Text
yad-artham adadhād rūpaṁ
mātsyaṁ loka-jugupsitam
tamaḥ-prakṛti-durmarṣaṁ
karma-grasta iveśvaraḥ
etan no bhagavan sarvaṁ
yathāvad vaktum arhasi
uttamaśloka-caritaṁ
sarva-loka-sukhāvaham
Synonyms
yat-artham—for what purpose; adadhāt—accepted; rupam—form; matsyam—of a fish; loka-jugupsitam—which is certainly not very favorable in this world; tamah—in the mode of ignorance; prakrti—such behavior; durmarsam—which is certainly very painful and condemned; karma-grastaḥ—one who is under the laws of karma; iva—like; isvarah—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; etat—all these facts; nah—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-avaham—by hearing of which everyone becomes happy. ¶
Translation
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 (Bg. 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 [Bg. 4.8]). 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. ¶