FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 8.24.2-3

यदर्थमदधाद् रूपं मात्स्यं लोकजुगुप्सितम् । तम:प्रकृति दुर्मर्षं कर्मग्रस्त इवेश्वर: ॥ २ ॥ एतन्नो भगवन् सर्वं यथावद् वक्तुमर्हसि । उत्तमश्लोकचरितं सर्वलोकसुखावहम् ॥ ३ ॥
yad-artham adadhād rūpaṁ
[yad-artham adadhaad roopam]
mātsyaṁ loka-jugupsitam
[maatsyam loka-jugupsitam]
tamaḥ-prakṛti-durmarṣaṁ
[tamah-prakriti-durmarsham]
karma-grasta iveśvaraḥ
[karma-grasta iveshvarah]
etan no bhagavan sarvaṁ
[etan no bhagavan sarvam]
yathāvad vaktum arhasi
[yathaavad vaktum arhasi]
uttamaśloka-caritaṁ
[uttamashloka-charitam]
sarva-loka-sukhāvaham
[sarva-loka-sukhaavaham]
Word-for-word
yat-artham — for what purpose adadhāt — accepted rūpam — form mātsyam — of a fish loka-jugupsitam — which is certainly not very favorable in this world tamaḥ — in the mode of ignorance prakṛti — such behavior durmarṣam — which is certainly very painful and condemned karma-grastaḥ — one who is under the laws of karma iva — like īśvaraḥ — the Supreme Personality of Godhead etat — all these facts naḥ — unto us bhagavan — O most powerful sage sarvam — everything yathāvat — properly vaktum arhasi — kindly describe uttamaśloka-caritam — the pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead sarva-loka-sukha-āvaham — by hearing of which everyone becomes happy.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
yad-artham adadhād rūpaṁ
yat-artham
for what purpose
adadhāt
accepted
rūpam
form
mātsyaṁ loka-jugupsitam
mātsyam
of a fish
loka-jugupsitam
which is certainly not very favorable in this world
tamaḥ
in the mode of ignorance
tamaḥ-prakṛti-durmarṣaṁ
prakṛti
such behavior
durmarṣam
which is certainly very painful and condemned
karma-grasta iveśvaraḥ
karma-grastaḥ
one who is under the laws of karma
iva
like
īśvaraḥ
the Supreme Personality of Godhead
etan no bhagavan sarvaṁ
etat
all these facts
naḥ
unto us
bhagavan
O most powerful sage
sarvam
everything
yathāvad vaktum arhasi
yathāvat
properly
vaktum arhasi
kindly describe
uttamaśloka-caritaṁ
uttamaśloka-caritam
the pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
sarva-loka-sukhāvaham
sarva-loka-sukha-āvaham
by hearing of which everyone becomes happy.
What was the purpose for which the Supreme Personality of Godhead accepted the abominable form of a fish, exactly as an ordinary living being accepts different forms under the laws of karma? The form of a fish is certainly condemned and full of terrible pain. O my lord, what was the purpose of this incarnation? Kindly explain this to us, for hearing about the pastimes of the Lord is auspicious for everyone.
Purport

Parīkṣit Mahārāja’s question to Śukadeva Gosvāmī was based on this principle stated by the Lord Himself in Bhagavad-gītā (4.7) :

yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata abhyutthānam adharmasya tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham

“Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion — at that time I descend Myself.” The Lord appears in each incarnation to save the world from irreligious principles and especially to protect His devotees ( paritrāṇāya sādhūnām ). Vāmanadeva, for example, appeared to save the devotee Bali Mahārāja. Similarly, when the Supreme Personality of Godhead accepted the abominable form of a fish, He must have done so to favor some devotee. Parīkṣit Mahārāja was eager to know about the devotee for whom the Supreme Lord accepted this form.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Why did the Lord accept the seemingly abominable form of a fish in tamoguṇa, condemned by the world, as if controlled by karma? O sage! Kindly explain to me everything about this pastime of the Lord which gives happiness to the world. The word iva should be added to other phrases describing Matsya so that the meaning becomes “as if in tamaguna and as if intolerable (durmarṣam).” The Lord took the form of a condemned beggar to give mercy to his devotee Bali. If this case is similar, then I want to know to whom the Lord gave mercy by accepting the condemned form of a fish? The activities of the famous Lord give joy to the world because those activities are glorified and heard. To which devotee did the form of Matsya give joy?
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Why did the Lord accept the abominable fish form, full of terrible pain — like an ordinary karma-bound being? The disciple asks the right question. Apparent suffering of incarnations needs explanation, not dismissal.
Reflection Questions
  • Do I sit with the puzzling-suffering of divine incarnations, or quickly explain it away?
  • Where does someone's 'abominable form' in my life serve a purpose I have not paused to inquire about?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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