Manu and the Fish

Verse 1 (3.190.1)

ततः स पाण्डवो भूयो मार्कण्डेयमुवाच ह । कथयस्वेह चरितं मनोर्वैवस्वतस्य च ॥

tataḥ sa pāṇḍavo bhūyo mārkaṇḍeyamuvāca ha | kathayasveha caritaṃ manorvaivasvatasya ca

Then the son of Pandu spoke again to Markandeya: "Tell me here the story of Manu Vaivasvata as well."

Note on the text: Corrected कथयस्वति → कथयस्वेह (misprint in Wikisource; कथयस्वति is not a word; the critical edition reads kathayasveha).

Verse 2 (3.190.2)

विवस्वतः सुतो राजन्महर्षिः सुप्रतापवान् । बभूव नरशार्दूल प्रजापतिसमद्युतिः ॥

vivasvataḥ suto rājanmaharṣiḥ supratāpavān | babhūva naraśārdūla prajāpatisamadyutiḥ

King, tiger among men, there was a son of Vivasvat, a great sage of splendid power, equal in radiance to Prajapati.

Verse 3 (3.190.3)

ओजसातेजसा लक्ष्म्या तपसा च विशेषतः । अतिचक्राम पितरं मनुः स्वंच पितामहम् ॥

ojasātejasā lakṣmyā tapasā ca viśeṣataḥ | aticakrāma pitaraṃ manuḥ svaṃca pitāmaham

In vigour, brilliance, splendour and above all in austerity, Manu surpassed his own father and his grandfather.

Verse 4 (3.190.4)

ऊर्ध्वबाहुर्विशालायां बदर्यां स नराधिपः । एकपादस्थितस्तीव्रं चकार सुमहत्तपः ॥

ūrdhvabāhurviśālāyāṃ badaryāṃ sa narādhipaḥ | ekapādasthitastīvraṃ cakāra sumahattapaḥ

At broad Badari that lord of men, with arms raised and standing on one foot, performed intense and very great austerity.

Verse 5 (3.190.5)

अवाक्शिरास्तथा चापि नेत्रैरनिमिषैर्दृढम् । सोऽतप्यत तपो घोरं वर्षाणामयुतं तदा ॥

avākśirāstathā cāpi netrairanimiṣairdṛḍham | so'tapyata tapo ghoraṃ varṣāṇāmayutaṃ tadā

With head bowed down and eyes fixed and unblinking, he practised fierce austerity for ten thousand years.

Note on the text: Corrected अवाकूशिरास् → अवाक्शिरास् (misprint in Wikisource; ू for virama; the critical edition reads avākśirās).

Verse 6 (3.190.6)

तं कदाचित्तपस्यन्तमार्द्रचीरजटाधरम् । चीरिणीतीरमागम्य मत्स्यो वचनमब्रवीत् ॥

taṃ kadācittapasyantamārdracīrajaṭādharam | cīriṇītīramāgamya matsyo vacanamabravīt

Once, as he was practising austerities, wearing wet bark garments and matted hair, a fish came to the bank of the Chirini and spoke to him:

Verse 7 (3.190.7)

भगवन्क्षुद्रमत्स्योऽस्मि बलवद्भ्यो भयंमम । मत्स्येभ्यो हि ततो मां त्वं त्रातुमर्हसि सुव्रत ॥

bhagavankṣudramatsyo'smi balavadbhyo bhayaṃmama | matsyebhyo hi tato māṃ tvaṃ trātumarhasi suvrata

"Lord, I am a little fish, and I am afraid of the strong fish. So you must save me, you who keep good vows."

Note on the text: Speaker set to मत्स्य: verses 7–9 are the fish's own words, introduced by verse 6. Corrected क्षुद्रमत्स्येस्मि → क्षुद्रमत्स्योऽस्मि (misprint in Wikisource; े for ो and missing avagraha; the critical edition reads kṣudramatsyo 'smi).

Verse 8 (3.190.8)

दुर्बलं बलवन्तो हि मत्स्या मत्स्यं विशेषतः । भक्षयन्ति सदा वृत्तिर्विहिता नः सनातनी ॥

durbalaṃ balavanto hi matsyā matsyaṃ viśeṣataḥ | bhakṣayanti sadā vṛttirvihitā naḥ sanātanī

"For strong fish always devour a weak fish above all; this is the age-old way of life ordained for us."

Verse 9 (3.190.9)

तस्माद्भयौघान्महतो मज्जन्तं मां विशेषतः । त्रातुमर्हसि कर्तास्मि कृतेप्रतिकृतं तव ॥

tasmādbhayaughānmahato majjantaṃ māṃ viśeṣataḥ | trātumarhasi kartāsmi kṛtepratikṛtaṃ tava

"So you must save me, for I am sinking in a great flood of fear. I will repay you for what you do."

Verse 10 (3.190.10)

स मत्स्यवचनं श्रुत्वा कृपयाऽभिपरिप्लुतः । मनुर्वैवस्वतोऽगृह्णात्तं मत्स्यं पाणिना स्वयम् ॥

sa matsyavacanaṃ śrutvā kṛpayā'bhipariplutaḥ | manurvaivasvato'gṛhṇāttaṃ matsyaṃ pāṇinā svayam

Hearing the fish's words, Manu Vaivasvata, overcome with compassion, took the fish in his own hand.

Verse 11 (3.190.11)

उदकान्तमुपानीय मत्स्यं वैवस्वतो मनुः । अलिञ्जरे प्राक्षिपत्तं चन्द्रांशुसदृशप्रभम् ॥

udakāntamupānīya matsyaṃ vaivasvato manuḥ | aliñjare prākṣipattaṃ candrāṃśusadṛśaprabham

Bringing it up from the water's edge, Manu Vaivasvata placed the fish, which shone like a moonbeam, in a jar.

Verse 12 (3.190.12)

स तत्र ववृधे राजन्मत्स्यः परमसत्कृतः । पुत्रवत्स्वीकरोत्तस्मै मनुर्भावं विशेषतः ॥

sa tatra vavṛdhe rājanmatsyaḥ paramasatkṛtaḥ | putravatsvīkarottasmai manurbhāvaṃ viśeṣataḥ

There, O king, the fish grew, cared for with the greatest attention, and Manu came to feel a special affection for it, as for a son.

Verse 13 (3.190.13)

अथ कालेन महता स मत्स्यः सुमहानभूत् । अलिञ्जरजले चैव नासौ समभवत्किल ॥

atha kālena mahatā sa matsyaḥ sumahānabhūt | aliñjarajale caiva nāsau samabhavatkila

Then after a long time the fish grew very large, and could no longer fit in the water of the jar.

Verse 14 (3.190.14)

अथ मत्स्यो मनुं दृष्ट्वा पुनरेवाभ्यभाषत । भगवन्साधु मेऽद्यान्यत्स्थानं संप्रतिपादय ॥

atha matsyo manuṃ dṛṣṭvā punarevābhyabhāṣata | bhagavansādhu me'dyānyatsthānaṃ saṃpratipādaya

Then the fish, seeing Manu, spoke to him again: "Lord, kindly provide me now with another place."

Verse 15 (3.190.15)

उद्धृत्यालिञ्जरात्तस्मात्ततः स भगवान्मनुः । तं मत्स्यमनयद्वापीं महतीं स मनुस्तदा ॥

uddhṛtyāliñjarāttasmāttataḥ sa bhagavānmanuḥ | taṃ matsyamanayadvāpīṃ mahatīṃ sa manustadā

Lifting it out of that jar, the lord Manu then took the fish to a large pond.

Verse 16 (3.190.16)

तत्रतं प्राक्षिपच्चापि मनुः परपुरंजय । अथावर्धत मत्स्यः स पुनर्वर्षगणान्बहून् ॥

tatrataṃ prākṣipaccāpi manuḥ parapuraṃjaya | athāvardhata matsyaḥ sa punarvarṣagaṇānbahūn

He put it in there, conqueror of enemy cities, and the fish grew again for many years.

Verse 17 (3.190.17)

द्वियोजनायता वापी विस्तृताचापि योजनम् । तस्यां नासौ समभवन्मत्स्यो राजीवलोचन ॥

dviyojanāyatā vāpī vistṛtācāpi yojanam | tasyāṃ nāsau samabhavanmatsyo rājīvalocana

The pond was two yojanas long and one yojana wide, yet, lotus-eyed one, the fish could not fit in it

Verse 18 (3.190.18)

विचेष्टितुं च कौन्तेय मत्स्यो वाप्यां विशांपते । मनुं मत्स्यस्ततो दृष्ट्वा पुनरेवाभ्यभाषत ॥

viceṣṭituṃ ca kaunteya matsyo vāpyāṃ viśāṃpate | manuṃ matsyastato dṛṣṭvā punarevābhyabhāṣata

or move about in the pond, son of Kunti, lord of the people. Then the fish, seeing Manu, spoke to him again:

Note on the text: First line = critical edition 3.185.17ef, second line = 3.185.18ab.

Verse 19 (3.190.19)

नय मां भगवन्साधो समुद्रमहिषीं प्रियाम् । गङ्गां नात्रापि शक्तोस्मि वस्तुं मतिमतांवर ॥

naya māṃ bhagavansādho samudramahiṣīṃ priyām | gaṅgāṃ nātrāpi śaktosmi vastuṃ matimatāṃvara

"Lord, good one, take me to the Ganga, the beloved queen of the ocean. I cannot live even here, best of the wise."

Note on the text: Speaker set to मत्स्य: verses 19–20 are the fish's own words, introduced by verse 18. Corrected नांत्रापि → नात्रापि (misprint in Wikisource; stray anusvara). Corresponds to critical edition 3.185.18cd-ef, with a different second line.

Verse 20 (3.190.20)

निदेशे हि मया तुभ्यं स्थातव्यमनसूयता । वृद्धिर्हि परमा प्राप्ता त्वत्कृते हि मयाऽनघ ॥

nideśe hi mayā tubhyaṃ sthātavyamanasūyatā | vṛddhirhi paramā prāptā tvatkṛte hi mayā'nagha

"For I must abide by your command without complaint; it is through you, sinless one, that I have reached this great growth."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text; it appears there as star passage 916, after 3.185.18.

Verse 21 (3.190.21)

एवमुक्तो मनुर्मत्स्यमनयद्भगवान्वशी । नदीं गङ्गां तत्रचैनं स्वयं प्राक्षिपदेव च ॥

evamukto manurmatsyamanayadbhagavānvaśī | nadīṃ gaṅgāṃ tatracainaṃ svayaṃ prākṣipadeva ca

Addressed thus, the self-controlled lord Manu took the fish to the river Ganga and himself placed it there.

Verse 22 (3.190.22)

स तत्र ववृधे मत्स्यः कंचित्कालमरिंदम । गतः पुनर्मनुं दृष्ट्वा मत्स्यो वचनमब्रवीत् ॥

sa tatra vavṛdhe matsyaḥ kaṃcitkālamariṃdama | gataḥ punarmanuṃ dṛṣṭvā matsyo vacanamabravīt

There the fish grew for some time, tamer of foes; then, coming back to Manu, it spoke to him:

Note on the text: Corrected कंचित्रालम् → कंचित्कालम् (misprint in Wikisource; र for क; the critical edition reads kiṃ cit kālam).

Verse 23 (3.190.23)

गङ्गायां हि न शक्नोमि बृहत्त्वाच्चेष्टितुं प्रभो । समुद्रं नय मामाशु प्रसीद भगवन्निति ॥

gaṅgāyāṃ hi na śaknomi bṛhattvācceṣṭituṃ prabho | samudraṃ naya māmāśu prasīda bhagavanniti

"Lord, because of my great size I cannot move about in the Ganga. Take me quickly to the ocean; be gracious, lord."

Note on the text: Speaker set to मत्स्य: the whole verse is the fish's speech, introduced by verse 22.

Verse 24 (3.190.24)

उद्धृत्य गङ्गासलिलात्ततो मत्स्यं मनुः स्वयम् । समुद्रमनयत्पार्थ तत्रचैनमवासृजत् ॥

uddhṛtya gaṅgāsalilāttato matsyaṃ manuḥ svayam | samudramanayatpārtha tatracainamavāsṛjat

Then Manu himself lifted the fish out of the Ganga's water, took it to the ocean, son of Pritha, and released it there.

Note on the text: Corrected पार्त → पार्थ (misprint in Wikisource; त for थ; the critical edition reads pārtha).

Verse 25 (3.190.25)

सुमहानपि मत्स्यस्तु स मनोर्नयतस्तदा । आसीद्यथेष्टहार्यश्च स्पर्शगन्धसुखश्च वै ॥

sumahānapi matsyastu sa manornayatastadā | āsīdyatheṣṭahāryaśca sparśagandhasukhaśca vai

Though the fish was huge, Manu could carry it as easily as he wished as he bore it along, and it was pleasant to touch and to smell.

Verse 26 (3.190.26)

यदा समुद्रे प्रक्षिप्तः स मत्स्यो मनुना तदा । तत एनमिदं वाक्यं स्मयमान इवाब्रवीत् ॥

yadā samudre prakṣiptaḥ sa matsyo manunā tadā | tata enamidaṃ vākyaṃ smayamāna ivābravīt

When the fish had been released into the ocean by Manu, it said to him, as if smiling:

Note on the text: Corrected ननुना → मनुना (misprint in Wikisource; न for म; the critical edition reads manunā).

Verse 27 (3.190.27)

भगवन्हि कृता रक्षा त्वया सर्वा विशेषतः । प्राप्तकालं तु यत्कार्यं त्वया तच्छ्रूयतां मम ॥

bhagavanhi kṛtā rakṣā tvayā sarvā viśeṣataḥ | prāptakālaṃ tu yatkāryaṃ tvayā tacchrūyatāṃ mama

"Lord, you have protected me fully in every way. Now hear from me what you must do, for its time has come."

Note on the text: Speaker set to मत्स्य: verses 27–34 are the fish's speech, introduced by verse 26.

Verse 28 (3.190.28)

अचिराद्भगवन्भौममिदं स्थावरजङ्गमम् । सर्वमेव महाभाग प्रलयं वै गमिष्यति ॥

acirādbhagavanbhaumamidaṃ sthāvarajaṅgamam | sarvameva mahābhāga pralayaṃ vai gamiṣyati

"Soon, lord, all that is on earth, moving and unmoving, will go to its dissolution, fortunate one."

Note on the text: Corrected बौमम् → भौमम् (misprint in Wikisource; ब for भ; the critical edition reads bhaumam).

Verse 29 (3.190.29)

संप्रक्षालनकालोऽयंलोकानां समुपस्थितः । तस्मात्त्वां बोधयाम्यद्ययत्ते हितमनुत्तमम् ॥

saṃprakṣālanakālo'yaṃlokānāṃ samupasthitaḥ | tasmāttvāṃ bodhayāmyadyayatte hitamanuttamam

"The time for the washing away of the worlds has come. That is why I am telling you today what is best for you."

Verse 30 (3.190.30)

त्रसानां स्थावराणां च यच्चेङ्गं यच्च नेङ्गति । तस्य सर्वस्य संप्राप्तः कालः परमदारुणः ॥

trasānāṃ sthāvarāṇāṃ ca yacceṅgaṃ yacca neṅgati | tasya sarvasya saṃprāptaḥ kālaḥ paramadāruṇaḥ

"For all that moves and all that stands still, whatever stirs and whatever does not, the most terrible time has arrived."

Note on the text: Corrected स्तावराणां → स्थावराणां (misprint in Wikisource; त for थ) and सर्वस् → सर्वस्य (misprint; dropped य); the critical edition reads sthāvarāṇāṃ and sarvasya.

Verse 31 (3.190.31)

नौश्च कारयितव्या ते दृढा युक्तवटारका । तत्र सप्तर्षिभिः सार्धमारुहेथा महामुने ॥

nauśca kārayitavyā te dṛḍhā yuktavaṭārakā | tatra saptarṣibhiḥ sārdhamāruhethā mahāmune

"You must have a strong ship built, fitted with ropes. Board it, great sage, together with the seven sages."

Verse 32 (3.190.32)

बीजानि चैव सर्वाणि यथोक्तानि मया पुरा । तस्यामारोहयेर्नावि सुसंगुप्तानि भागशः ॥

bījāni caiva sarvāṇi yathoktāni mayā purā | tasyāmārohayernāvi susaṃguptāni bhāgaśaḥ

"And load on that ship all the seeds, as I described them to you before, each kind kept apart and well protected."

Verse 33 (3.190.33)

नौस्थश्च मां प्रतीक्षेथास्ततो मुनिजनप्रिय । आगमिष्याम्यहं शृङ्गी विज्ञेयस्तेन तापस ॥

nausthaśca māṃ pratīkṣethāstato munijanapriya | āgamiṣyāmyahaṃ śṛṅgī vijñeyastena tāpasa

"Once aboard the ship, wait for me, dear to the hermits. I shall come bearing a horn; by that you will know me, ascetic."

Verse 34 (3.190.34)

एवमेतत्त्वया कार्यमापृष्टोसि व्रजाम्यहम् । ता न शक्या महत्यो वै आपस्तर्तुं मया विना । नातिशङ्क्यमिदं चापि वचनं मे त्वया विभो ॥

evametattvayā kāryamāpṛṣṭosi vrajāmyaham | tā na śakyā mahatyo vai āpastartuṃ mayā vinā | nātiśaṅkyamidaṃ cāpi vacanaṃ me tvayā vibho

"This is what you must do. I take my leave; I am going. Those mighty waters cannot be crossed without me. And do not doubt these words of mine, lord."

Note on the text: Lines 1 and 3 = critical edition 3.185.32 (with a variant in the last line); the second line is not in the constituted text (star passage 917, after 3.185.32ab).

Verse 35 (3.190.35)

एवं करिष्य इति तं स मत्स्यं प्रत्यभाषत । जग्मतुश्च यथाकाममनुज्ञाप्य परस्परम् ॥

evaṃ kariṣya iti taṃ sa matsyaṃ pratyabhāṣata | jagmatuśca yathākāmamanujñāpya parasparam

"I will do so," Manu answered the fish, and the two went their ways as they wished, each taking leave of the other.

Verse 36 (3.190.36)

ततो मनुर्महाराज यथोक्तं मत्स्यकेन ह । बीजान्यादाय सर्वाणि सागरं पुप्लुवे तदा । नौकया शुभयावीर महोर्मिणमरिंदम ॥

tato manurmahārāja yathoktaṃ matsyakena ha | bījānyādāya sarvāṇi sāgaraṃ pupluve tadā | naukayā śubhayāvīra mahormiṇamariṃdama

Then, great king, just as the fish had told him, Manu took all the seeds and set out on the ocean, heaving with great waves, in a fine ship, O hero, tamer of foes.

Verse 37 (3.190.37)

चिन्तयामास च मनुस्तं मत्स्यं पृथिवीपते । सच तच्चिन्तितं ज्ञात्वा मत्स्यः परपुरंजय । शृङ्गी तत्राजगामाशु तदा भरतसत्तम ॥

cintayāmāsa ca manustaṃ matsyaṃ pṛthivīpate | saca taccintitaṃ jñātvā matsyaḥ parapuraṃjaya | śṛṅgī tatrājagāmāśu tadā bharatasattama

And Manu thought of that fish, lord of the earth; and the fish, knowing his thought, conqueror of enemy cities, came there quickly with its horn, best of the Bharatas.

Note on the text: Corrected तत्राजगागाशु → तत्राजगामाशु (misprint in Wikisource; ग for म; the critical edition reads tatrājagāmāśu).

Verse 38 (3.190.38)

तं दृष्ट्वा मनुजव्याघ्र मनुर्मत्स्यं जलार्णवे । शृङ्गिणं तं यथोक्तेन रूपेणाद्रिमिवोच्छ्रितम् ॥

taṃ dṛṣṭvā manujavyāghra manurmatsyaṃ jalārṇave | śṛṅgiṇaṃ taṃ yathoktena rūpeṇādrimivocchritam

Seeing the fish in the expanse of water, tiger among men, horned, in the form it had described, towering like a mountain, Manu

Verse 39 (3.190.39)

वटारकमयं पाशमथ मत्स्यस्य मूर्धनि । मनुर्मनुजशार्दूल तस्मिञ्शृङ्गे न्यवेशयत् ॥

vaṭārakamayaṃ pāśamatha matsyasya mūrdhani | manurmanujaśārdūla tasmiñśṛṅge nyaveśayat

then fastened a noose of rope onto the horn on the fish's head, tiger among men.

Note on the text: Corrected तस् शृङ्गे → तस्मिञ्शृङ्गे (misprint in Wikisource; the word is cut short; the critical edition reads tasmiñ śṛṅge).

Verse 40 (3.190.40)

संयतस्तेन पाशेन मत्स्यः परपुरंजय । वेगेन महता नावं प्राकर्षल्लवणाम्भसि ॥

saṃyatastena pāśena matsyaḥ parapuraṃjaya | vegena mahatā nāvaṃ prākarṣallavaṇāmbhasi

Bound by that noose, conqueror of enemy cities, the fish drew the ship through the salt water with great speed.

Verse 41 (3.190.41)

स ततार तया नावा समुद्रं मनुजेश्वर । नृत्यमानमिवोर्मीभिर्गर्जमानमिवाम्भसा ॥

sa tatāra tayā nāvā samudraṃ manujeśvara | nṛtyamānamivormībhirgarjamānamivāmbhasā

In that ship he crossed the ocean, lord of men, an ocean that seemed to dance with its waves and to roar with its waters.

Verse 42 (3.190.42)

क्षोभ्यमाणा महावातैः सा नौस्तस्मिन्महोदधौ । घूर्णते चपलेव स्त्री मत्ता परपुरंजय ॥

kṣobhyamāṇā mahāvātaiḥ sā naustasminmahodadhau | ghūrṇate capaleva strī mattā parapuraṃjaya

Tossed by mighty winds on that great ocean, the ship reeled like a fickle, drunken woman, conqueror of enemy cities.

Note on the text: Corrected स्‌री → स्त्री (misprint in Wikisource; dropped त with a stray zero-width joiner; the critical edition reads strī).

Verse 43 (3.190.43)

नैव भूमिर्न च दिशः प्रदिशो वा चकाशिरे । सर्वं सलिलमेवासीत्खं द्यौश्च नरपुङ्गव ॥

naiva bhūmirna ca diśaḥ pradiśo vā cakāśire | sarvaṃ salilamevāsītkhaṃ dyauśca narapuṅgava

Neither land nor the directions nor the intermediate directions could be seen; everything was water, the sky and heaven too, bull among men.

Verse 44 (3.190.44)

एवंभूते तदा लोके संकुले भरतर्षभ । अदृश्यन्त सप्तर्षयो मनुर्मत्स्यस्तथैव च ॥

evaṃbhūte tadā loke saṃkule bharatarṣabha | adṛśyanta saptarṣayo manurmatsyastathaiva ca

When the world was in such turmoil, bull of the Bharatas, only the seven sages, Manu and the fish could be seen.

Verse 45 (3.190.45)

एवं बहून्वर्षगणांस्तां नावं सोऽथ मत्स्यकः । चकर्षातन्द्रितो राजंस्तस्मिन्सलिलसंचये ॥

evaṃ bahūnvarṣagaṇāṃstāṃ nāvaṃ so'tha matsyakaḥ | cakarṣātandrito rājaṃstasminsalilasaṃcaye

So for many long years that fish tirelessly drew the ship, O king, through that mass of water.

Verse 46 (3.190.46)

ततो हिमवतः शृङ्गं यत्परं भरतर्षभ । तत्राकर्षत्ततो नावं स मत्स्यः कुरुनन्दन ॥

tato himavataḥ śṛṅgaṃ yatparaṃ bharatarṣabha | tatrākarṣattato nāvaṃ sa matsyaḥ kurunandana

Then, bull of the Bharatas, the fish drew the ship to the highest peak of the Himalaya, joy of the Kurus.

Verse 47 (3.190.47)

अथाब्रवीत्तदा मत्स्यस्तानृषीन्प्रहसञ्शनैः । अस्मिन्हिमवतः शृङ्गे नावं बध्नीत माचिरम् ॥

athābravīttadā matsyastānṛṣīnprahasañśanaiḥ | asminhimavataḥ śṛṅge nāvaṃ badhnīta māciram

Then the fish, gently laughing, said to the sages: "Tie the ship to this peak of the Himalaya without delay."

Verse 48 (3.190.48)

सा बद्धा तत्र तैस्तूर्णमृषिभिर्भरतर्षभ । नौर्मत्स्यस्य वचः श्रुत्वा शृङ्गे हिमवतस्तदा ॥

sā baddhā tatra taistūrṇamṛṣibhirbharatarṣabha | naurmatsyasya vacaḥ śrutvā śṛṅge himavatastadā

Hearing the fish's words, the sages quickly tied the ship there to the peak of the Himalaya, bull of the Bharatas.

Verse 49 (3.190.49)

तच्च नौबन्धनं नाम शृङ्गं हिमवतः परम् । ख्यातमद्यापि कौन्तेय तद्विद्धि भरतर्षभ ॥

tacca naubandhanaṃ nāma śṛṅgaṃ himavataḥ param | khyātamadyāpi kaunteya tadviddhi bharatarṣabha

And that highest peak of the Himalaya is known even today as Naubandhana, "the Mooring of the Ship", son of Kunti; know this, bull of the Bharatas.

Verse 50 (3.190.50)

अथाब्रवीदनिमिषस्तानृषीन्सहितस्तदा । अहं प्रजापतिर्ब्रह्मा मत्परं नाधिगम्यते । मत्स्यरूपेण यूयं च मयाऽस्मान्मोक्षिता भयात् ॥

athābravīdanimiṣastānṛṣīnsahitastadā | ahaṃ prajāpatirbrahmā matparaṃ nādhigamyate | matsyarūpeṇa yūyaṃ ca mayā'smānmokṣitā bhayāt

Then the unblinking one spoke to the sages gathered together: "I am Brahma, the lord of creatures; nothing higher than me is to be found. In the form of a fish I have freed you from this danger."

Verse 51 (3.190.51)

मनुना च प्रजाः सर्वाः सदेवासुरमानुषाः । स्रष्टव्याः सर्वलोकाश्चयच्चेङ्गं यच्च नेङ्गति ॥

manunā ca prajāḥ sarvāḥ sadevāsuramānuṣāḥ | sraṣṭavyāḥ sarvalokāścayacceṅgaṃ yacca neṅgati

"And Manu is to create all beings, with gods, asuras and humans, and all the worlds, whatever moves and whatever does not."

Note on the text: Speaker set to मत्स्य: the whole verse continues the fish's speech begun in verse 50. Corrected मानुपाः → मानुषाः (misprint in Wikisource; प for ष) and यच्चा → यच्च (misprint; stray ा); the critical edition reads yac ca neṅgati.

Verse 52 (3.190.52)

तपसा चापि तीव्रेण प्रतिभाऽस्य भविष्यति । मत्प्रसादात्प्रजासर्गे न च मोहं गमिष्यति । इत्युक्त्वा वचनं मत्स्यः क्षणेनादर्शनं गतः ॥

tapasā cāpi tīvreṇa pratibhā'sya bhaviṣyati | matprasādātprajāsarge na ca mohaṃ gamiṣyati | ityuktvā vacanaṃ matsyaḥ kṣaṇenādarśanaṃ gataḥ

"Through intense austerity insight will come to him, and by my grace he will not fall into confusion in creating beings." Having said these words, the fish vanished in an instant.

Note on the text: Lines 1–2 = critical edition 3.185.50 (the end of the fish's speech); the third line, narration, = 3.185.51ab.

Verse 53 (3.190.53)

स्रष्टुकामः प्रजाश्चापि मनुर्वैवस्वतः स्वयम् । प्रमूढोऽभूत्प्रजासर्गे तपस्तेपे महत्ततः ॥

sraṣṭukāmaḥ prajāścāpi manurvaivasvataḥ svayam | pramūḍho'bhūtprajāsarge tapastepe mahattataḥ

Though he wished to create beings, Manu Vaivasvata himself became bewildered in the work of creation, and so he performed great austerity.

Note on the text: = critical edition 3.185.51cd-ef.

Verse 54 (3.190.54)

तपसा महता युक्तः सोऽथ स्रष्टुं प्रचक्रमे । सर्वाः प्रजा मनुः साक्षाद्यथावद्भरतर्षभ ॥

tapasā mahatā yuktaḥ so'tha sraṣṭuṃ pracakrame | sarvāḥ prajā manuḥ sākṣādyathāvadbharatarṣabha

Endowed with great austerity, Manu then began to create all beings directly and in their proper order, bull of the Bharatas.

Verse 55 (3.190.55)

इत्येतन्मात्स्यकं नाम पुराणं परिकीर्तितम् । आख्यानमिदमाख्यातं सर्वपापहरं मया ॥

ityetanmātsyakaṃ nāma purāṇaṃ parikīrtitam | ākhyānamidamākhyātaṃ sarvapāpaharaṃ mayā

Thus has this ancient tale called the Matsyaka, the Story of the Fish, been recounted; this narrative, which takes away all sin, I have told you.

Verse 56 (3.190.56)

य इदं शृणुयान्नित्यं मनोश्चरितमादितः । स सुखी सर्वपूर्णार्थः सर्वलोकमियान्नरः ॥

ya idaṃ śṛṇuyānnityaṃ manoścaritamāditaḥ | sa sukhī sarvapūrṇārthaḥ sarvalokamiyānnaraḥ

The man who always hears this story of Manu from the beginning will be happy, with all his aims fulfilled, and will reach every world.