Srimad Bhagavatam. Canto 8: Withdrawal of the Cosmic Creations

Chapter 24: Matsya, the Lord's Fish Incarnation. Text 9

ज्ञात्वा तद् दानवेन्द्रस्य हयग्रीवस्य चेष्टितम् ।
दधार शफरीरूपं भगवान् हरिरीश्वरः ॥९॥

jñÄtvÄ tad dÄnavendrasya
hayagrīvasya ceṣṭitam
dadhÄra Å›apharÄ«-rÅ«paá¹
bhagavÄn harir Ä«Å›varaḥ

 jñÄtvÄ - after understanding; tat - that; dÄnava-indrasya - of the great demon; hayagrÄ«vasya - of HayagrÄ«va; ceṣṭitam - activity; dadhÄra - accepted; Å›apharÄ«-rÅ«pam - the form of a fish; bhagavÄn - the Supreme Personality of Godhead; hariḥ - the Lord; Ä«Å›varaḥ - the supreme controller.


Text

Understanding the acts of the great demon Hayagrīva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, who is full of all opulences, assumed the form of a fish and saved the Vedas by killing the demon.

Purport

Because everything was inundated by water, to save the Vedas it was necessary for the Lord to assume the form of a fish.