Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 38
Matsya-avatāra: The Lord as Fish Saves the Vedas and Guides Satyavrata
मदीयं महिमानं च परं ब्रह्मेति शब्दितम् । वेत्स्यस्यनुगृहीतं मे सम्प्रश्नैर्विवृतं हृदि ॥ ३८ ॥
madīyaṁ mahimānaṁ ca paraṁ brahmeti śabditam vetsyasy anugṛhītaṁ me sampraśnair vivṛtaṁ hṛdi
Par Ma grâce, tu connaîtras pleinement Mes gloires, appelées paraṁ brahma. Grâce à tes questions, tout cela se dévoilera et se manifestera dans ton cœur; ainsi tu Me connaîtras entièrement.
As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (15.15) , sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ 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 māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham. 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 etāṁ taranti te . 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 ( sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma ), and these glories are gradually revealed and realized. The Lord is the supreme purifier ( paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān ). 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) :
FAQs
This verse says the Lord’s supreme glory, called Para Brahman, is known by His mercy and becomes revealed within the heart—especially when one inquires sincerely and deeply.
Matsya is preparing Satyavrata to receive transcendental knowledge during the cosmic flood narrative, assuring him that through divine grace and proper inquiry, the truth of the Supreme will be revealed internally.
Approach scripture and teachers with honest, focused questions, and practice devotion consistently; the Bhagavatam teaches that clarity and conviction arise from within when inquiry is supported by God’s mercy.