Prayers to Mathsya Avathara Of Vishnu

Prayers  to  Mathsya Avathara  Of Vishnu

Compiled by

P.R.Ramachander

(May  be little long  but  you would not find all  this information   about  God Mathsya Narayana  Swami  in same place)

The first  Avathara(incarnation) of Lord Vishnu   is that of Mathsya. There  are two stories   why   this became  necessary

1.       Lord Vishnu  Took the form of fish   when there   was a pralaya(deluge) to save Vaivasvatha Manu   and all  the seeds as well as beings   which used  to live  in earth   to safety

2.       Lord Vishnu   took this Avathara  to save Vedas   from an Asura   called  Hayagreeva who hid  along with   the Vedas  in the sea.

There  are  very few   temples   built   for  the first  Avathara  of Vishnu   called  Mathsya  Narayana

1.Mathsya  Narayana temple Chennai

Matsya Narayana temple by beach side on ECR

Chinmaya Tarangini (Matsya Narayana Temple) is a very unique open air temple next to beach is a nice place to visit. Open in morning and evening.
Every Sunday morning Gayatri Homam is performed @ 6.00 am and is free for all. Anybody who is interested can attend. A great service to the public,  The temple has 108 pillars with writings of the 1000 names of Lord Vishnu with explanations in English (Sanskrit & Tamil also used).

2.Mathsya Narayana  Temple  on Omkar hills  , Near  Kengeri, Bangalore

Sri Matsya Narayana Temple is located in Bangalore, in the state of Karnataka, India. The temple is located in Omkar Ashram,[1] in Omkar Hills Bangalore.[2] Omkar Hills in Srinivasapura is one of the highest points in Bangalore.

The temple is open for darshan from 7 AM to 12.30 PM and from 4.30 PM to 8PM on Monday to Saturday and on Sundays and holidays, the temple is open for darshan from 7 AM to 8 PM.

The Matsya Narayana temple celebrates the major annual festival on Matsya Jayanti. The annual festival of Matsya Jayanti is celebrated on Chaitra Shukla Paksha Tritya (Third day of the waxing moon period of the Chaitra month (March- April)) every year.

3.Mathsya  Narayana  Temple (Called as Veda Narayana  Swami temple)  , Nagalapuram in  Andhra  Pradesh  

  Nagalapuram temple   is located   approximately   at   a distance of 70 km  from Thirupathi. It is believed   that  the temple   was constructed  by Sri Krishna  DEva Raya  of Vijaya nagaram empire, Mathsya Jayanthi  is celebrated   in this temple.

4, Mathysa  temple  Thuvarimaan Agraharam, situated near Madurai in Tamil Nadu

The temple is located at 10 kms from Madurai on the banks of Vaigai river. There are only a few temples dedicated to Matsya Avatar of Lord Vishnu and this holy place, considered as South Dwaraka, is believed to be the avatar sthalam of Matsya Moorthy.Devotees believe  that Mathsya  Avathara  took place here.

5. Matsya Narayana Swamy Temple, Hegdal, Bellary, Karnataka

Another temple with the unique form of the Lord in the Matsya Avatar is the Matsya Narayana Swamy Templelocated in the village called Pinjar Hegdal in Hagari Bommanhalli Taluka, Bellary district. This temple was constructed in 1926 by Late Sri Ambalam Buchi Venkatachar

Prayers   addressed  to Mathsya

!,The  story of Mathsya  Avathara   from Narayaneeyam

Dasakam 32 Incarnation of Fish

(Lord Vishnu took the incarnation of fish to save the Vedas from an Asura called Hayagreeva))

Long , long ago in the deluge that happened after ,
The rule of the sixth Manu , Vedas were stolen,
From the mouth of Brahma who was going to sleep,
By Hayagreeva who was a very great Asura,
And at that time, did you not take the form of a fish? 32.1

In the hands of Satyavrutha, the Dramila* king,
Who was doing his evening ablations,
You appeared as as mall radiant baby fish. 32.2
*Progenitors of Tamils

W hen the king who was a sage who was doing penance,
Left you in the water and saw you getting scared,
He put you in his pitcher and took you to his hermitage,
But Oh Lord within a few days you filled completely that pot,
Later a pond and still later a lake. 32.3

Later according to your orders themselves,
Sage Sathyavrutha using his yogic powers,
Took and left you in the great ocean and to the sage ,
Who wished to see the deluge, you told,
“Please wait for another seven days.” and then vanished. 32.4

When the time told by you came ,
The entire earth went under the water,
And Sathyavrutha along with the Saptha Rishis,
Was turned and tossed in the waters and surrendered to you. 32.5

Then they all, according to your orders boarded,
In a boat which was the shape that the earth had assumed,
And were greatly frightened by the vehicle on water,
And you appeared before them as very big fish in the ocean. 32.6

Seeing your fish form of the size of hundred thousand yojanas,
Which was glittering with radiance , they all became happy,
And according to your orders tied their boat on your horn. 32.7

You with your fish form towed the earth which was a boat,
And showed Sathyavrutha and other sages,
All the parts of the world, and was praised by Sathyavrutha,
And taught all of them the supreme knowledge of self. 32.8

At the end of the deluge , you established the seven sages
In their respective places and made king Sathyavrutha,
As the Vaivaswatha Manu and due to the anger,
Of his having stolen the Vedas , you rushed towards Hayagreeva. 32.9

With your lofty horn , you tore apart the chest of Hayagreeva,
Retrieved the Vedas sand gave them back to the pleased Brahma,
And Oh Lord of Guruvayur , please protect and save me. 32.10

2.Matsya Stotram (To my knowledge this is the  only prayer   asddressed  to Mathsayavathara)
[Prayer to the Fish]
Translated by P. R. Ramachander

[Here is a rare prayer praising the Mathsya avatara of Lord Vishnu.]

Noonam thwam Bhagawan sakshath harir narayano avyaya,
Anugrahaya bhoothanam dhathse roopam jalokasam. 1

Hey Lord Vishnu who does not have death,
You, who is the real Lord Vishnu,
Even took the form of living being in water,
For showering your blessings on all beings.

Namasthe purusha sreshta, sthithyuthpathivyayayeswara,
Bhakthanam na prapannanam mukhyo athma gathir vibho. 2

Salutations to the greatest among males,
Who is responsible for creation, upkeep and destruction,
And for us devotees who are seeking your protection,
You are the only means leading to their salvation.

Sarva leelavtharasthe bhoothanam bhoothi hethava,
Gnathumichamyadho roopam yadartham bhavatha drutham. 3

Hey god all your incarnations are for the well being of the world,
And I would like to know, what is the necessity of your real form.

Na they aravindaksha, padhopasarpanam,
Mrusha bhaveth sarva suhruth priyathmana,
Yadatharesham pradagathmanam satha,
Madheedruso yadwapraadhbhutham na. 4

Is it not a fact, lotus eyed Lord,
Who is the friend and relation of all,
That total surrender to your feet is never useless,
For you showed your wonderful form,
To the great sages as well as humble devotees like us.

3.Prayers  to Mathsya   avathara    from several  Dasavathara  stotras

Dasa avathara  stotram (Vedantha  DEsika)

Nirmagna sruthi jala margana dasa datha kshanair veekshanai,
Anthasthanvadhivaravinda gahananyouthanwathi namapam,
Nish prathyooha ranga ringana midha prathyooda pada schata,
Dolaroha sadohalam bhagavatho, maathsyam padu na. 2

Let us be protected by the fish form of our God, which appeared for,
Searching for the Vedas, with tense examining looks
And Created a mirage of the lotus forest in the great waters of the sea,
And appeared to climb on the swing created by the dashing of waves with waves.

Dasavatara stotra  of Jayadeva

प्रलय पयोधी जले धृतवानसि वेदम्

विहित वहित्र चरित्रमखेदम्

केशव धृत मीन शरीर जय जगदीश हरे (2) -1

Pralaya Payodhi  jale  Drutha vanasi vedham ,

Vihitha vahithra  charithrama  Khedham,

Kesava  drutha meena sareera, Jaya Jagadheesa hare

Victory to Keshava, the lord of Universe,
Who assumed the form of a fish,
and gave protection like a boat to Vedas,
Which were immersed in the turbulent sea of deluge.

Dasavathara  BHujanga stotra

Challalola kallola kallolineesa,-.
Sphuran nakra chakradhi vakthrambuleena,
Hatho yena meenavatharena sankha,
Sa payaada apaya jjagad Vasudeva. 1

Let the world be saved from all dangers by Vasudeva,
Who took the form of a fish and killed Hayagreeva,
Who was living beneath the sea with tumultuous water,
Moving hither and thither due to its giant waves.

Dasavathara  Storam

(devotee complains  to the Lord  that he is neglecting him)

Yaa thwara jala sanchare,
Yaa thwara Veda Rakshane,
Mayyarthe karunamurthe ,
Saa thwara kwa gatha hare. Verse 1

Meaning: Why did you not show the same haste
Which you showed in your travel through the water,
And which you showed in your Protection of Vedas,
When it did concern with solving my sorrow, Hey Vishnu.

(The asura called Hayagreeva stole the four Vedas from Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu took the incarnation of fish(Mathsyavathara) to chase and kill that Asura and bring back the Vedas.)

Dasavathara stotram Malayalam

Ambodu meenayi vedangal veendidum,
Ambuja nabhane kai thozhunnen. 1

I salute the Lord with lotus on his belly.
Who with love became a fish to recover the Vedas.

Dasavatharaa  Stotram-Poonthanam

AAzhi thannil muzhukiya Vedathe,
Meeluvan oru meenayi chennudan,
Yezhu sagaram choozhe ninnedunna ,
Vesham anbodu kananam Govinda.

Oh Govinda , I want to see with love that form of yours,
Which was surrounded by all the seven oceans,
When you went in the form of a fish to recover,
The Vedas which were drowned in the sea . 

Dasavathara  Stotra(?)

Vedodhara vichara mathe , somaka danava samharane,
Meenakara sareera namo , Hari bhaktham they paripalaya maam.

He always wanted to save Vedas and killed the asura called Somaka,
My salutations to him who had a body of fish ,
And I request him to look after me who am a devotee of Vishnu.

DAsavathara Stotram (K.Padmanabha   Varriar)

Munibhie eeditham , Madhu nishevitham , haya mukhanthakam , bhaya vinasanam ,

Pralaya  Jaladhigam, nalinajarchitham , makara  roopinam , Bhaavayaamyaham.

1.I cherish him who  took the form of fish. Who was praised   by the sages, Who destroyed Madhu,

Who killed Hayamukhasura, who destroys  fear  , who was in the   water of deluge

And who was worshipped by Goddess Lakshmi

Thottuvadheeswara Dasavathara  stotram (Malayalam)

Sathyavruthannu   pralayathe kattuvaan,

Kruthyangalaaya   Vedangal veendedukkuvaan,

Mathsyavathaarathe poondoru govinda ,

Thottvaadheeswawara  Kumbidunnen.

For showing Sathyvrutha the deluge ,

And to recover   the sacred  composition of Vedas,

Oh Govinda,  who took the incarnation of  fish,

Oh Lord  of Thottuva , My salutations to you.

Prayer  to protect the son

When my this son along with his friends,

With exuberance takes bath in a pond,

Hey  Hari , Hey  greatest of men, who has the form of a fish,

Please take care of him with great affection.

Karma sakshiyagum jagnnayaga,

Kar mugil varna, karunya varidhe,

Orma kai vitturangum en unniye,

Koorma vigraha palichidenam.                                    6