Shloka 23

Maṅgalācaraṇa, the Sages’ Inquiry, and Hari as Supreme with an Avatāra-Outline

Devanagari script

रूपं स जगृहे मात्स्यं चाक्षुषान्तरसंप्लवे / नाव्यारोप्य महीमय्यामपाद्वैवस्वतं मनुम्

Transliteration

rūpaṃ sa jagṛhe mātsyaṃ cākṣuṣāntarasaṃplave / nāvyāropya mahīmayyāmapādvaivasvataṃ manum

Translation

Ketika banjir besar pada sela Manvantara Cākṣuṣa, Baginda mengambil rupa Matsya (ikan). Dengan menaikkan Vaivasvata Manu ke atas bahtera, Baginda melindunginya tatkala bumi tenggelam diliputi air.

Word by Word

• rūpam: form
• rūpam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• jagṛhe: took/assumed
• jagṛhe: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: grah (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदी

• mātsyam: fish (as)
• mātsyam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mātsya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; ‘fish-like/of a fish’

• cākṣuṣāntara-saṃplave: in the deluge during the Cākṣuṣa (manvantara)
• cākṣuṣāntara-saṃplave: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cākṣuṣa + antara + saṃplava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्; समासः—चाक्षुषस्य अन्तरस्य संप्लवे (in the deluge of the Cākṣuṣa manvantara)

• nāvyā: by/with a boat
• nāvyā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nau (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, तृतीया, एकवचनम्

• āropya: having placed aboard
• āropya: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-ruh (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/ल्यप्), अव्ययभावः; ‘having embarked/caused to board’

• mahīmayyām: in/on the earth(-made) (boat)
• mahīmayyām: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahī + mayī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्; मह्यां मयी (earth-made; i.e., the earth/earthly [boat])

• apāt: protected/saved
• apāt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pā (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/लङ्), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदी

• vaivasvatam: Vaivasvata
• vaivasvatam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vaivasvata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; ‘son of Vivasvat’

• manum: Manu
• manum: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narration within the Vishnu–Garuda dialogue)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Divine protection safeguards the righteous progenitor (Manu) so that dharma and beings continue after dissolution; preservation aligns with cosmic cycles.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara as niyantṛ (governor) of pralaya-sṛṣṭi cycles; grace protects dharma-bīja (seed of order).

Application: In upheaval, anchor life to dharma and wise leadership; prepare ‘ark’ practices—disciplines, learning, and ethical commitments that preserve values through crises.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: mythic-cosmic waters; ship (nāva) as liminal refuge

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.1 (Matsya among avatāras)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Matsya
• Cākṣuṣa Manu (Manvantara reference)
• Vaivasvata Manu

FAQs

What is the importance of the Matsya (Fish) Avatar in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights Viṣṇu’s role as the preserver: by taking the Matsya form during pralaya, he safeguards Manu—the seed of future humanity—and thus protects dharma through cosmic dissolution.

How does this verse relate to the Garuda Purana’s wider teachings?

Even while the Garuda Purana is famous for afterlife and ritual teachings, it also grounds those instructions in Viṣṇu’s cosmic governance—showing that order, lineage, and dharma continue because the Lord intervenes at critical cosmic transitions.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

In times of upheaval, the verse encourages steady adherence to dharma and trust in preserving principles—protect what sustains life and ethics, just as Manu is preserved to restart righteous order.