Matsya Purana — Chapter 1
MtP 1.1
पातालादुत्पतिष्णोर् मकरवसतयो यस्य पुच्छाभिघाताद् ऊर्ध्वं ब्रह्माण्डखण्डव्यतिकरविहितव्यत्ययेनापतन्ति विष्णोर्मत्स्यावतारे सकलवसुमतीमण्डलं व्यश्नुवानास् तस्यास्योदीरितानां ध्वनिर् अपहरताद् अश्रियं वः श्रुतीनाम्
pātālādutpatiṣṇor makaravasatayo yasya pucchābhighātād ūrdhvaṃ brahmāṇḍakhaṇḍavyatikaravihitavyatyayenāpatanti viṣṇormatsyāvatāre sakalavasumatīmaṇḍalaṃ vyaśnuvānās tasyāsyodīritānāṃ dhvanir apaharatād aśriyaṃ vaḥ śrutīnām
When Viṣṇu, in his fish incarnation, shot up from the netherworld, the dwellings of the sea-monsters, struck by the blow of his tail, flew upward, reversed by the collision with the fragments of the cosmic egg, and spread over the whole circle of the earth: may the sound of the Vedas uttered from his mouth take away your ill fortune.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 1.2
नारायणं नमस्कृत्य नरं चैव नरोत्तमम् देवीं सरस्वतीं चैव ततो जयम् उदीरयेत्
nārāyaṇaṃ namaskṛtya naraṃ caiva narottamam devīṃ sarasvatīṃ caiva tato jayam udīrayet
Having paid homage to Nārāyaṇa, and to Nara the best of men, and to the goddess Sarasvatī, one should then recite the (story of) victory.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 1.3
अजो ऽपि यः क्रियायोगान् नारायण इति स्मृतः त्रिगुणाय त्रिवेदाय नमस् तस्मै स्वयम्भुवे
ajo 'pi yaḥ kriyāyogān nārāyaṇa iti smṛtaḥ triguṇāya trivedāya namas tasmai svayambhuve
He who, though unborn, is called Nārāyaṇa because of the practice of (ritual) action — homage to him, the self-existent, who has the three qualities and the three Vedas.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 1.4
सूतमेकाग्रमासीनं नैमिषारण्यवासिनः मुनयो दीर्घसत्त्रान्ते पप्रच्छुर् दीर्घसंहिताम्
sūtamekāgramāsīnaṃ naimiṣāraṇyavāsinaḥ munayo dīrghasattrānte papracchur dīrghasaṃhitām
The sages dwelling in the Naimiṣa forest, at the end of the long sacrificial session, questioned the Sūta, who was seated with concentrated mind, about the long collection (of tales).
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 1.5
प्रवृत्तासु पुराणीषु धर्म्यासु ललितासु च कथासु शौनकाद्यास् तु अभिनन्द्य मुहुर्मुहुः
pravṛttāsu purāṇīṣu dharmyāsu lalitāsu ca kathāsu śaunakādyās tu abhinandya muhurmuhuḥ
When the ancient tales, both righteous and charming, were being told, Śaunaka and the others, applauding again and again, (said:)
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 1.6
कथितानि पुराणानि यान्यस्माकं त्वयानघ तान्येवामृतकल्पानि श्रोतुम् इच्छामहे पुनः
kathitāni purāṇāni yānyasmākaṃ tvayānagha tānyevāmṛtakalpāni śrotum icchāmahe punaḥ
Those Purāṇas that have been recited to us by you, O sinless one — those very ones, which are like nectar, we wish to hear again.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 1.7
कथं ससर्ज भगवंल् लोकनाथश्चराचरम् कस्माच्च भगवान् विष्णुर् मत्स्यरूपत्वम् आश्रितः
kathaṃ sasarja bhagavaṃl lokanāthaścarācaram kasmācca bhagavān viṣṇur matsyarūpatvam āśritaḥ
How, O blessed one, did the Lord of the world create the moving and the unmoving? And why did the blessed Viṣṇu take on the form of a fish?
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 1.8
भैरवत्वं भवस्यापि पुरारित्वं च केन हि कस्य हेतोः कपालित्वं जगाम वृषभध्वजः
bhairavatvaṃ bhavasyāpi purāritvaṃ ca kena hi kasya hetoḥ kapālitvaṃ jagāma vṛṣabhadhvajaḥ
And how did Bhava become Bhairava, and the destroyer of the (three) cities? For what reason did the bull-bannered one become a skull-bearer?
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 1.9
सर्वम् एतत् समाचक्ष्व सूत विस्तरशः क्रमात् त्वद्वाक्येनामृतस्येव न तृप्तिरिह जायते
sarvam etat samācakṣva sūta vistaraśaḥ kramāt tvadvākyenāmṛtasyeva na tṛptiriha jāyate
Tell us all this, Sūta, at length and in order; with your words, as with nectar, no satiety arises here.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 1.10
पुण्यं पवित्रम् आयुष्यम् इदानीं शृणुत द्विजाः मात्स्यं पुराणमखिलं यज्जगाद गदाधरः
puṇyaṃ pavitram āyuṣyam idānīṃ śṛṇuta dvijāḥ mātsyaṃ purāṇamakhilaṃ yajjagāda gadādharaḥ
Now hear, O twice-born ones, the meritorious, purifying, life-prolonging Matsya Purāṇa entire, which the mace-bearer (Viṣṇu) declared.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 1.11
पुरा राजा मनुर् नाम चीर्णवान् विपुलं तपः पुत्रे राज्यं समारोप्य क्षमावान् रविनन्दनः
purā rājā manur nāma cīrṇavān vipulaṃ tapaḥ putre rājyaṃ samāropya kṣamāvān ravinandanaḥ
Long ago a king named Manu, the patient son of the Sun, having placed the kingdom upon his son, performed extensive austerity.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 1.12
मलयस्यैकदेशे तु सर्वात्मगुणसंयुतः समदुःखसुखो वीरः प्राप्तवान् योगम् उत्तमम्
malayasyaikadeśe tu sarvātmaguṇasaṃyutaḥ samaduḥkhasukho vīraḥ prāptavān yogam uttamam
In a certain region of the Malaya (mountain), endowed with all the qualities of the self, alike in sorrow and happiness, that hero attained the highest yoga.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 1.13
बभूव वरदश् चास्य वर्षायुतशते गते वरं वृणीष्व प्रोवाच प्रीतः स कमलासनः
babhūva varadaś cāsya varṣāyutaśate gate varaṃ vṛṇīṣva provāca prītaḥ sa kamalāsanaḥ
And when a million years had passed, (Brahmā) became a granter of a boon to him; pleased, the lotus-seated one said, "Choose a boon."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 1.14
एवमुक्तो ऽब्रवीद् राजा प्रणम्य स पितामहम् एकम् एवाहम् इच्छामि त्वत्तो वरमनुत्तमम्
evamukto 'bravīd rājā praṇamya sa pitāmaham ekam evāham icchāmi tvatto varamanuttamam
Addressed thus, the king bowed to the Grandfather and said: "I desire from you one supreme boon only:
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 1.15
भूतग्रामस्य सर्वस्य स्थावरस्य चरस्य च भवेयं रक्षणायालं प्रलये समुपस्थिते
bhūtagrāmasya sarvasya sthāvarasya carasya ca bhaveyaṃ rakṣaṇāyālaṃ pralaye samupasthite
that I may be capable of protecting the whole host of beings, both unmoving and moving, when the dissolution has arrived."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 1.16
एवमस्त्विति विश्वात्मा तत्रैवान्तरधीयत पुष्पवृष्टिः सुमहती खात्पपात सुरार्पिता
evamastviti viśvātmā tatraivāntaradhīyata puṣpavṛṣṭiḥ sumahatī khātpapāta surārpitā
"So be it," (said) the Self of all, and vanished right there; a very great rain of flowers, offered by the gods, fell from the sky.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 1.17
कदाचिदाश्रमे तस्य कुर्वतः पितृतर्पणम् पपात पाण्योर् उपरि शफरी जलसंयुता
kadācidāśrame tasya kurvataḥ pitṛtarpaṇam papāta pāṇyor upari śapharī jalasaṃyutā
Once, while he was performing the water-offering to the ancestors at his hermitage, a small fish fell together with the water upon his hands.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 1.18
दृष्ट्वा तच्छफरीरूपं स दयालुर्महीपतिः रक्षणायाकरोद्यत्नं स तस्मिन्करकोदरे
dṛṣṭvā tacchapharīrūpaṃ sa dayālurmahīpatiḥ rakṣaṇāyākarodyatnaṃ sa tasminkarakodare
Seeing that form of a small fish, the compassionate king made an effort to protect it, (placing) it inside a water-pot.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 1.19
अहोरात्रेण चैकेन षोडशाङ्गुलविस्तृतः सो ऽभवन्मत्स्यरूपेण पाहि पाहीति चाब्रवीत्
ahorātreṇa caikena ṣoḍaśāṅgulavistṛtaḥ so 'bhavanmatsyarūpeṇa pāhi pāhīti cābravīt
And in a single day and night, in its fish-form, it grew sixteen fingers broad, and it said, "Protect (me), protect (me)!"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 1.20
स तमादाय मणिके प्राक्षिपज्जलचारिणम् तत्रापि चैकरात्रेण हस्तत्रयम् अवर्धत
sa tamādāya maṇike prākṣipajjalacāriṇam tatrāpi caikarātreṇa hastatrayam avardhata
He took that water-dweller and cast it into a jar; there too, in a single night, it grew three cubits.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 1.21
पुनः प्राहार्तनादेन सहस्रकिरणात्मजम् स मत्स्यः पाहि पाहीति त्वामहं शरणं गतः
punaḥ prāhārtanādena sahasrakiraṇātmajam sa matsyaḥ pāhi pāhīti tvāmahaṃ śaraṇaṃ gataḥ
Again that fish spoke to the son of the thousand-rayed (Sun) with a cry of distress: "Protect (me), protect (me)! I have come to you for refuge."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 1.22
ततः स कूपे तं मत्स्यं प्राहिणोद् रविनन्दनः यदा न माति तत्रापि कूपे मत्स्यः सरोवरे
tataḥ sa kūpe taṃ matsyaṃ prāhiṇod ravinandanaḥ yadā na māti tatrāpi kūpe matsyaḥ sarovare
Then the son of the Sun sent that fish into a well; when it did not fit there either, (he put) the fish in a lake.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 1.23
क्षिप्तो ऽसौ पृथुतामागात् पुनर् योजनसंमिताम् तत्राप्याह पुनर् दीनः पाहि पाहि नृपोत्तम
kṣipto 'sau pṛthutāmāgāt punar yojanasaṃmitām tatrāpyāha punar dīnaḥ pāhi pāhi nṛpottama
Cast (there), it attained a breadth again measuring a league; there too it said again, piteously, "Protect (me), protect (me), best of kings!"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 1.24
ततः स मनुना क्षिप्तो गङ्गायामप्यवर्धत यदा तदा समुद्रे तं प्राक्षिपन्मेदिनीपतिः
tataḥ sa manunā kṣipto gaṅgāyāmapyavardhata yadā tadā samudre taṃ prākṣipanmedinīpatiḥ
Then, cast by Manu, it grew in the Ganges too; and when (it did), the lord of the earth cast it into the ocean.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 1.25
यदा समुद्रमखिलं व्याप्यासौ समुपस्थितः तदा प्राह मनुर्भीतः को ऽपि त्वमसुरेश्वरः
yadā samudramakhilaṃ vyāpyāsau samupasthitaḥ tadā prāha manurbhītaḥ ko 'pi tvamasureśvaraḥ
When it stood there having filled the whole ocean, then Manu said in fear: "You must be some lord of the asuras.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 1.26
अथवा वासुदेवस्त्वम् अन्य ईदृक्कथं भवेत् योजनायुतविंशत्या कस्य तुल्यं भवेद्वपुः
athavā vāsudevastvam anya īdṛkkathaṃ bhavet yojanāyutaviṃśatyā kasya tulyaṃ bhavedvapuḥ
Or else you are Vāsudeva — how could another be like this? Whose body could be equal to twenty thousand leagues?
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 1.27
ज्ञातस्त्वं मत्स्यरूपेण मां खेदयसि केशव हृषीकेश जगन्नाथ जगद्धाम नमो ऽस्तु ते
jñātastvaṃ matsyarūpeṇa māṃ khedayasi keśava hṛṣīkeśa jagannātha jagaddhāma namo 'stu te
You are recognized: in the form of a fish you weary me, Keśava. Hṛṣīkeśa, Lord of the world, Abode of the world, homage be to you!
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 1.28
एवमुक्तः स भगवान् मत्स्यरूपी जनार्दनः साधु साध्विति चोवाच सम्यग्ज्ञातस् त्वयानघ
evamuktaḥ sa bhagavān matsyarūpī janārdanaḥ sādhu sādhviti covāca samyagjñātas tvayānagha
Thus addressed, that Lord Janārdana in fish-form said, "Well done, well done! You have rightly recognized (me), sinless one.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 1.29
अचिरेणैव कालेन मेदिनी मेदिनीपते भविष्यति जले मग्ना सशैलवनकानना
acireṇaiva kālena medinī medinīpate bhaviṣyati jale magnā saśailavanakānanā
In no long time, O lord of the earth, the earth with its mountains, woods, and forests will be sunk in water.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 1.30
नौर् इयं सर्वदेवानां निकायेन विनिर्मिता महाजीवनिकायस्य रक्षणार्थं महीपते
naur iyaṃ sarvadevānāṃ nikāyena vinirmitā mahājīvanikāyasya rakṣaṇārthaṃ mahīpate
This ship has been fashioned by the host of all the gods, for the protection of the great host of living beings, O lord of the earth.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 1.31
स्वेदाण्डजोद्भिदो ये वै ये च जीवा जरायुजाः अस्यां निधाय सर्वांस् तान् अनाथान् पाहि सुव्रत
svedāṇḍajodbhido ye vai ye ca jīvā jarāyujāḥ asyāṃ nidhāya sarvāṃs tān anāthān pāhi suvrata
Those beings born of sweat, of eggs, and sprung from the ground, and those born from the womb — placing all of them, helpless as they are, in this (ship), protect them, O you of good vows.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 1.32
युगान्तवाताभिहता यदा भवति नौर् नृप शृङ्गे ऽस्मिन्मम राजेन्द्र तदेमां संयमिष्यसि
yugāntavātābhihatā yadā bhavati naur nṛpa śṛṅge 'sminmama rājendra tademāṃ saṃyamiṣyasi
When the ship is struck by the wind of the age's end, O king, then, best of kings, you shall bind it fast to this horn of mine.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 1.33
ततो लयान्ते सर्वस्य स्थावरस्य चरस्य च प्रजापतिस्त्वं भविता जगतः पृथिवीपते
tato layānte sarvasya sthāvarasya carasya ca prajāpatistvaṃ bhavitā jagataḥ pṛthivīpate
Then, at the end of the dissolution of all that is unmoving and moving, you shall become the Prajāpati of the world, O lord of the earth.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 1.34
एवं कृतयुगस्यादौ सर्वज्ञो धृतिमान्नृपः मन्वन्तराधिपश्चापि देवपूज्यो भविष्यसि
evaṃ kṛtayugasyādau sarvajño dhṛtimānnṛpaḥ manvantarādhipaścāpi devapūjyo bhaviṣyasi
Thus at the beginning of the Kṛta age you will be a king, all-knowing and steadfast, and also lord of a manvantara, honored by the gods."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition