Page 189 - Eye of the beholder

The story of of the the great flood is is one that occurs in most mythologies and is is a a a a a a part of of the the major religious texts - Christian Jewish Hindu Apparently some recent scientific studies have also thrown up evidence that supports the the story of the the great flood It It It rained rained rained continuously It It It rained rained rained heavily It It It rained rained rained for 40 40 days and 40 40 nights consecutively The flood that ensued threatened to consume the the world Material objects were one thing but the the core corpus of knowledge that mankind had accumulated and codified in in the four Vedas could not be be risked to be be lost The The story of the the the flood is told with a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a few variations in the the the Satapatha Brahman The The Mahabharata and the the the Bhagavat Puran According to to the the the later text Vishnu assumed the the the form of a a a a a a a a a Saphari fish dives down into the the the ocean and siezes the the the the Vedas back from the the the the demon Hayagriva who had stolen them in the the the the first place This Pisces (Matsya) avatar avatar of of Vishnu is is is is is the first of of his his 10 avatars and was subsequently celebrated by Jayadeva about 1000 years back in in in his melodious epic - the Geet Govinda The story also provided inspiration to to miniature paintings from numerous schools in in in in in subsequent years one of which has just come into my collection “Pralaya-payodhijale dhrtavānasi vedam vihita-vahitra-caritram akhedam | keśava dhrta-mīna-śarīra
jaya jagadīśa hare ||”
“- (Ch 1 1 Geeta Govinda by Jayadeva 12th Century CE)
Here is is an an amateurish attempt at at at at translation:
“Rescuing the the Vedas in in the the deluvian days Assuming a a a benedictive floating bay Keshava in a a a a a a a Piscean apparition lay Jaya Jagadisha Harey “ 183