Vyasadev
Praneetha
The Mad Bhagavatam
Chapter 24
Matsya, the Lord's Fish Incarnation
This chapter describes the Supreme Personality of Godhead's incarnation as a fish, and it also describes the saving of Mahārāja Satyavrata from an inundation.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead expands Himself by svāḿśa (His personal expansions) and vibhinnāḿśa (His expansions as the living entities). As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (4.8), paritrāṇāya sādhūnāḿ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām: the Supreme Personality of Godhead appears on this planet for the protection of the sādhus, or devotees, and for the destruction of the miscreants, or nondevotees. He especially descends to give protection to the cows, the brāhmaṇas, the demigods, the devotees and the Vedic system of religion. Thus He appears in various forms — sometimes as a fish, sometimes a boar, sometimes Nṛsiḿhadeva, sometimes Vāmanadeva and so on — but in any form or incarnation, although He comes within the atmosphere of the material modes of nature, He is unaffected. This is a sign of His supreme controlling power. Although He comes within the material atmosphere, māyā cannot touch Him. Therefore, no material qualities can be attributed to Him in any degree.
Once, at the end of the previous kalpa, a demon named Hayagrīva wanted to take the Vedic knowledge away from Lord Brahmā at the time of annihilation. Therefore the Supreme Personality of Godhead took the incarnation of a fish at the beginning of the period of Svāyambhuva Manu and saved the Vedas. During the reign of Cākṣuṣa Manu there was a king named Satyavrata, who was a great pious ruler. To save him, the Lord appeared as the fish incarnation for a second time. King Satyavrata later became the son of the sun-god and was known as Śrāddhadeva. He was established as Manu by the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
To receive the favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, King Satyavrata engaged in the austerity of subsisting only by drinking water. Once, while performing this austerity on the bank of the Kṛtamālā River and offering oblations of water with the palm of his hand, he found a small fish. The fish appealed to the King for protection, asking the King to keep Him in a safe place. Although the King did not know that the small fish was the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself, as a king he gave shelter to the fish and kept Him in a water jug. The fish, being the Supreme Personality of Godhead, wanted to show His potency to King Satyavrata, and thus He immediately expanded His body in such a way that He could no longer be kept in the jug of water. The King then put the fish in a big well, but the well was also too small. Then the King put the fish in a lake, but the lake was also unsuitable. Finally the King put the fish in the sea, but even the sea could not accommodate Him. Thus the King understood that the fish was no one else but the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and he requested the Lord to describe His incarnation as a fish. The Personality of Godhead, being pleased with the King, informed him that within a week there would be an inundation throughout the universe and that the fish incarnation would protect the King, along with the ṛṣis, herbs, seeds and other living entities, in a boat, which would be attached to the fish's horn. After saying this, the Lord disappeared. King Satyavrata offered respectful obeisances to the Supreme Lord and continued to meditate upon Him. In due course of time, annihilation took place, and the King saw a boat coming near. After getting aboard with learned brāhmaṇas and saintly persons, he offered prayers to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone's heart, and thus he taught Mahārāja Satyavrata and the saintly persons about Vedic knowledge from the core of the heart. King Satyavrata took his next birth as Vaivasvata Manu, who is mentioned in Bhagavad-gītā. Vivasvān manave prāha: the sun-god spoke the science of Bhagavad-gītā to his son Manu. Because of being the son of Vivasvān, this Manu is known as Vaivasvata Manu.
8.24.1
śrī-rājovāca
(1) The honorable king said: 'O powerful one, I would like to hear the story about that first incarnation of the Lord so wonderful in His deeds in which He is simply understood by the illusory form of a fish [or Matsya, see also 2.7: 12, 5.18: 24-28 and 6.9: 23].
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is all-powerful, yet He accepted the form of an uncommon fish. This is one of the ten original incarnations of the Lord.
8.24.2-3
(2-3) For what purpose accepted the Controller the form of a fish, a form that is certainly not the most favorable one in the world; to operate in that slow mode of matter must be as hard as the life of someone under the laws of karma! O mighty sage, please tell us as good as you can everything about the ways of Lord Uttamas'loka ['the One glorified'], for to hear about Him is what makes the whole world happy [B.G. 4: 7].'
Parīkṣit Mahārāja's question to Śukadeva Gosvāmī was based on this principle stated by the Lord Himself in Bhagavad-gītā (4.7):
yadā yadā hi dharmasya
tadātmānaḿ sṛjāmy aham
"Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion — at that time I descend Myself." The Lord appears in each incarnation to save the world from irreligious principles and especially to protect His devotees (paritrāṇāya sādhūnām). Vāmanadeva, for example, appeared to save the devotee Bali Mahārāja. Similarly, when the Supreme Personality of Godhead accepted the abominable form of a fish, He must have done so to favor some devotee. Parīkṣit Mahārāja was eager to know about the devotee for whom the Supreme Lord accepted this form.8.24.4
(4) S'rî Sûta Gosvâmî said: "Thus being questioned by Vishnurâta ['Vishnu-sent'] told the so mighty son of Vyâsadeva him everything there was to know about the deeds of Vishnu in the form of a fish.
8.24.5
dharmasyārthasya caiva hi
(5) S'rî S'uka said: 'For the cows, the brahmins, the enlightened, the devotees and even the vedic literatures accepts the Supreme Controller in His incarnations forms to safeguard the dharma and the purpose of life.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead generally appears in various types of incarnations to give protection to the cows and brāhmaṇas. The Lord is described as go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca; in other words, He is always eager to benefit the cows and brāhmaṇas. When Lord Kṛṣṇa appeared, He purposefully became a cowherd boy and showed personally how to give protection to the cows and calves. Similarly, He showed respect to Sudāmā Vipra, a real brāhmaṇa. From the Lord's personal activities, human society should learn how to give protection specifically to the brāhmaṇas and cows. Then the protection of religious principles, fulfillment of the aim of life and protection of Vedic knowledge can be achieved. Without protection of cows, brahminical culture cannot be maintained; and without brahminical culture, the aim of life cannot be fulfilled. The Lord, therefore, is described as go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya because His incarnation is only for the protection of the cows and brāhmaṇas. Unfortunately, because in Kali-yuga there is no protection of the cows and brahminical culture, everything is in a precarious position. If human society wants to be exalted, the leaders of society must follow the instructions of Bhagavad-gītā and give protection to the cows, the brāhmaṇas and brahminical culture.
8.24.6
uccāvaceṣu bhūteṣu
caran vāyur iveśvaraḥ
noccāvacatvaḿ bhajate
nirguṇatvād dhiyo guṇaiḥ
(6) Lower or higher among the living entities is the Controller [Himself], just like the air moving here and there, not higher or lower with the forms He assumes; willing by the modes He is beyond the modes.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the master of the material nature (mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sacarācaram [Bg. 9.10]). Therefore, being the supreme controller of the laws of nature, the Lord cannot be under their influence. An example given in this regard is that although the wind blows through many places, the air is not affected by the qualities of these places. Although the air sometimes carries the odor of a filthy place, the air has nothing to do with such a place. Similarly, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, being all-good and all-auspicious, is never affected by the material qualities like an ordinary living entity. puruṣaḥ prakṛti-stho hi bhuńkte prakṛtijān guṇān (Bg. 13.21). When the living entity is in the material nature, he is affected by its qualities. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, however, is not affected. Disrespectfully, one who does not know this considers the Supreme Personality of Godhead an ordinary living being (avajānanti māḿ mūḍhāḥ). Paraḿ bhāvam ajānantaḥ: such a conclusion is reached by the unintelligent because they are unaware of the transcendental qualities of the Lord.
8.24.7
brāhmo naimittiko layaḥ
samudropaplutās tatra
(7) In the past day of Brahmâ [kalpa], at its end was there consequently an inundation and were all the worlds existing submerged in the ocean, o King.
8.24.8
kālenāgata-nidrasya
mukhato niḥsṛtān vedān
hayagrīvo 'ntike 'harat
(8) At the time wanted Brahmâ to lie down feeling sleepy and emanated from his mouth most powerfully the vedic knowledge that by Hayagrîva who happened to be nearby was seized [see 2.7: 11 and 5.18: 6].
8.24.9
(9) Understanding that dânava course of action of Hayagrîva assumed the Supreme Lord Hari, the Controller, the form of a fish.
Because everything was inundated by water, to save the Vedas it was necessary for the Lord to assume the form of a fish.
8.24.10
(1o) When that took place was there some saintly king named Satyavrata, a great personality and devotee of Lord Nârâyana, who in his penances was of the austerity of only subsisting on water.
The Lord assumed one fish incarnation to save the Vedas at the beginning of the Svāyambhuva-manvantara, and at the end of the Cākṣuṣa-manvantara the Lord again assumed the form of a fish just to favor the great king named Satyavrata. As there were two incarnations of Varāha, there were also two incarnations of fish. The Lord appeared as one fish incarnation to save the Vedas by killing Hayagrīva, and He assumed the other fish incarnation to show favor to King Satyavrata.
8.24.11
śrāddhadeva iti khyāto
manutve hariṇārpitaḥ
(11) In the present great day of Brahmâ was he someone who as a son of the sun-god became celebrated as S'râddhadeva and by Lord Hari was entrusted the position of Manu [see 6.6: 40 and 8.13: 1].
8.24.12
tasyāñjaly-udake kācic
chaphary ekābhyapadyata
(12) When he one day sat at the Kritamâlâ river, performing oblations of water, manifested in his palm full of water some kind of a small fish itself.
8.24.13
satyavrato 'ñjali-gatāḿ
śapharīḿ draviḍeśvaraḥ
(13) Satyavrata, the master of Dravidades'a, o son of Bharata, threw the little fish with the handful of water into the river.
8.24.14
yādobhyo jñāti-ghātibhyo
(14) Appealing to the greatly compassionate King said it: 'The riverwater is very scary, o protector of the poor, why do you throw Me, small as I am, before the avaricious aquatics, o King?'
In the Matsya Purāṇa it is said:
ananta-śaktir bhagavān
krīḍārthaḿ yācayām āsa
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead possesses unlimited potency. Nonetheless, in His pastime in the form of a fish He begged protection from King Satyavrata."8.24.15
tam ātmano 'nugrahārthaḿ
ajānan rakṣaṇārthāya
(15) Very pleased to show it his personal favor decided he, not knowing that he held the form of Matsya, to offer the fish protection.
Here is an example of giving service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead even without knowledge. Such service is called ajñāta-sukṛti. King Satyavrata wanted to show his own mercy, not knowing that the fish was Lord Viṣṇu. By such unknowing devotional service, one is favored by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Service rendered to the Supreme Lord, knowingly or unknowingly, never goes in vain.
8.24.16
kalaśāpsu nidhāyaināḿ
dayālur ninya āśramam
(16) The great ruler hearing its pitiable words mercifully put it in the water of a jug and took it home.
8.24.17
alabdhvātmāvakāśaḿ vā
(17) But expanding in the water of that pot could it one day not find itself comfortable anymore and said it thus to the great leader:
8.24.18
nāhaḿ kamaṇḍalāv asmin
kṛcchraḿ vastum ihotsahe
kalpayaukaḥ suvipulaḿ
(18) 'In this jug I have it difficult, I cannot live in a place like this, please consider a more spacious residence where I can live with pleasure.'
8.24.19
nyadhād audañcanodake
(19) He then took it out and placed it in a large well, but thrown in there grew it within a second out to the length of three cubits [2.10 meters].
8.24.20
(20) [It said:] 'This tank isn't suitable for Me to live happily in, please give Me, who took to your shelter, a place much bigger!'
8.24.21
mahā-mīno 'nvavardhata
(21) The king removing it from there threw it, o King, in a lake that was immediately covered by its body when He instantly grew out into a gigantic fish.
8.24.22
naitan me svastaye rājann
udakaḿ salilaukasaḥ
(22) 'This water you put Me in does not accommodate Me, o King, I'm a large aquatic, better put Me somehow in an expanse of water that suits Me more permanently'.
8.24.23
tatra tatrāvidāsini
(23) Thus requested brought he Matsya to bigger and bigger reservoirs until he finally threw the giant into the ocean.
8.24.24
kṣipyamāṇas tam āhedam
(24) Thrown there it said to the king: 'In this place there are dangerous aquatics that all too powerful will eat Me, o hero, therefore you shouldn't throw Me in here!'
8.24.25
(25) Thus perplexed by the fish addressing him with sweet words said he: 'Who are You in this fish-form bewildering us?
8.24.26
naivaḿ vīryo jalacaro
dṛṣṭo 'smābhiḥ śruto 'pi vā
ahnābhivyānaśe saraḥ
(26) I've never seen or heard of such an energetic aquatic like You are: Your Lordship has in a day expanded to hundreds of miles!
8.24.27
dharir nārāyaṇo 'vyayaḥ
(27) You having assumed the form of a marine animal, must be the Supreme Lord in person, the inexhaustible Lord Nârâyana present here to show Your mercy to all living entities.
8.24.28
sthity-utpatty-apyayeśvara
(28) I offer You, the Most Excellent Personality of Maintenance, Creation and Destruction my obeisances; unto surrendered devotees like us are You indeed the Supreme Master, the Highest Destination, o Almighty One.
8.24.29
(29) Everything You do in Your incarnations is the cause of the welfare of all living beings; I'd like to know for what purpose Your Lordship has assumed this form.
8.24.30
(30) Never can the worship of the lotus feet of You, Lotuspetal-eyed One, run futile: You are the friend, the dearmost, the original soul namely of everyone, of all divinities differently embodied and spiritually fixed and before our very eyes have You now manifested that so very wonderful body.'
The demigods like Indra, Candra and Sūrya are ordinary living entities who are differentiated parts and parcels of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Lord expands Himself through the living beings (nityo nityānāḿ cetanaś cetanānām). His personal viṣṇu-tattva forms, which are all spiritual, are called svāḿśa, and the living entities who are differentiated parts are called vibhinnāḿśa. Some of the vibhinnāḿśa forms are spiritual, and some are a combination of matter and spirit. The conditioned souls in the material world are different from their external bodies made of material energy. Thus the demigods living in the upper planetary systems and the living entities living in the lower planetary system are of the same nature. Nonetheless, those living as human beings on this planet are sometimes attracted to worshiping the demigods in the higher planetary systems. Such worship is temporary. As the human beings on this planet have to change their bodies (tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ), the living entities known as Indra, Candra, Varuṇa and so on will also have to change their bodies in due course of time. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā, antavat tu phalaḿ teṣāḿ tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām: "Men of small intelligence worship the demigods, and their fruits are limited and temporary." Kāmais tais tair hṛta jñānāḥ prapadyante 'nya-devatāḥ: [Bg. 7.20] those who do not know the position of the demigods are inclined to worship the demigods for some material purpose, but the results of such worship are never permanent. Consequently, here it is said, yathetareṣāḿ pṛthag-ātmanāḿ satām, padopasarpaṇaḿ mṛṣā bhavet. In other words, if one is to worship someone else, he must worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Then his worship will never be fruitless. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt: even a slight attempt to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead is a permanent asset. Therefore, as recommended in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, tyaktvā sva-dharmaḿ caraṇāmbujaḿ hareḥ. One should take to the worship of the lotus feet of Hari, even if this means giving up the so-called occupational duty assigned because of the particular body one has accepted. Because worship in terms of the body is temporary, it does not bear any permanent fruit. But worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead gives immense benefit.
8.24.31
satyavrataḿ matsya-vapur yuga-kṣaye
(31) S'rî S'uka said: 'Speaking there thus was that master of man, Satyavrata, addressed by the Master of the Universe, the Lord who as the one love of the devotees at the end of the yuga, for the sake of enjoying His pastimes, in the water of the great flood had assumed the form of a fish.
8.24.32
ahany etad arindama
nimańkṣyaty apyayāmbhodhau
trailokyaḿ bhūr-bhuvādikam
(32) The Supreme Lord said: 'From the seventh day from today onward will, o subduer of the enemies, this threefold creation of earth, ether and heaven be flooded by the all-devouring ocean.
8.24.33
upasthāsyati nauḥ kācid
(33) When the three worlds are submerged in the waters of annihilation, can you at that time count on the appearance of a very big boat by Me sent to you.
8.24.34-35
bījāny uccāvacāni ca
saptarṣibhiḥ parivṛtaḥ
sarva-sattvopabṛḿhitaḥ
vicariṣyasy aviklavaḥ
ekārṇave nirāloke
(34-35) To prepare for that time please with the [wisdom of the] seven sages collect all higher and lower kinds of herbs and seeds and surround yourself with all kinds of beings getting on that huge boat to travel undaunted the ocean of the flood with no other illumination but the effulgence of the rishis.
8.24.36
nibadhnīhi mahāhinā
(36) Attach with the great serpent [Vâsuki] that boat, being tossed about by the very powerful wind, to My horn, for I will be near you.
8.24.37
(37) I will drag you, together with the sages on the boat, along over the waters throughout the night of Brahmâ, my best one.
This particular devastation actually took place not during the night of Lord Brahmā but during his day, for it was during the time of Cākṣuṣa Manu. Brahmā's night takes place when Brahmā goes to sleep, but in the daytime there are fourteen Manus, one of whom is Cākṣuṣa Manu. Therefore, Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura comments that although it was daytime for Lord Brahmā, Brahmā felt sleepy for a short time by the supreme will of the Lord. This short period is regarded as Lord Brahmā's night. This has been elaborately discussed by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī in his Laghu-bhāgavatāmṛta. The following is a summary of his analysis. Because Agastya Muni cursed Svāyambhuva Manu, during the time of Svāyambhuva Manu a devastation took place. This devastation is mentioned in the Matsya Purāṇa. During the time of Cākṣuṣa Manu, by the supreme will of the Lord, there was suddenly another pralaya, or devastation. This is mentioned by Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣi in the Viṣṇu-dharmottara. At the end of Manu's time there is not necessarily a devastation, but at the end of the Cākṣuṣa-manvantara, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by His illusory energy, wanted to show Satyavrata the effects of devastation. Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī also agrees with this opinion. The Laghu-bhāgavatāmṛta says:
madhye manvantarasyaiva
pralayo 'sau babhūveti
ayam ākasmiko jātaś
cākṣuṣasyāntare manoḥ
pralayaḥ padmanābhasya
sarva-manvantarasyānte
manor ante layo nāsti
viṣṇuneti bruvāṇais tu
svāmibhir naiṣa manyate
8.24.38
vetsyasy anugṛhītaḿ me
(38) By my support and counsel will in your heart in full the knowledge be revealed of My glory that is known as the Supreme Brahman [see also B.G. 5: 16, 10: 11].'
As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (15.15), sarvasya cāhaḿ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaḿ ca: the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Paramātmā, is situated in everyone's heart, and from Him come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness. The Lord reveals Himself in proportion to one's surrender to Him. Ye yathā māḿ prapadyante tāḿs tathaiva bhajāmy aham [Bg. 4.11]. In responsive cooperation, the Lord reveals Himself in proportion to one's surrender. That which is revealed to one who fully surrenders is different from what is revealed to one who surrenders partially. Everyone naturally surrenders to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, either directly or indirectly. The conditioned soul surrenders to the laws of nature in material existence, but when one fully surrenders to the Lord, material nature does not act upon him. Such a fully surrendered soul is favored by the Supreme Personality of Godhead directly. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāḿ taranti te [Bg. 7.14]. One who has fully surrendered to the Lord has no fear of the modes of material nature, for everything is but an expansion of the Lord's glories (sarvaḿ khalv idaḿ brahma), and these glories are gradually revealed and realized. The Lord is the supreme purifier (paraḿ brahma paraḿ dhāma pavitraḿ paramaḿ bhavān [Bg. 10.12]). The more one is purified and the more he wants to know about the Supreme, the more the Lord reveals to him. Full knowledge of Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān is revealed to the pure devotees. The Lord says in Bhagavad-gītā (10.11):
teṣām evānukampārtham
nāśayāmy ātma-bhāvastho
"Out of compassion for them, I, dwelling in their hearts, destroy with the shining lamp of knowledge the darkness born of ignorance."8.24.39
harir antaradhīyata
(39) After instructing the king thus disappeared the Lord from there. The king then awaited the time that the Master of the Senses spoke to him about.
8.24.40
(40) Spreading kus'a grass with its tips to the east sat the saintly king facing northwards to meditate upon the feet of the Lord who had appeared in the form of a fish.
8.24.41
vardhamāno mahā-meghair
(41) With huge incessantly showering clouds in the sky saw he how next the ocean overflowed on all sides and therewith more and more inundated the earth.
8.24.42
ādāyauṣadhi-vīrudhaḥ
(42) Remembering what the Lord had said saw he a boat coming near which he, taking the herbs and creepers with him, boarded with the learned of rule.
8.24.43
(43) The wise very pleased said to him: 'O King meditate upon Kes'ava ['the Lord with the black curls'] for He is the one who will save us from the impending danger and will set things right.'
8.24.44
so 'nudhyātas tato rājñā
prādurāsīn mahārṇave
(44) He being meditated by the king thereafter appeared in the great ocean as a countless yojanas big golden fish with one horn.
8.24.45
varatreṇāhinā tuṣṭas
(45) Pleased to fasten the boat onto that horn using the great serpent for a rope the way the Lord before had advised, satisfied he the Killer of Madhu.
8.24.46
śrī-rājovāca
anādy-avidyopahatātma-saḿvidas
yadṛcchayopasṛtā yam āpnuyur
(46) The king said: 'From time immemorial has ignorance about the knowledge of the soul been the root cause of the material bondage that is accompanied by so much suffering and hardship; with the grace of God can, supported by the teacher of example, in liberation [in devotional service, see 7.5: 23-24] He, our Supreme Lord and Spiritual Master, be attained.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is actually the supreme spiritual master. The Supreme Lord knows everything about the suffering of the conditioned soul, and therefore He appears in this material world, sometimes personally, sometimes by an incarnation and sometimes by authorizing a living being to act on His behalf. In all cases, however, He is the original spiritual master who enlightens the conditioned souls who are suffering in the material world. The Lord is always busy helping the conditioned souls in many ways. Therefore He is addressed here as paramo gurur bhavān. The representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead who acts to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness is also guided by the Supreme Lord to act properly in executing the Lord's order. Such a person may appear to be an ordinary human being, but because he acts on behalf of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the supreme spiritual master, he is not to be neglected as ordinary. It is therefore said, ācāryaḿ māḿ vijānīyāt: an ācārya who acts on behalf of the Supreme Personality of Godhead should be understood to be as good as the Supreme Lord Himself.
sākṣād dharitvena samasta-śāstrair
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura has advised that the spiritual master acting on the Supreme Lord's behalf must be worshiped as being as good as the Supreme Lord, for he is the Lord's most confidential servant in broadcasting the Lord's message for the benefit of the conditioned souls involved in the material world.
8.24.47
jano 'budho 'yaḿ nija-karma-bandhanaḥ
(47) The one born, unwise accepts as a result of his karma different bodies in his desire to be happy [see 4.29 and B.G. 4: 5, 6: 45 and 16: 20], but his profit-minded plans bring him only grief; by rendering service is that matter cleared up and is with Him, our guru in the core of the heart, the hard knot of the mind of untruth cut.
For material happiness, the conditioned soul involves himself in fruitive activities, which actually put him into material distress. Because the conditioned soul does not know this, he is said to be in avidyā, or ignorance. Because of a false hope for happiness, the conditioned soul becomes involved in various plans for material activity. Here Mahārāja Satyavrata prays that the Lord sever this hard knot of false happiness and thus become his supreme spiritual master.
8.24.48
(48) By that service is, just like a piece of ore in touch with fire is purified, a person able to give up all the impurity that he has out of ignorance and can he revive his original identity [vocation or varna]; let Him, who in that sense is the One Inexhaustible, be our Supreme Controller, the Guru of Gurus.
In human life one is meant to undergo austerity to purify one's existence. Tapo divyaḿ putrakā yena sattvaḿ śuddhyet. Because of contamination by the modes of material nature, one continues in the cycle of birth and death (kāraṇaḿ guṇa-sańgo 'sya sad-asad-yoni janmasu). Therefore the purpose of human life is to purify oneself of this contamination so that one can regain his spiritual form and not undergo this cycle of birth and death. The recommended process of decontamination is devotional service to the Lord. There are various processes for self-realization, such as karma, jñāna and yoga, but none of them is equal to the process of devotional service. As gold and silver can be freed from all dirty contamination by being put into a fire but not merely by being washed, the living entity can be awakened to his own identity by performing devotional service (yat-sevayā), but not by karma, jñāna or yoga. Cultivation of speculative knowledge or practice of yogic gymnastics will not be helpful.
The word varṇam refers to the luster of one's original identity. The original luster of gold or silver is brilliant. Similarly, the original luster of the living being, who is part of the sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha [Bs. 5.1], is the luster of ānanda, or pleasure. Ānandamayo bhyāsāt. Every living entity has the right to become ānandamaya, joyful, because he is part of the sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha [Bs. 5.1], Kṛṣṇa. Why should the living being be put into tribulation because of dirty contamination by the material modes of nature? The living entity should become purified and regain his svarūpa, his original identity. This he can do only by devotional service. Therefore, one should adopt the instructions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is described here as guror guruḥ, the spiritual master of all other spiritual masters.
Even though we may not have the fortune to contact the Supreme Lord personally, the Lord's representative is as good as the Lord Himself because such a representative does not say anything unless it is spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore gives a definition of guru. Yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa: [Cc. Madhya 7.128] the bona fide guru is he who advises his disciples exactly in accordance with the principles spoken by Kṛṣṇa. The bona fide guru is he who has accepted Kṛṣṇa as guru. This is the guru-paramparā system. The original guru is Vyāsadeva because he is the speaker of Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, wherein everything spoken relates to Kṛṣṇa. Therefore guru-pūjā is known as Vyāsa-pūjā. In the final analysis, the original guru is Kṛṣṇa, His disciple is Nārada, whose disciple is Vyāsa, and in this way we gradually come in touch with the guru-paramparā. One cannot become a guru if he does not know what the Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa or His incarnation wants. The mission of the guru is the mission of the Supreme Personality of Godhead: to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world.
8.24.49
kartuḿ sametāḥ prabhavanti puḿsas
(49) Others together or individually or even the demigods and the gurus cannot even match one ten-thousandth of Your grace; let me surrender unto Him, the Controller, unto You, that shelter.
It is said, kāmais tais tair hṛta jñānāḥ prapadyante 'nya-devatāḥ: [Bg. 7.20] people in general, being motivated by material desires, worship the demigods to get fruitive results very quickly. People generally do not become devotees of Lord Viṣṇu, since Lord Viṣṇu never becomes the order-supplier of His devotee. Lord Viṣṇu does not give a devotee benedictions that will create a further demand for benedictions. By worshiping the demigods one may get results, but, as described in Bhagavad-gītā, antavat tu phalaḿ teṣāḿ tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām: whatever great benedictions one may achieve from the demigods are all temporary. Because the demigods themselves are temporary, their benedictions are also temporary and have no permanent value. Those who aspire for such benedictions have a poor fund of knowledge (tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām). The benedictions of Lord Viṣṇu are different. By the mercy of the Lord Viṣṇu, one can be completely freed from material contamination and go back home, back to Godhead. Therefore the benedictions offered by the demigods cannot compare to even one ten-thousandth of the Lord's benedictions. One should not, therefore, try to obtain benedictions from the demigods or false gurus. One should aspire only for the benediction offered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As the Lord says in Bhagavad-gītā (18.66):
sarva-dharmān parityajya
"Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear." This is the greatest benediction.
8.24.50
acakṣur andhasya yathāgraṇīḥ kṛtas
vṛto gurur naḥ sva-gatiḿ bubhutsatām
(50) The way someone blind accepts the lead of a blind man does one similarly unwise take a person lacking in knowledge for a guru; Your Lordship appearing like the sun as the seer of all that can be seen are accepted as the guru of us, I, the enlightened person who knows his destination.
The conditioned soul, being wrapped in ignorance and therefore not knowing the goal of life, accepts a guru who can juggle words and make some display of magic that is wonderful to a fool. Sometimes a foolish person accepts someone as a guru because he can manufacture a small quantity of gold by mystic yogic power. Because such a disciple has a poor fund of knowledge, he cannot judge whether the manufacture of gold is the criterion for a guru. Why should one not accept the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, from whom unlimited numbers of gold mines come into being? Ahaḿ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaḿ pravartate [Bg. 10.8]. All the gold mines are created by the energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, why should one accept a magician who can manufacture only a small portion of gold? Such gurus are accepted by those who are blind, not knowing the goal of life. Mahārāja Satyavrata, however, knew the goal of life. He knew the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and therefore he accepted the Lord as his guru. Either the Supreme Lord or His representative can become guru. The Lord says, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāḿ taranti te: [Bg. 7.14] "One can get relief from the clutches of māyā as soon as he surrenders unto Me." Therefore it is the guru's business to instruct his disciple to surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead if he wants relief from the material clutches. This is the symptom of the guru. This same principle was instructed by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu: yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. In other words, one is advised not to accept a guru who does not follow the path of instruction given by Lord Kṛṣṇa.
8.24.51
prapadyate yena jano nijaḿ padam
(51) By what a common man instructs an ordinary person is he of surrender to the impermanent as the goal of life and to an ignorance that cannot be overcome, but by the eternal uncontaminated knowledge of You achieves a person very soon his constitutional position.
So-called gurus instruct their disciples for the sake of material profit. Some guru advises that one meditate in such a way that his intelligence will increase in regard to keeping his body fit for sense gratification. Another guru advises that sex is the ultimate goal of life and that one should therefore engage in sex to the best of his ability. These are the instructions of foolish gurus. In other words, because of the instructions of a foolish guru one remains perpetually in material existence and suffers its tribulations. But if one is intelligent enough to take instructions from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as enunciated in Bhagavad-gītā or the Sāńkhya philosophy of Kapiladeva, one can very soon attain liberation and be situated in his original position of spiritual life. The words nijaḿ padam are significant. The living entity, being part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, has the birthright to a position in Vaikuṇṭhaloka, or the spiritual world, where there is no anxiety. Therefore, one should follow the instructions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Then, as stated in Bhagavad-gītā, tyaktvā dehaḿ punar janma naiti mām eti so 'rjuna: [Bg. 4.9] after giving up one's body, one will return home, back to Godhead. The Lord lives in the spiritual world in His original personality, and a devotee who follows the instructions of the Lord approaches Him (mām eti). As a spiritual person, such a devotee returns to the Personality of Godhead and plays and dances with Him. That is the ultimate goal of life.
8.24.52
(52) You are of all worlds the dearmost well-wisher, the controller, original soul and spiritual master, the spiritual knowledge, the fulfillment of all desires and the One situated in the heart who by people caught in greed that are of a dim intelligence cannot be known.
Herein the reason for foolishness is described. Because the conditioned soul in this material world is full of materialistic lusty desires, he cannot understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, although the Lord is situated in everyone's heart (īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāḿ hṛd-deśe'rjuna tiṣṭhati [Bg. 18.61]). It is because of this foolishness that one cannot take instructions from the Lord, although the Lord is ready to instruct everyone both externally and internally. The Lord says, dadāmi buddhi-yogaḿ tam yena mām upayānti te. In other words, the Lord can give instructions on devotional service by which one can return home, back to Godhead. Unfortunately, however, people do not take this devotional service. The Lord, being situated in everyone's heart, can give one complete instructions on going back to Godhead, but because of lusty desires one engages himself in materialistic activities and does not render service to the Lord. Therefore one is bereft of the value of the Lord's instructions. By mental speculation one can understand that one is not the body but a spirit soul, but unless one engages in devotional service, the real purpose of life is never fulfilled. The real purpose of life is to go back home, back to Godhead, and live with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, play with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, dance with the Supreme Personality of Godhead and eat with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. These are different items of ānanda, spiritual happiness in spiritual variegatedness. Even though one may come to the platform of brahma-bhūta and understand his spiritual identity by speculative knowledge, one cannot enjoy spiritual life without understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is indicated here by the word abhīṣṭa-siddhiḥ. One can fulfill the ultimate goal of life only by engaging in devotional service to the Lord. Then the Lord will give one proper instructions on how to go back home, back to Godhead.
8.24.53
prapadya īśaḿ pratibodhanāya
(53) May by my surrendering to the exalted One that You are, the Greatest of All worshiped by the gods, the Supreme Controller for understanding the real purpose of life; by the light of Your meaningful words of instruction, the knots fixed in the heart be cut through, o Supreme Lord, please tell me where I belong [see also B.G. 4: 34].'
Sometimes it is argued that people do not know who is a spiritual master and that finding a spiritual master from whom to get enlightenment in regard to the destination of life is very difficult. To answer all these questions, King Satyavrata shows us the way to accept the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the real spiritual master. The Supreme Lord has given full directions in Bhagavad-gītā about how to deal with everything in this material world and how to return home, back to Godhead. Therefore, one should not be misled by so-called gurus who are rascals and fools. Rather, one should directly see the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the guru or instructor. It is difficult, however, to understand Bhagavad-gītā without the help of the guru. Therefore the guru appears in the paramparā system. In Bhagavad-gītā (4.34) the Supreme Personality of Godhead recommends:
tad viddhi praṇipātena
"Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth." Lord Kṛṣṇa directly instructed Arjuna. Arjuna is therefore tattva-darśī or guru. Arjuna accepted the Supreme Personality of Godhead (paraḿ brahma paraḿ dhāma pavitraḿ paramaḿ bhavān [Bg. 10.12]). Similarly, following in the footsteps of Śrī Arjuna, who is a personal devotee of the Lord, one should accept the supremacy of Lord Kṛṣṇa, as supported by Vyāsa, Devala, Asita, Nārada and later by the ācāryas Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Nimbārka and Viṣṇusvāmī and still later by the greatest ācārya, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Where, then, is the difficulty in finding a guru? If one is sincere he can find the guru and learn everything. One should take lessons from the guru and find out the goal of life. Mahārāja Satyavrata, therefore, shows us the way of the mahājana. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ. One should surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead (daśāvatāra) and learn from Him about the spiritual world and the goal of life.
8.24.54
ity uktavantaḿ nṛpatiḿ
(54) S'rî S'uka said: 'Thus being addressed explained the Supreme Lord, the Original Person who had assumed the form of Matsya, unto the king the Absolute Truth as they were moving in the great ocean.
8.24.55
satyavratasya rājarṣer
(55) Thus got the holy king Satyavrata acquainted with the old stories, the Purânas; the vedic instructions, the Samhitâs; the transcendental, the divya; the analytic, the sânkhya; the linking of oneself to the divine with a unified [Krishna- or natural] consciousness, the yoga; the practical of living it, the kriya; and all the mysteries of selfrealization in all its forms.
8.24.56
aśrauṣīd ṛṣibhiḥ sākam
nāvy āsīno bhagavatā
(56) Sitting in the boat with the sages, heard he thus about the traditional lore of the science of selfrealization the way it, beyond doubt, was explained by the Supreme Lord.
8.24.57
atīta-pralayāpāya
hatvāsuraḿ hayagrīvaḿ
vedān pratyāharad dhariḥ
(57) When the last inundation had ended handed the Lord over to Brahmâ, in order to reawaken him, all the vedic records after having put an end to the darkness caused by Hayagrîva.
8.24.58
āsīd vaivasvato manuḥ
(58) King Satyavrata enlightened in the spiritual knowledge and its practical wisdom became in this period indeed Vaivasvata Manu by the mercy of Lord Vishnu.
that Satyavrata appeared in the Cākṣuṣa-manvantara. When the Cākṣuṣa-manvantara ended, the period of Vaivasvata Manu began. By the grace of Lord Viṣṇu, Satyavrata received instructions from the second fish incarnation and was thus enlightened in all spiritual knowledge.
8.24.59
satyavratasya rājarṣer
saḿvādaḿ mahad-ākhyānaḿ
(59) When someone hears the description of this great story of Satyavrata the saintly king and the Matsya incarnation with the one horn, is he delivered from all reactions to sin.
8.24.60
(60) Whomever glorifies daily the incarnation of the Lord will have success in all his endeavors and will return home, back to Godhead.
8.24.61
pralaya-payasi dhātuḥ supta-śakter mukhebhyaḥ
ditijam akathayad yo brahma satyavratānāḿ
(61) I offer my obeisances unto Him the Cause of All Causes, who posing as a great fish, for Satyavrata's sake explained the vedic knowledge and put an end to the daitya darkness in giving back the vedic records that were stolen from the mouths of Lord Brahmâ who lay deep asleep in the waters of the flood.'
Here is a summary of Satyavrata's meeting with the fish incarnation of Lord Viṣṇu. Lord Viṣṇu's purpose was to take back all the Vedic literatures from the demon Hayagrīva and restore them to Lord Brahmā. Incidentally, by His causeless mercy, the Lord spoke with Satyavrata. The word satyavratānām is significant because it indicates that those on the level of Satyavrata can take knowledge from the Vedas delivered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Whatever is spoken by the Supreme Lord is accepted as Veda. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā, vedānta-kṛd veda-vit: the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the compiler of all Vedic knowledge, and He knows the purport of the Vedas. Therefore, anyone who takes knowledge from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, or from Bhagavad-gītā as it is, knows the purpose of the Vedas (vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ [Bg. 15.15]). One cannot understand Vedic knowledge from the veda-vāda-ratās, who read the Vedas and misconstrue their subject matter. One has to know the Vedas from the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Thus the eighth Canto of the S'rîmad Bhâgavatam ends named 'Withdrawal of the Cosmic Creations'.
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