Matsya Dwadashi 2025

 

Matsya Dwadashi honors the Matsya Avatar, the first incarnation of Lord Vishnu in the form of a divine fish. In 2025, it will be observed on Tuesday, December 2nd, the day following Mokshada Ekadashi and Gita Jayanti.

Spiritual Significance

• Celebrates Vishnu’s incarnation as Matsya, who saved Manu and the Saptarishis during the great deluge (Mahapralaya).
• Vishnu, in this form, also rescued the stolen Vedas from the demon Hayagriva, restoring cosmic order.
• Observing this day is believed to remove doshas, grant spiritual protection, and bring peace and prosperity.

Rituals & Observances

• Early morning bath, wear clean clothes, and set up a Vishnu altar with flowers and turmeric-decorated pots.
• Offer tulsi leaves, yellow flowers, sweets, and chant the mantra:
  “Om Matsya Rupaya Namah”
• Perform Vishnu Sahasranama Parayanam and light ghee lamps.
• Feed flour balls to fish in ponds or rivers—this act is believed to cleanse karmic impurities and astrological doshas.
• Charity to Brahmins and the needy is highly meritorious.

Scriptural Reference

• The story appears in Satya Yuga, where Vishnu takes the form of a one-horned fish to guide Manu’s boat through the flood.
• Found in Bhagavata Purana, Matsya Purana, and Mahabharata, this avatar sets the foundation for dharma in the new cosmic cycle.