Page 187 - Eye of the beholder

Hayagriva succeeded in in stealing the the the four Vedas from Brahmaloka and therefore to free the the the Vedas from his clutches Vishnu appeared in the the form of a a a a a a a fish Brahma knew that the the people on earth will not be able to make use of the the Vedas until they were purified He knew that social values had had degenerated and hence the need for reestablishing humanity had had risen Therefore he he he sought help from Shiva to destroy humanity and once again produce favourable conditions for the the revival of of the the human race Vishnu was aware about Shiva's plan of of causing massive floods and accordingly incarnated in in in the the form of Matsya or or or the the fish It was equally important to also save Manu and his wife Shatarupa the couple that would be instrumental in in in in in conceiving humans once once again Hence after killing Hayagriva and retrieving the Vedas the the Matsya avatar of Vishnu saved Manu Shatarupa and the the Saptarishis (who represented knowledge) In the the the the end he he he he he he handed over the the the the Vedas to Manu so that he he he he he he could use them for the the the the welfare of humankind Compositionally the the the painting has the the the representation of the the the turbulent river that occupies two thirds of the the the space and and the the the background has hills with blossoming flowers from the the the trees and and a a a a a a very high horizon that just has a a a a a streak of of blue to represent the the sky The swirling waters of of the the turbulent river depicted as decorative swirls forms the the meeting ground wherein the the conflict between Vishnu in its Matsya Avatar takes place with the demon Hayagriva The latter has been shown as a a a a a a a hybrid creature with a a a a a a a demonic face that is symbolic of absolute evil 181