Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 29

Matsya-avatāra: The Lord as Fish Saves the Vedas and Guides Satyavrata

Devanagari script

सर्वे लीलावतारास्ते भूतानां भूतिहेतव: । ज्ञातुमिच्छाम्यदो रूपं यदर्थं भवता धृतम् ॥ २९ ॥

Transliteration

sarve līlāvatārās te bhūtānāṁ bhūti-hetavaḥ jñātum icchāmy ado rūpaṁ yad-arthaṁ bhavatā dhṛtam

Translation

All Your pastimes and incarnations certainly appear for the welfare of all living entities. Therefore, my Lord, I wish to know the purpose for which You have assumed this form of a fish.

Synonyms

• sarve: all
• sarve: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of avatārāḥ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga (masculine), Prathamā vibhakti (Nominative/1st), Bahuvacana (plural)

• līlā-avatārāḥ: incarnations for divine play
• līlā-avatārāḥ: Karta (कर्ता) / Subject
• Type: Noun
• Root: līlā (प्रातिपदिक) + avatāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā (Nom.), Bahuvacana; ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa (genitive-determinative): līlāyāḥ avatārāḥ

• te: those
• te: Anuvṛtti/Pratyaya (refers to subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā (Nom.), Bahuvacana; pronoun

• bhūtānām: of beings
• bhūtānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) / Genitive relation
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुṁsaka (neuter), Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (Genitive/6th), Bahuvacana

• bhūti-hetavaḥ: causes of prosperity
• bhūti-hetavaḥ: Pradhāna-predicative (vidheya)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūti (प्रातिपदिक) + hetu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā (Nom.), Bahuvacana; ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa: bhūteḥ hetavaḥ

• jñātum: to know
• jñātum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन) / purpose
• Type: Verb
• Root: jñā (धातु)
• Form: Tumunanta (infinitive/तुमुन्), purpose sense (prayojana)

• icchāmi: I wish
• icchāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: iṣ (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ lakāra (Present), Uttama-puruṣa (1st person), Ekavacana (singular), Parasmaipada

• adaḥ: that (yonder)
• adaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of rūpam
• Type: Adjective
• Root: adas (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुṁsaka, Dvitīyā (Accusative/2nd), Ekavacana; demonstrative pronoun used adjectivally

• rūpam: form
• rūpam: Karma (कर्म) / object of jñātum
• Type: Noun
• Root: rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुṁsaka, Dvitīyā (Acc.), Ekavacana

• yat-artham: for what purpose
• yat-artham: Hetu/Prayojana (हेतु/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyayībhāva: yasyārtham → ‘for which purpose’; indeclinable adverbial

• bhavatā: by you
• bhavatā: Kartṛ-karaṇa (कर्ता/करण) with passive participle
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Tṛtīyā vibhakti (Instrumental/3rd), Ekavacana; honorific ‘you’

• dhṛtam: assumed/borne
• dhṛtam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa / predicate participle
• Type: Verb
• Root: dhṛ (धातु)
• Form: Kta-pratyaya (past passive participle/क्त), Napuṁsaka, Dvitīyā (Acc.), Ekavacana; agrees with rūpam

Characters & Entities

• Satyavrata
• Lord Vishnu (Matsya)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the purpose of Vishnu’s avataras?

This verse says the Lord’s līlā-avataras are taken for the welfare and prosperity of all living beings, and devotees seek to understand the specific purpose of each form.

Why did Satyavrata ask Matsya about the purpose of His form?

In the Matsya-avatara narrative, Satyavrata recognizes the Lord’s incarnations as benevolent and therefore asks why the Lord has assumed this particular form at that time.

Practical application of understanding God’s ‘divine purpose’ in modern life?

Approach life’s events with faith that the Divine acts for upliftment, and cultivate inquiry (jijñāsā) and devotion—seeking the higher purpose rather than only immediate outcomes.