Matsya Avatar

[Sirona]

Namaste,

in one of my religious books (about the avatars of Vishnu), there is an illustration of an old guy with a club beating a giant Fish (Matsya) while he is about to be eaten by said Fish. I haven't found any picture similar to it and I don't know where to look for the story, although I suppose it's puranic.The caption of the picture refers to a page where no explanation of it is given.

 

[`mud]

 

[Sirona]

@'mud Yes, that looks very similar. Thanks for sharing!

 

[`mud]

Is that close ?
I like perusing the classic images of all the idols and such.
BUT......there's a lot of them !

 

[Aupmanyav]

in one of my religious books (about the avatars of Vishnu), there is an illustration of an old guy with a club beating a giant Fish (Matsya) while he is about to be eaten by said Fish. I haven't found any picture similar to it and I don't know where to look for the story, although I suppose it's puranic.The caption of the picture refers to a page where no explanation of it is given.

You have got it all wrong, Sirona. Yes, the first avatara of Lord Vishnu is Matsya (Fish). It was in the age when Manu, the father of humanity, son of Lord Sun, ruled the earth (that is how the legend goes). Therefore, he is called Vaivasvata, son of Vivaswana (the sun). It is the flood story in Hinduism. So first Lord Vishnu warns him, then Manu makes a big ship to accommodate every one (not just two of each), and the Lord pulled and safe-guarded the ship during the flood and the storm. There were kings in South India for whom Matsya was the chosen deity.

The fish and the person you thought of being eaten is one unit, a composite, and that is Matsya. The demon who was killed by Matsya is Hayagriva whom you see holding the club and lying down. He had kept the Vedas (knowledge) captive. See more images on Google Search for Matsya.

Full story here: Matsya Avatar - Lord Vishnu saved Vedas from Hayagriva and protected living species from Pralaya

 

[Sirona]

@Aupmanyav & knowledgeable others