a painting of a goldfish in a boat with people

Long ago, a demon named Hayagriva stole the sacred Vedas (holy scriptures) from Lord Brahma while he was resting. Without the Vedas, the universe was thrown into chaos. At the same time, a great flood was destined to wipe out all life on Earth. One day, a king named Satyavrata (also known as Manu) was performing his daily prayers by the river when a tiny fish appeared in his cupped hands, pleading for protection. The king placed the fish in a jar, but it kept growing larger. He moved it to a pond, then a river, and finally the ocean, but the fish continued to expand. Realizing the fish was no ordinary creature, Manu prayed to it. The fish revealed itself as Lord Vishnu, who had come in the form of Matsya to warn him of the impending flood and to protect life and knowledge. Matsya instructed Manu to build a large boat and gather the seven great sages (Saptarishi), seeds of all plants, and animals to preserve life for the new creation. When the great flood came, Matsya guided the boat to safety by pulling it