Long ago, in the heavenly realms, there lived a beautiful apsara named Adrika. She was full of life and joy, often delighting herself in the sacred rivers flowing across the earth. One evening, as the golden light of dusk bathed the land, she descended gracefully to bathe in the pure waters of the Yamuna River, where many sages gathered for their evening prayers.
As she swam and played beneath the shimmering surface, her curious eyes caught sight of a great sage seated by the riverbank in deep meditation. His presence was calm and powerful, wrapped in an aura of spiritual focus. Drawn by her playful nature, Adrika slipped silently beneath the water and, with a mischievous smile, reached out and grabbed the sage’s ankle, pulling gently. Her intention was to tease and play, unaware of the disturbance she was causing.
The sage, startled from his prayers, slowly opened his eyes with a stern gaze. “Who dares interrupt my sacred meditation?” he called out with firm authority. His voice trembled with both power and disappointment. Using his divine spiritual strength, the sage pronounced a curse upon Adrika, “For this disrespect, you shall be transformed into a fish, destined to forever dwell in this river.”
Fear washed over Adrika as she sank to her knees, tears mingling with the river’s flow. “Great sage, please forgive me! I meant no harm. I vow to honor and respect your meditation always!” she pleaded earnestly. The sage, moved by her sincere remorse, softened his decree, “You shall remain a fish only until your offspring are born within you in this form. After that, your curse will be lifted.”
Transformed, Adrika became a magnificent giant fish and dwelled in the flowing waters of the Yamuna. She remembered her heavenly past but was bound to her fish form, longing for freedom.
Not far from this sacred river, the mighty King Uparichara Vasu ruled the prosperous Chedi kingdom. On one auspicious day, while with his beloved queen, the call of his ancestors summoned him to perform a vital hunting ritual. Though he had prepared to unite with his queen at the perfect moment to conceive an heir, duty forced him to depart abruptly.
Mindful not to waste his seed, the wise king placed it carefully upon a fresh leaf and entrusted it to a swift hawk, commanding it to swiftly bear the precious life-giving essence to his queen. However, fate played its hand high above the forests, two hawks clashed fiercely mid air, causing the sacred seed to slip and fall into the flowing waters of the Yamuna River.
There, the fish that was once Adrika quickly swallowed the miraculous seed, conceiving within her fish body. Time passed, and soon the fishermen of the river, led by their chief Dasharaja, caught the enormous fish. To their astonishment, inside the fish lay two newborn babies a boy and a girl.
Dasharaja presented the boy to King Uparichara Vasu, who lovingly accepted and named him Matsya, raising him as his own son. The girl, however, remained with Dasharaja. Because of her unusual origin, she carried a faint fishy scent, and people called her Matsyagandhi, meaning “the girl who smells of fish.”
Yet, Matsyagandhi was much more than her scent. She possessed an honest heart, kindness beyond measure, and a spirit as strong as the river’s current. As she blossomed into womanhood, her truthfulness and integrity shone brightly, earning her the revered name Satyavati, “the truthful one.”
Each day, she diligently helped her father ferry travelers safely across the river, her strength and grace inspiring all who knew her.
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