While there are multiple versions of this story, the underlying theme and the events associated with the Matsya avatar stays the same in all of them.
One day while bathing, Satyavrata (also called Manu by some) accidentally catches a small fish in his hands. To his surpise, the fish looks at him and starts talking to him. It asks Manu to save its life and protect it in return for which the Matsya will protect Manu from an impending flood about which it is aware of.
When Manu agrees to help, the fish first asks him to put it in a jar of water, and then when it outgrows the same, it asks him to dig a pit, fill it with water and put it in the pit. Later, when it outgrows the pit, it asks Manu to transfer it to the ocean, by which time it is big enough to survive and is also indestructible. At this point, the fish asks Manu to build himself a boat and be ready for the impending flood. It also instructs him that when the flood waters increase, he should think of the fish that will then come over to help him out.
When the flood begins, Manu boards the boat and then prays to the fish for assistance. The fish then appears and ties the boat to a horn that has grown on its head. It uses the serpent Vasuki as the rope to tie the boat to its horn. The fish then tows this boat to safety and takes Manu to the highest and driest point left on the earth.
It is told that as the matsya swam through the flood waters he discoursed Manu on the various topics and revealed to him the knowledge of the Vedas, Puranas, Samhitas and the Supreme Truth.
Some versions also has the matsya instructing Manu to collect seeds of all types of plants and assembling the saptarishis (seven great sages) on the boat who are then rescued by the great matsya.
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This post has been written for Friday Fictioneers Photo Prompt – Nov 1 where the post had to be inspired by the pic below.
Mahabore's Mumblings 
oh wow! Fiction or Fact? I haven’t about this before. 🙂
@Jyothi, I cannot verify whether it is fiction or fact, but it is the generally accepted story about the Matsya Purana 🙂
It’s a lovely story, though perhaps a bit too complex to fit into the 100 words required for Friday Fictioneers. Nicely done.
@Sandra, yes, for sure it didn’t fit into the 100 word limit, but am glad you liked the post itself 🙂
I love this story, Jairam, and have imagined, visualized it many times through my childhood. I also love how it is parallel to the Noah’s Ark story in many ways.
Thanks. 😀
Happy Diwali to you and your loved ones!
@Vidya, oh yes, this is the Indian version of the story of the great deluge, maybe I will do a post on some of the other stories about the Great Flood from various other countries’ mythologies, and here’s wishing you and your family a happy Diwali as well 😀
Dear Jairam,
Thanks for sharing this fascinating bit of folklore. Nice that it fit well with the prompt.
shalom,
Rochelle
@rochellewisoff, am glad you liked the post even though it didn’t fit into the 100 word limit 😀
In the story where Noah built a huge Ark (boat ) and the boat carried a seed each of every species of plant and a pair (male and female) of every know animal. loved the story, Jairam.
@Kalpana, yes, this is the Indian mythology version of the Noah’s Ark story 🙂
Dear Jairam,
Thank you for teaching me. I love to learn and your retelling of that ancient tale was enlightening.
Aloha,
Doug
@dmmacilroy, glad you enjoyed the post 🙂
That’s something new for me to learn, today. Thanks 🙂
@Kajal, glad you liked the post 🙂
Thank you for this post – I didn’t know the story myself 🙂
@Abhra, glad you liked the post, and yes, this is the story of the Matsya avatar from the Dashavatara series
Do you plan to cover all the avatar in that series? I think that would be a good idea.
@Abhra, maybe I will do a series on the various avatars….
Wow! I wasn’t aware of this story. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
@Rekha, glad you enjoyed this fishy tale 🙂
Far over the 100-word limit, but worth every character. I love learning something new, especially when that new thing parallels stories I’ve already heard. It makes me think and question. And that’s a good thing. Many thanks for sharing.
@Cherry Pickens, yes, while the post was well over the 100 word limit, I pretty much used the prompt as an excuse to tell this story, that’s all 😀 Am glad you liked the post itself 🙂
I knew about the fish and flood but not about the discourses it gave to Manu..
@Richa, where do you think Manu got his knowledge to write his Manu Smritis from ??? 😉 All fishy knowledge only 😀
Lovely…
Thanks for sharing these legends with us….
@Shelly, my absolute pleasure 😀