Text 15]
Matsya, the Lord's Fish Incarnation
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tam —unto him (Satyavrata);  āha —said;  sā —that small fish;  ati-karuṇam —extremely compassionate;  mahā-kāruṇikam —extremely merciful;  nṛpam —unto King Satyavrata;  yādobhyaḥ —to the aquatics;  jñāti-ghātibhyaḥ —who are always eager to kill the smaller fish;  dīnām —very poor;  mām —me;  dīna-vatsala —O protector of the poor;  katham —why;  viṣṛase —you are throwing;  rājan —O King;  bhītām —very much afraid;  asmīn —within this;  sarit-jale —in the water of the river.
TRANSLATION
With an appealing voice, the poor small fish said to King Satyavrata, who was very merciful: My dear King, protector of the poor, why are you throwing Me in the water of the river, where there are other aquatics who can kill Me? I am very much afraid of them.
PURPORT
In the  Matsya Purāṇa  it is said:
ananta-śaktir bhagavān matsya-rūpī janārdanaḥ krīdārthaṁ yācayām āsa svayaṁ satyavrataṁ nṛpam
“The Supreme Personality of Godhead possesses unlimited potency. Nonetheless, in His pastime in the form of a fish He begged protection from King Satyavrata.”
TEXT 15
तमात्मनोऽनुग्रहार्थ प्रीत्या मत्स्यवपुर्धरम् । अजानन् रक्षणार्थाय शक्याः स मनो दधे ॥१५॥
tam ātmano 'nugrahārthaṁ prītyā matsya-vapur-dharam ajānan rakṣaṇārthāya śapharyāḥ sa mano dadhe