FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 8.24.1

श्रीराजोवाच भगवञ्छ्रोतुमिच्छामि हरेरद्भ‍ुतकर्मण: । अवतारकथामाद्यां मायामत्स्यविडम्बनम् ॥ १ ॥
śrī-rājovāca
[shree-raajovaacha]
bhagavaṣ chrotum icchāmi
[bhagavash chrotum ichchaami]
harer adbhuta-karmaṇaḥ
[harer adbhuta-karmanah]
avatāra-kathām ādyāṁ
[avataara-kathaam aadyaam]
māyā-matsya-viḍambanam
[maayaa-matsya-vidambanam]
Word-for-word
śrī-rājā uvāca — King Parīkṣit said bhagavan — O most powerful śrotum — to hear icchāmi — I desire hareḥ — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari adbhuta-karmaṇaḥ — whose activities are wonderful avatāra-kathām — pastimes of the incarnation ādyām — first māyā-matsya-viḍambanam — which is simply an imitation of a fish.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
śrī-rājovāca
śrī-rājā uvāca
King Parīkṣit said
bhagavaṣ chrotum icchāmi
bhagavan
O most powerful
śrotum
to hear
icchāmi
I desire
harer adbhuta-karmaṇaḥ
hareḥ
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari
adbhuta-karmaṇaḥ
whose activities are wonderful
avatāra-kathām ādyāṁ
avatāra-kathām
pastimes of the incarnation
ādyām
first
māyā-matsya-viḍambanam
māyā-matsya-viḍambanam
which is simply an imitation of a fish.
Mahārāja Parīkṣit said: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, is eternally situated in His transcendental position, yet He descends to this material world and manifests Himself in various incarnations. His first incarnation was that of a great fish. O most powerful Śukadeva Gosvāmī, I wish to hear from you the pastimes of that fish incarnation.
Purport

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is all-powerful, yet He accepted the form of an uncommon fish. This is one of the ten original incarnations of the Lord.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Mahārāja Parīkṣit said: O great sage! I wish to hear the story in which the Lord who performs astonishing activities imitates a material fish. The Twenty-fourth Chapter describes how Matsya, teacher of knowledge, frolicked in the great ocean, was praised by Satyavrata, and then spoke to him. Remembering the Lord as Matsya after hearing how Vāmana expanded himself above the sky, Parīkṣit asks about this form of the Lord. Just as the Lord took the form of a beggar which is condemned for its activities, the Lord took the form of a fish, criticized among animal species. Since all things related to Matsya will be told, the story of Satyavrata will also be told in relation to this. The Lord imitates a material fish. That means that he is a non-material fish.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Parīkṣit asks about the Lord's first incarnation as a great fish. Even the most powerful Lord accepted an uncommon fish form. The willingness to take small or abominable shapes shows the depth of divine accessibility.
Reflection Questions
  • Where do I refuse to take a 'fish form' of service because it seems beneath me?
  • What small or unusual role might the Lord be inviting me into for a larger purpose?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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