Kaula Jnana Nirnaya (Calcutta Sanskrit Series)

Candradvīpa. Then he relates the incident which happened regarding this secret knowledge there (verses 29 ff.). While he was staying at Candradvīpa with his consort, Kārttikeya came to him as a pupil. Being under the influence of nescience the latter stole the śāstra scripture which contained the mystic knowledge and threw it into the sea. The Bhairava (incarnate as Matsyendranātha) went to the sea, caught the fish which had devoured the śāstra, cut its belly open and recovered the sacred canon.

The thief being enraged at it dug an underground passage, stole it again and threw it into the ocean. It was eaten up by a fish of immense size. This caused the anger of the Bhairava who prepared a net with his spiritual powers (śaktijāla net of energy), caught the fish and began to drag it to the shores. But the fish would not come as it held as much strength as the Bhairava did. Besides, it was possessed with spiritual power and was not to be easily conquered even by the Gods. Then the Bhairava abandoned his Brahmanhood and assumed the character of a fisherman to be able to fight with the fish better. "O, Devi, I am the fisherman who did the act of a fisherman. The fish was then dragged by the net of spiritual powers and the Kulāgama was recovered from its belly cut open. Though I am a Brahmin I have become a fisherman. This Brahmin is called Matsyaghna slayer of fish as he killed the fish and he is a fisherman (kaivartta)—the lord of the Brahmins—because he acted as a fisherman."

It is difficult to derive any historical information from this account. It is apparent from the predominance of supernatural element in it that the present account was compiled much later than the times of Matsyendranātha. We may, however, probably retain:

(a) that the Kulāgama was revealed by a fisherman in Candradvīpa—the fisherman, Matsyendranātha himself, was probably originally a Brahman but he had to give up Brahmanhood for securing the secret knowledge.

(b) the mystic knowledge was probably imparted by him to others at Kāmarūpa for the first time,