On Chaitra Shukla Tritiya, the third day of the waxing phase of the Chaitra month, Matsya Jayanti, or the appearance day of Matsya Avatar of Lord Vishnu, is observed. The day usually falls during the end of March or early April and coincides with Gangaur festivities.
In 2023, the date of Matsya Jayanti is March 24.
It marks the day when Lord Vishnu took his first incarnation on planet Earth. The other nine incarnations of the Dashavatar are Kurma; Varaha; Narasimha; Vamana; Parashurama; Rama; Balarama; Buddha or Krishna; and Kalki.
Holy chants
In ISKCON temples and some other Lord Vishnu temples, Matsya Jayanti is celebrated by performing special pujas, and devotees recite the Matsya Purana. Singing the Dashavatara Stotra on this day is considered very auspicious. The lyrics of the mentioned hymn that denote the Matsya avatar:
"pralaya-payodhi-jale dhritavan asi vedam
vihita-vahitra-caritram akhedam
kesava dhrita-mina-sarira jaya jagadisa hare"
Interesting fact:
Did you know? There aren't many worship places of Lord Vishnu in the form of his first incarnation. A temple near Tirupati, India is one of the temples in India dedicated to Lord Matsya – Nagalapuram Veda Narayana Swamy Temple or the Matsya Narayana Temple.
Veda Narayana Swamy Temple in Nagalapuram near Tirupati |
Matsya Narayana Temple in Uthandi, Chennai |
Another temple dedicated to the Lord is in the Uthandi region of Tamil Nadu which hosts a seaside shrine attracting devotees and tourists.
