Shloka 39
Adhyāya 188: Mārkaṇḍeya’s Account of Yuga-Decline and the Restoration Motif
Kali-yuga to Kalki
शृद्जी तत्राजगामाशु तदा भरतसत्तम | त॑ दृष्टवा मनुजव्याप्र मनुर्मत्स्यं जलार्णवे,शत्रुनगरविजयी नरेश्वर! तदनन्तर मनुने भगवान् मत्स्यका चिन्तन किया। यह जानकर शृंंगधारी भगवान् मत्स्य वहाँ शीघ्र आ पहुँचे। नरश्रेष्ठ भरतकुलशिरोमणे! समुद्रमें अपने पूर्वकथित रूपसे ऊँचे पर्वतकी भाँति शृंगंधारी मत्स्य भगवानको आया देख उनके मस्तकवर्ती सींगमें उन्होंने बँटी हुई रस्सी बाँध दी
śṛṅgī tatrājagāmāśu tadā bharatasattama | taṁ dṛṣṭvā manujavyāghra manuḥ matsyaṁ jalārṇave | śatrunagaravijayī nareśvara! tadanantaraṁ manunā bhagavān matsyakaś cintitaḥ | etad jñātvā śṛṅgadhārī bhagavān matsyo ’tra śīghram upāgamat | narśreṣṭha bharatakulaśiromaṇe! samudre pūrvoktarūpeṇa ūrdhva-parvatavad uccaiḥ śṛṅgadhārī matsyo bhagavān āgata iti dṛṣṭvā tasya mastakavarti-śṛṅge manunā bhinnā rajjuḥ baddhā |
マーラカンデーヤは語った。「そののち、婆羅多族の最勝者よ、角ある御方はたちまちそこへ来臨した。大海にその魚を見て、マヌ——人中の獅子、敵城を征する者よ、王よ——は教えられたとおり神魚を念じた。マヌの思いを知るや、角を戴く魚の姿の主は、まさにその場所へ速やかに現れた。人のうち最上の者、婆羅多の家の冠玉よ。先に語られた姿のまま、巨山のごとく海にそびえ立って現れた主なる魚を見て、マヌは二つ撚りの綱をその頭上の角に結びつけた。」
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharmic responsiveness: when a righteous person (Manu) remembers and follows divine instruction with faith and readiness, divine protection becomes effective through timely action. It also underscores disciplined obedience—Manu does not merely marvel at the miracle; he performs the practical step (binding the rope) required for rescue and order.
In Mārkaṇḍeya’s narration of the Manu–Matsya episode, the horned divine Fish appears in the ocean as promised. Manu recognizes the Lord’s form and, as part of the preparation for the coming catastrophe (the flood), he fastens a split rope to the Fish’s horn so that his vessel can be secured and guided.