Dashaka 32

पुरा हयग्रीवमहासुरेण षष्ठान्तरान्तोद्यदकाण्डकल्पे ।
निद्रोन्मुखब्रह्ममुखात् हृतेषु वेदेष्वधित्स: किल मत्स्यरूपम् ॥१॥

Long ago during the Pralaya which took place at the end of the sixth Manvantara, when Brahmaa was about to sleep, the great Asura Hayagreeva stole the Vedas from his mouth. In order to restore them, Thou decided to incarnate as a fish.

सत्यव्रतस्य द्रमिलाधिभर्तुर्नदीजले तर्पयतस्तदानीम् ।
कराञ्जलौ सञ्ज्वलिताकृतिस्त्वमदृश्यथा: कश्चन बालमीन: ॥२॥

Sage Satyavrata, the king of Dramila, was doing Tarpana in the waters of the river Kritamaalaa. In his joined palms, then, Thou appeared as an lustrous indescribable form of a shining tiny fish.

क्षिप्तं जले त्वां चकितं विलोक्य निन्येऽम्बुपात्रेण मुनि: स्वगेहम् ।
स्वल्पैरहोभि: कलशीं च कूपं वापीं सरश्चानशिषे विभो त्वम् ॥३॥

When the royal sage threw Thee in the water, seeing Thee very frightened he took Thee to his home in the kamandalu, the water vessel. In a few days, Thou outgrew the pot, the well, the tank and the lake.

योगप्रभावाद्भवदाज्ञयैव नीतस्ततस्त्वं मुनिना पयोधिम् ।
पृष्टोऽमुना कल्पदिदृक्षुमेनं सप्ताहमास्वेति वदन्नयासी: ॥४॥

Then at Thy command sage Satyavrata took Thee to the ocean by means of his yogic powers. On his expressing a desire to see the Pralaya, Thou asked him to wait for seven days. Then Thou disappeared.

प्राप्ते त्वदुक्तेऽहनि वारिधारापरिप्लुते भूमितले मुनीन्द्र: ।
सप्तर्षिभि: सार्धमपारवारिण्युद्घूर्णमान: शरणं ययौ त्वाम् ॥५॥

When the day mentioned by Thee arrived, the earth was engulfed by incessant downpour of rain. The great sage Satyavrata along with the Saptarshis floundering in the limitless expanse of tremulous waters sought refuge in Thee.

धरां त्वदादेशकरीमवाप्तां नौरूपिणीमारुरुहुस्तदा ते
तत्कम्पकम्प्रेषु च तेषु भूयस्त्वमम्बुधेराविरभूर्महीयान् ॥६॥

Ever obedient to Thee the earth in the form of a boat approached at Thy command which they then boarded. And when they were terrified by the boat's trembling, Thou again appeared in the ocean in the form of a huge fish.

झषाकृतिं योजनलक्षदीर्घां दधानमुच्चैस्तरतेजसं त्वाम् ।
निरीक्ष्य तुष्टा मुनयस्त्वदुक्त्या त्वत्तुङ्गशृङ्गे तरणिं बबन्धु: ॥७॥

The sages were delighted to see Thee of exceeding glory in the form of a fish about a lakh of yojanas in length. At Thy command, they tied the boat to Thy high prominent horns.

आकृष्टनौको मुनिमण्डलाय प्रदर्शयन् विश्वजगद्विभागान् ।
संस्तूयमानो नृवरेण तेन ज्ञानं परं चोपदिशन्नचारी: ॥८॥

As Thou pulled the boat, Thou showed the sages the various regions of the world. The great king Satyavrata sang hymns of Thy glory, and Thou moved about bestowing on him the knowledge of the Aatman.

कल्पावधौ सप्तमुनीन् पुरोवत् प्रस्थाप्य सत्यव्रतभूमिपं तम् ।
वैवस्वताख्यं मनुमादधान: क्रोधाद् हयग्रीवमभिद्रुतोऽभू: ॥९॥

At the end of the Pralaya, Thou installed the seven sages in their places as before. The king Satyavrata was installed as the Vaivasvata Manu. Then Thou attacked the demon Hayagreeva in great rage.

स्वतुङ्गशृङ्गक्षतवक्षसं तं निपात्य दैत्यं निगमान् गृहीत्वा ।
विरिञ्चये प्रीतहृदे ददान: प्रभञ्जनागारपते प्रपाया: ॥१०॥

Thou with Thy great horns tore apart the chest of the Asura Hayagreeva and killed him. Then recovering the Vedas, handed them over to the delighted Brahmaa. O Lord of Guruvaayur! Protect me.