The origin of the term ‘mahseer’ is debated. Thomas (1873) and Lacy and Cretin (1905) suggest it derives from the Hindustani words “maha” (great) and “sir” (head). A friend of Thomas, a renowned Persian angler and scholar, argued it comes from the Persian words “mahi” (fish) and “sher” (lion) to reflect its mighty nature. Another theory traces it to “mahasaula,” referring to the fish’s large scales, as mahseer has the largest scales of any freshwater fish in India. A fourth origin is from the Sanskrit word “matsya,” meaning fish, used in Vedic texts. Given the mahseer’s sacred status and protection near Hindu temples, Brahmins call it “mahsia,” meaning a wonderful fish. However, some argue there is no phonetic or etymological link between ‘mahseer’ and Sanskrit ‘matsya,’ and it is not a fish with a large head. The most likely origin is the Persian ‘mahisher,’ reflecting its fighting and sporting qualities.
[Nguồn: Desai, V.R. (2003) Synopsis of Biological data on the Tor mahseer Tor tor (Hamilton, 1822)]
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মৎস্য | Fish Incarnation | मत्स्य Matsya Avatar,
Matsya is an incarnation or avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu. Matsya is often associated with post-Vedic literature such as the Puranas, which include legends describing the rescue of Vaivasvata Manu from a great flood and the recovery of the four Vedas stolen by a demon named Haygriva. Matsya is listed as the first avatar of Dashavatara, the ten principal avatars of Vishnu.
The Matsya symbol depicts a gigantic fish with horns. It is usually portrayed as a human figure with imagery representing a human form connected to the rear half of a fish. (Source: Wikipedia)
Printed from the Victoria Memorial Archives, Kolkata. Lithograph print on paper published by Calcutta Art Studio around 1885-1900.
