Matsya Jayanti 2026 Date

About Matsya Jayanti

Falls on Chaitra Shukla Tritiya, inside Chaitra Navratri — and marks the oldest flood story in Indian scripture. The Shatapatha Brahmana tells of a tiny fish that kept outgrowing every pot, tank and river before towing King Satyavrata's boat through the deluge by a single horn.

The fullest version is in the Bhagavata Purana (Canto 8.24). King Satyavrata of Dravida is offering water in the River Kritamala when a small fish swims into his cupped palms and begs protection. He moves it from pot to tank to river to ocean — it outgrows each. The fish then reveals itself as Vishnu and warns of a deluge in seven days. Satyavrata is told to load seeds, herbs and the seven sages into a boat and tie it to the fish's horn using the serpent Vasuki as rope. As Matsya tows the boat, he expounds the Vedas to Satyavrata — who later becomes Vaivasvata Manu, ancestor of our age. Earlier, while Brahma slept, the horse-headed demon Hayagriva had stolen the Vedas; Matsya killed him and returned them. The Matsya Purana, one of the eighteen Mahapuranas, frames itself as this very shipboard discourse.