why he would want to throw it back into the river. Does he not know what happens in the aqua regions. There small fish like it are eaten by bigger fish without any mercy. How could he throw this little creature back into these treacherous waters, where life is so fearful, when he, the King, is known to be an extremely compassionate and a friend of all those who are helpless. (dheenam maam dheenavatsala, katham vitsrujase Raajan, verse 14). The King Satyavrata, not knowing that Bhagavan had taken the form of a fish (here the word Matsya vapu is used), out of His Immense mercy and desire to bless the king (anugrahaartham) who was performing severe austerities, made up his mind to protect this little fish. So he picked up the fish and put it in the water contained in a kalasha and took it with him to his asharma.Overnight, however, the little fish grew so big that it could no longer fit into the Kamandalu - the small Kalasha or water pot. The fish then told the King to build a bigger place where it could live comfortably. I don't wish to stay in this constrained place, said that fish. So the king took the fish out of the kamandalu and put it in a bigger pond. But, within the time of just one muhurta, the fish became too big again for that pond. It started complaining again and the king carried it out of the pond and cast it into a big lake. But, within a few minutes, the fish again grew in size and occupied the entire lake. Again the fish complained and pleaded with king to put it in a bigger body of water where it could live comfortably. The compassionate King did not complain (very important, folks!) and carried the fish to a bigger body of water. In each place, the fish just kept getting bigger and bigger and wanted the King to move it over and over again to a bigger and bigger body of water. Finally, the king took the now huge fish and cast it in the big ocean.Now, the fish said, "O King, don't leave me like this here. In this ocean there are creatures like crocodiles, sharks, and others who can torment me and eat me." The fish spoke with an extremely sweet and enchanting voice. The king was completely enthralled by this. So he asked, "Who are you? In just a day you have grown to such a huge size. I have never seen or even heard about such an aquatic creature. You must no doubt be none other than the Almighty Supreme Hari, Sriman Narayana, the Undiminishable (Bhagavan saakshaat Harir Naraayanovyayahaa), who has chosen to take this form out of your desire for anugraha of all the bhootas (anugrahaaya bhootam). My humble obesiances to you (namaste Purusha shreshta)......" The king continues and finally asks, "Tell me why you have taken this form." The story will continue tomorrow, with Hari's grace. Please also read the story as told at http://www.wattpad.com/95909-hinduism-matsya-avtaar-incarnation-of-lord-visnu Very sincerely V. Laxmananकशà¥à¤šà¤¿à¤¤à¥à¤¤à¤¸à¥à¤®à¤¿à¤¨à¥