Shloka 15

Avatāra-kathā — The Puruṣa, the Many Incarnations, and Kṛṣṇa as Svayam Bhagavān

Devanagari script

रूपं स जगृहे मात्स्यं चाक्षुषोदधिसम्प्लवे । नाव्यारोप्य महीमय्यामपाद्वैवस्वतं मनुम् ॥ १५ ॥

Transliteration

rūpaṁ sa jagṛhe mātsyaṁ cākṣuṣodadhi-samplave nāvy āropya mahī-mayyām apād vaivasvataṁ manum

Translation

Когда после эпохи Чакшуша Ману разразился вселенский потоп и весь мир погрузился в воды, Господь принял образ Рыбы (Матсьи) и спас Вайвасвату Ману, удержав его на лодке.

Synonyms

• रूपम्: form
• रूपम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular (pronoun)

• जगृहे: took, assumed
• जगृहे: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद — Perfect, 3rd person, Singular, Atmanepada

• मात्स्यम्: fish (as)
• मात्स्यम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Qualifier of object/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मात्स्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• चाक्षुष-उदधि-सम्प्लवे: in the flood of the Cākṣuṣa ocean (deluge)
• चाक्षुष-उदधि-सम्प्लवे: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चाक्षुष (प्रातिपदिक) + उदधि (प्रातिपदिक) + सम्प्लव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन — Masculine, Locative, Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (चाक्षुषस्य उदधौ सम्प्लवे)

• नावि: in the boat
• नावि: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नौ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन — Feminine, Locative, Singular

• आरोप्य: having placed (aboard)
• आरोप्य: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + रुह् (धातु) → आरोप्य (कृदन्त, ल्यप्/त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यबन्त अव्ययकृदन्त — Gerund (absolutive): ‘having placed/caused to board’

• महीम्: the earth
• महीम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• अय्याम्: on/into the (boat)
• अय्याम्: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अय्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन — Feminine, Locative, Singular

• अपात्: protected, saved
• अपात्: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (अorist), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद — Aorist, 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• वैवस्वतम्: Vaivasvata
• वैवस्वतम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Qualifier of object/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैवस्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• मनुम्: Manu
• मनुम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Purport

According to Śrīpāda Śrīdhara Svāmī, the original commentator on the Bhāgavatam, there is not always a devastation after the change of every Manu. And yet this inundation after the period of Cākṣuṣa Manu took place in order to show some wonders to Satyavrata. But Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī has given definite proofs from authoritative scriptures (like Viṣṇu-dharmottara, Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa, Harivaṁśa, etc.) that there is always a devastation after the end of each and every Manu. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī has also supported Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, and he (Śrī Cakravartī) has also quoted from Bhāgavatāmṛta about this inundation after each Manu. Apart from this, the Lord, in order to show special favor to Satyavrata, a devotee of the Lord, in this particular period, incarnated Himself.

Characters & Entities

• Matsya (Fish Incarnation of Viṣṇu)
• Vaivasvata Manu
• Cākṣuṣa Manu (era reference)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the Matsya avatara?

Bhāgavatam 1.3.15 states that during a great deluge in the Cākṣuṣa era, the Lord assumed the form of Matsya and protected Vaivasvata Manu by placing the earth upon a boat.

Why did the Lord protect Vaivasvata Manu in the flood?

Vaivasvata Manu is the progenitor for the next manvantara; by saving him, the Lord preserves humanity, dharma, and the continuity of creation after cosmic devastation.

Practical application of this shloka in modern life?

It teaches trust in divine guardianship: even amid overwhelming “floods” of crisis, one can hold to dharma and take shelter of the Lord, who protects sincere seekers and preserves what is essential.