Vishnu as the (Matsya Avatar) Fish Incarnation saves Vaivasvata from the deluge and prepares him for his role as Manu.
The Matsya Purana contains the knowledge imparted to Vaivasvata Manu by Vishnu in the Matsya Avatar. Some of the issues not covered in the other Puranas are the treatises on Hindu architecture and Hindu sculpture. Later the Matsya Purana was narrated by the sage Lomaharshana to the august gathering in the forest of Naimisharanya. It has 14,000 verses divided into 291 chapters. The Matsya Purana is regarded as a tamasik Purana because of its focus on rituals, as the sections on architecture and sculpture show.
The Matsya Avatar
Satyavrata, who later was known as Vaivasvata Manu, was a pious and righteous king. Once as he scooped water from a river a tiny fish came along with the water. He was about to return the fish to the river when it asked for protection from the larger fish in the river. Satyavrata put the fish into his urn but overnight it grew big and asked for a larger container. This happened night after night and the king moved the fish from pond to lake to the ocean. Then he realized that the fish could be no ordinary fish but had to be God incarnate. He offered his salutations and begged resolution of the mystery. The fish told him that in due course the earth would be inundated and all life would be destroyed. Satyavrata was asked to collect the seeds and animals required for life to begin again and wait for the fish. When the deluge began the fish appeared with a boat in tow and Satyavrata got in with the seeds and animals. While the flood lasted the fish kept the boat afloat on the water and also narrated to Satyavrata the contents recorded in the Matsya Purana.
Architecture
The Matsya Purana lays down the auspicious times to start the construction of the house. It also describes the rituals to be performed before starting the construction and the appropriate size of housing for different classes of citizens. But of greatest importance is the section that deals with the selection of trees to be used for the wood. The trees should not be holding the nests of birds. The trees from near temples, from riverbanks and from cremation grounds should not be used. This shows extreme sensitivity to the both the environment and to the needs of society. Hinduism has always been aware of environmental issues as discussed in Hinduism and the Environment.
Sculpture
The Matsya Purana emphasizes the proper depiction of the deities. Vishnu should be depicted with either four or eight arms. In the four arm depiction the right arms should hold the mace and the lotus, whereas the left arms should hold the Sudarshana Chakra and the conch shell. His vahana, the Garuda, should be at his feet to his right and his consort Lakshmi to his left.
Certain symbolism should always be preserved when depicting Shiva, such as his matted locks, crescent moon, the river Ganga, the garland of snakes and the loincloth of tiger skin. When Shiva is shown riding his vahana, the Nandi, he should be shown with two arms, in the avatar as Nataraj with ten arms and while slaying the demon Tripurasura with sixteen arms. Ardhanarishwara is a special depiction of Shiva and Parvati fused into one. The right side shows the masculine Shiva bearing a skull or trident and the left half is Parvati bearing a lotus or mirror. The Ardhanarishwara portrays the essential unity of the male and the female and the need for their equal coexistence.
Please check my course on Hindu Mythology
Please check my articles on Mythology from India
