Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 4

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

Devanagari script

श्रीसूत उवाच इत्युक्तो विष्णुरातेन भगवान् बादरायणि: । उवाच चरितं विष्णोर्मत्स्यरूपेण यत् कृतम् ॥ ४ ॥

Transliteration

śrī-sūta uvāca ity ukto viṣṇu-rātena bhagavān bādarāyaṇiḥ uvāca caritaṁ viṣṇor matsya-rūpeṇa yat kṛtam

Translation

Śrī Sūta dit : Ainsi interrogé par Viṣṇurāta (Parīkṣit), le bienheureux Bādarāyaṇi (Śukadeva) se mit à décrire les līlā de Viṣṇu dans Son avatāra de poisson, Matsya.

Synonyms

• śrī-sūtaḥ: Śrī Sūta
• śrī-sūtaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī-sūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga (masculine), Prathamā vibhakti (Nominative/1st), Ekavacana (singular); sambodhana-nāma (speaker tag)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ-lakāra (Imperfect/past), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Ekavacana (singular); parasmaipada

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; iti-śabda (quotative particle)

• uktaḥ: (having been) addressed
• uktaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: Kta-pratyaya past passive participle (भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त); Puṁliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; passive sense ‘having been addressed/said to’

• viṣṇu-rātena: by Viṣṇurāta (Parīkṣit)
• viṣṇu-rātena: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument; agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu-rāta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Tṛtīyā vibhakti (Instrumental/3rd), Ekavacana; agent in passive construction

• bhagavān: the Blessed Lord / venerable one
• bhagavān: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• bādarāyaṇiḥ: Bādarāyaṇi (Śuka)
• bādarāyaṇiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; apposition to bhagavān)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bādarāyaṇi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; patronymic (gotra/apatya) referring to Śuka

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ-lakāra (Imperfect/past), Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• caritam: the account/deed
• caritam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: carita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुṁsaka-liṅga (neuter), Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative/2nd), Ekavacana

• viṣṇoḥ: of Viṣṇu
• viṣṇoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (Genitive/6th), Ekavacana

• matsya-rūpeṇa: in the fish form
• matsya-rūpeṇa: Karaṇa (करण/means-manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: matsya-rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुṁsaka-liṅga, Tṛtīyā vibhakti (Instrumental/3rd), Ekavacana; ‘in the form of a fish’ (instrumental of manner)

• yat: which
• yat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/relative link)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुṁsaka-liṅga, Prathamā/Dvitīyā (Nom/Acc), Ekavacana; relative pronoun referring to caritam/kṛtam

• kṛtam: done, performed
• kṛtam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/qualifier of caritam)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: Kta-pratyaya past passive participle; Napuṁsaka, Prathamā/Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; agrees with caritam/yat

Characters & Entities

• Sūta Gosvāmī
• Viṣṇurāta (Mahārāja Parīkṣit)
• Bādarāyaṇi (Śukadeva Gosvāmī)
• Bādarāyaṇa (Vyāsa)
• Lord Viṣṇu
• Matsya

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Matsya Avatar in Canto 8?

This verse introduces the narration: Śukadeva Gosvāmī begins describing Lord Viṣṇu’s deeds performed as Matsya, the Fish incarnation.

Why did King Parikshit (Vishnurata) ask Shukadeva Goswami about Matsya Avatar?

Because Parīkṣit, eager to hear the Lord’s avatāra-kathā, questioned Śukadeva; in response, Śukadeva commenced the account of Viṣṇu’s Matsya pastimes.

Practical application of hearing Vishnu’s avatar stories in modern life?

Regularly hearing and reflecting on the Lord’s protective pastimes strengthens faith, steadies the mind, and nurtures devotion during uncertainty.