Editing Matsya (section)

===Saviour of the Vedas===
[[File:Matsya and Manu.jpg|thumb|350x350px|Manu with the seven sages in a boat tied by a serpent to Matsya (left bottom); Indra and Brahma pay their respects to Vishnu as Matsya, who is slaying the daitya Hayagriva - who hides in a conch. Mewar, circa 1840]]
The ''[[Bhagavata Purana]]'' adds another reason for the Matsya avatar. At the end of the ''kalpa'', a demon Hayagriva ("horse-necked") steals the [[Vedas]], which escape from the yawn of a sleepy Brahma. Vishnu discovers the theft. He descends to earth in the form of a little ''saphari'' fish, or the Matsya avatar. One day, the king of [[South India|Dravida]] country (South India) named Satyavrata cups water in his hand for libation in the [[Vaigai River|Kritamala river]] (identified with [[Vaigai River]] in [[Tamil Nadu]], South India{{sfn|Shastri|Tagare|1999|pp=1116, 1118}}). There he finds a little fish. The fish asks him to save him from predators and let it grow. Satyavrata is filled with compassion for the little fish. He puts the fish in a pot, from there to a well, then a tank, and when it outgrows the tank, he transfers the fish finally to the sea. The fish rapidly outgrows the sea. Satyavrata asks the supernatural fish to reveal its true identity, but soon realizes it to be Vishnu. Matsya-Vishnu informs the king of the impending flood coming in seven days. The king is asked to collect every species of animal, plant, and seeds as well as the seven sages ([[Saptarshi]]) in a boat. The fish asks the king to tie the boat to its horn with the help of the [[Shesha]] serpent. The deluge comes. While carrying them to safety, the fish avatar teaches the highest knowledge to the sages and Satyavrata to prepare them for the next cycle of existence. The ''Bhagavata Purana'' states that this knowledge was compiled as a Purana, interpreted as an allusion to the ''Matsya Purana''.{{sfn|Shastri|Tagare|1999|p=1123}} After the deluge, Matsya slays the demon and rescues the Vedas, restoring them to Brahma, who has woken from his sleep to restart creation afresh. Satyavrata becomes Vaivasvata Manu and is installed as the Manu of the current ''kalpa''.<ref name="Rao124">Rao pp. 124-125</ref>{{sfn|George M. Williams|2008|p=213}}{{sfn|Shastri|Tagare|1999|pp=1116–24}}<!-- Ref for full episode -->

The ''[[Agni Purana]]'' narrative is similar to the ''Bhagavata Purana'' version placed around [[Vaigai River|Kritamala river]] and also records the rescue of Vedas from the demon Hayagriva. It mentions Vaivasvata Manu only collecting all seeds (not living beings) and assembling the seven sages similar to the ''Mahabharata'' version. It also adds the basis of the ''Matsya Purana'', being the discourse of Matsya to Manu, similar to the ''Bhagavata Purana'' version.{{sfn|Shastri|Bhatt|Gangadharan|1998|pp=3–4}}<ref>Rao pp. 125-6</ref> While listing the Puranas, the ''Agni Purana'' states that the ''Matsya Purana'' was told by Matsya to Manu at the beginning of the ''kalpa''.{{sfn|Shastri|Bhatt|Gangadharan|1998|p=734}}

The ''[[Varaha Purana]]'' equates Narayana (identified with Vishnu) as the creator-god, instead of Brahma. Narayana creates the universe. At the start of a new ''kalpa'', Narayana wakes from his slumber and thinks about the Vedas. He realizes that they are in the [[cosmic ocean|cosmic waters]]. He takes the form of a gigantic fish and rescues the Vedas and other scriptures.{{sfn|Varaha Purana|1960|pp=33–5}} In another instance, Narayana retrieves the Vedas from the [[Patala|Rasatala]] (netherworld) and grants them to Brahma.{{sfn|Varaha Purana|1960|p=1}} The Purana also extols Narayana as the primordial fish who also bore the earth.{{sfn|Varaha Purana|1960|pp=59, 259}} PPL

The ''Garuda Purana'' states that Matsya slew Hayagriva and rescued the Vedas as well as the Manu.{{sfn|Garuda Purana|2002|p=411}} In another instance, it states that Vishnu as Matsya killed the demon Pralamba in the reign of the third Manu - Uttama.{{sfn|Garuda Purana|2002|p=268}} The ''[[Naradiya Purana|Narada Purana]]'' states that the demon Hayagriva (son of Kashyapa and Diti) seized the Vedas of the mouth of Brahma. Vishnu then takes the Matsya form and kills the demon, retrieving the Vedas. The incident is said to have happened in the [[Badrinath|Badari forest]]. The deluge and Manu are dropped in the narrative.{{sfn|Narada Purana|1952|pp=1978–9}} The ''[[Shiva Purana]]'' praises Vishnu as Matsya who rescued the Vedas via king Satyavrata and swam through the ocean of ''pralaya''.{{sfn|Shastri|2000|p=873}}

The ''[[Padma Purana]]'' replaces Manu with the sage [[Kashyapa]], who finds the little fish who expands miraculously. Another major divergence is the absence of the deluge. Vishnu as Matsya slays the demon Shankha. Matsya-Vishnu then orders the sages to gather the Vedas from the waters and then presents the same to Brahma in [[Allahabad|Prayag]]. This Purana does not reveal how the scriptures drowned in the waters. Vishnu then resides in the Badari forest with other deities.{{sfn|Padma Purana|1954|pp=2656–7}} The ''Karttikamsa-Mahatmya'' in the ''[[Skanda Purana]]'' narrates that slaying of the ''[[asura]]'' (demon) Shankha by Matsya. [[Shankha]] (lit. "conch"), the son of [[Samudra|Sagara]] (the ocean), snatches the powers of various gods. Shankha, wishing to acquire more power, steals the Vedas from Brahma, while Vishnu was sleeping. The Vedas escape from his clutches and hide in the ocean. Implored by the gods, Vishnu wakes on [[Prabodhini Ekadashi]] and takes the form of a ''saphari'' fish and annihilates the demon. Similar to the ''Padma Purana'', the sages re-compile the scattered Vedas from the oceans. The Badari forest and Prayag also appear in this version, though the tale of growing fish and Manu is missing.{{sfn|Skanda Purana|1998a|pp=125–7}}

Another account in the ''Padma Purana'' mentions that a demon son called Makara steals the Vedas from Brahma and hides them in the cosmic ocean. Beseeched by Brahma and the gods, Vishnu takes the Matsya-form and enters the waters, then turns into a crocodile and destroys the demon. The sage [[Vyasa]] is credited with re-compilation of the Vedas in this version. The Vedas are then returned to Brahma.{{sfn|Padma Purana|1956|pp=3174–6}}

The ''[[Brahma Purana]]'' states that Vishnu took the form of a [[rohu|rohita]] fish when the earth was in the [[Patala|netherland]] to rescue the Vedas.{{sfn|Shah|1990|p=328}}{{sfn|Narada Purana|1952|p=1890}} The [[Krishna]]-centric ''[[Brahmavaivarta Purana]]'' states that Matsya is an avatar of Krishna (identified with Supreme Being) and in a hymn to Krishna praises Matsya as the protector of the Vedas and Brahmins (the sages), who imparted knowledge to the king.{{sfn|Nagar|2005|pp=74, 194|loc=volume II}}

The ''Purusottama-Ksetra-Mahatmya'' of ''Skanda Purana'' in relationship of the origin of the herb ''[[Artemisia pallens|Damanaka]]'' states that a ''[[daitya]]'' (demon) named Damanaka tormented people and wandered in the waters. On the request of Brahma, Vishnu takes the Matsya form, pulls the demon from the waters and crushes him on land. The demon transforms into a fragrant herb called Damanaka, which Vishnu wears in his [[Vaijayanti|flower garland]].{{sfn|Skanda Purana|1998|p=227}}