Home > Mind , Body & Soul > Grandma stories >Matsya avtaar The first avtaar of Lord Vishnu was that of the Fish - THE MATSYA AVTAAR.

People on earth had started resorting to falsehood and also vile ways of living. When God saw the situation he decided to do something about it.

When God looked for an honest man on earth he found only one man and his family who had not resorted to sinful living. This was Manu and his family. So God wanted to protect the family of Manu alone and show the rest that they were being punished for their sinful ways of living.

It was one night when Manu was doing his routine prayers that he suddenly found a small fish in his metal pot (kamandalu) and in a matter of minutes the little fish started growing. It grew so big that it no longer fit into the pot. Then Manu had to take it to the river nearby as he felt the fish would be better there. But amazingly, the fish grew and grew and grew......until finally the river also became too small for the fish.

Manu was really stunned and he almost jumped out of his skin when the fish spoke to him and said “Dear Manu, I cannot stay in this water as I will grow even further and so please leave me in the waters of the Ocean." Manu immediately complied for he knew that this was no ordinary fish. Little did he realise that the fish was none other than Lord Vishnu Himself!

The fish also told Manu that there was to be a terrible storm followed by a lot of natural disasters and that the floods would swallow all the people as they were all sinful. However, He also mentioned that only Manu and his family would be spared, as they were all God-fearing and dutiful. The fish also prophesied that there would be a huge ship that would come to save Manu and his family. It was therefore Manu's duty to ensure that all the animals are safely guided into the ship. The creed that filled the ship would be transported to a new, good world, where love, truth and good values would reign supreme.

And, just as the great Fish had predicted, there was a terrible storm and the whole world turned chaotic. The ship also appeared, but there was no rudder. The ship was tied to a big horn that acted as the stern and do you know what this rudder actually was? It was the horn of the great Fish. The great Fish swam through the troubled and fierce waters and saved Manu and his family.

Thus, ended the era of deceit and falsehood and a new age was born.