Matsya Avataar's story appears in Bhaagvat Puaan, 8/8, and Vishnu Puraan, 5/37. In Matsya Avatar, Lord Vishnu incarnated as a fish in this world. In the earliest Yug (era) of Sat Yug, There was a King named Satyavrat. He had been performing severe penance for thousands of years. One day as he was performing ablutions with river water, a small fish came into his hands and just as he was about to throw the fish back into the river, the fish requested the king to save its life.

Heeding its request, the King put the fish into a jar of water but the fish started growing and the jar was not big enough for it. Then the King threw it into the river, but it soon it outgrew the river also and the King then threw it into Ganges and then into the ocean. The King was surprised to see all this, so he asked the fish - "You don't seem to be ordinary fish, who are you?" Fish said - "You are right, I am not an ordinary fish. I am Vishnu." Then the Lord made His appearance to him and made a special request to the King. He said - "The world is coming to an end by a huge flood in seven days. You build a huge boat and take the Sapt Rishi (seven sages), seeds of all plants, one animal of each type in your boat. Then I would appear as a fish to propel the boat to Mt Himavaan for surviving the flood to the next Yug (eon)."

Satyavrat immediately started building the boat. As Bhagavaan had said, the seventh day a heavy rainfall started and within no time the whole Prithvi seemed to sink in water. According to Bhagavaans instructions, Satyavarat's boat was ready so he sat in the boat, asked Sapt Rishi also to sit in the boat and the boat started floating on the water. True to His word, after seven days the Lord appeared in the form of a huge fish with one horn. The King tied the boat to the fish by using the serpent Vaasuki and the fish took all of them to Mt Himvaan. Fish delivered Satyavrat Gyaan during those days when they were in the boat. After some time the rain stopped and the flood water started receding. Earth appeared and a new Yug started new era, the King started procreation for the new era.

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