Matsya Dvādaśī
Matsya Dvādaśī, simply known as Matsya Dvadashi, Sanskrit: मत्स्य द्वादशी, Telugu: మత్స్య ద్వాదశి, Hindi: मत्स्य द्वादशी.
The Matsya Dvādaśī is a rite for the Śukla Dvādaśī (twelfth day of the bright fortnight) of Mārgaśīrsha. In it Bhagavān Vishṇu is worshipped in his Matsya (fish) form, a golden fish placed in a vessel and surrounded by four pots that stand for the four oceans. The Skanda Mahā Purāṇa gives it in the Vaishṇava Khaṇḍa, in the Mārgaśīrsha Māsa Māhātmya, Chapter 14.
The rite begins on Daśamī and includes the Ekādaśī fast. After a night vigil (jāgaraṇa) before the Matsya, the four pots are given at dawn to four Veda scholars, and the golden fish is given to the ācārya.
Daśamī: the day before
On the Daśamī of Mārgaśīrsha Śukla the devotee worships Bhagavān Vishṇu with self-control and with havya rice (rice for the offering). The homa (fire offering) is done in the sacred fire as the rules lay down. Five steps are walked after the consecrated rice is cooked.
Ekādaśī: the fast
On Ekādaśī the devotee bathes and cleans the teeth with a twig from a kshīravṛksha (a milk-secreting tree). He then does ācamana (sipping water), looks at the sky and meditates on Bhagavān Vishṇu. Bhagavān Vishṇu is meditated on as the holder of the iron club, clad in yellow robes and wearing the crown, with conch, discus and iron club, with a happy lotus-like face and all the auspicious marks. He is meditated on as present within the disc of the sun.
Arghya (an offering of water) is made with this mantra:
“O Puṇḍarīkāksha, I shall remain without food on the Ekādaśī day and take food on the next day. Be my refuge, O Acyuta.”
That night “Namaḥ Nārāyaṇāya” is repeated before the mūrti.
Dvādaśī morning: the holy bath
On Dvādaśī morning the devotee goes to a river that joins the sea, or to any other river or lake, or stays at home. He takes pure clay and prays to it with three mantras:
- “O Devī Pṛthivī, all living beings are always sustained and nourished by you. By that truth, O auspicious one, remove my pāpa (sin).”
- “All the tīrthas within the Cosmic Egg have been touched by the hands of the devas. I handle this clay touched by them.”
- “O Varuṇa, all the rasas are always present in you. Flow on this clay and make it pure.”
The clay is rubbed on the body three times and washed off. Then he takes the bath.
Setting up the Matsya
The devotee then worships Bhagavān Nārāyaṇa with twelve names, each given to a part of the body or an emblem:
- “Obeisance to Keśava”: feet
- “Obeisance to Dāmodara”: waist
- “Obeisance to Nṛsiṃha”: knees
- “Obeisance to the bearer of Śrīvatsa”: chest
- “Obeisance to the bearer of Kaustubha in the navel”: neck
- “Obeisance to Śrīpati”: bosom
- “Obeisance to the conqueror of the three worlds”: arm
- “Obeisance to the ātmā of all”: head
- “Obeisance to the holder of the discus”: face
- “Obeisance to Śrīkara”: conch
- “Obeisance to Gambhīra”: iron club
- “Obeisance to Śāntamūrti”: lotus
The four ocean-pots
Four pots are placed in front of Bhagavān Vishṇu. They are filled with water, smeared with white ointments and sandalwood paste, decked with flower garlands and mango leaves, and wrapped in white cloth. Each is topped with a copper vessel that holds gold pieces and is filled with sesame seeds. These four pots stand for the four oceans.
The golden Matsya
In the centre of the four pots, on a stand covered with cloth, a vessel of gold, silver, copper or wood (or a cup of palāśa leaves) is placed and filled with water. In this vessel is set a golden image of Bhagavān Janārdana in the form of a fish. It is fitted with all its divine parts and adorned with the Vedas and the Smṛtis.
This is the mantra of the pūjā:
“Just as, O Matsya in the form of a fish, you lifted up all the Vedas that had been taken to the nether worlds, so also, O Keśava, lift me out of the ocean of worldly existence.”
After this, the jāgaraṇa (night vigil) is kept before the Matsya through the night. The place is decorated with food, fruits and flowers.
Gifts at dawn
When the day has dawned clear, the four pots are given:
- the east pot to a Bāhvṛca (a follower of the Ṛgveda)
- the south pot to a Chāndogya (a follower of the Sāmaveda)
- the west pot to a scholar of the Yajurveda
- the north pot to any brāhmaṇa he chooses
He says: “May the Ṛgveda be pleased in the East. May the Sāmaveda be pleased in the South. May the Yajurveda be pleased in the West. May the Atharvaveda be pleased in the North.”
The golden Matsya is given to the ācārya with scents, incense and clothes, and with due honour. The ācārya carries out the secret mantra method. Brāhmaṇas are fed with plenty of well-cooked food, and the one who has taken up the rite eats with them.
The phala
Matsya was the first great avatāra of Vishṇu. He brought back the Vedas from the asuras who had stolen them and thrown them into the nether worlds.
Bhagavān Vishṇu declares: “If one has a million mouths and the long life of Brahmā, one can describe only a part of the phala of this pious act.”
Sources
- Skanda Mahā Purāṇa, Vaishṇava Khaṇḍa, Mārgaśīrsha Māsa Māhātmya, Chapter 14