The Matsya Purana volumes 1 and 2 are the tenth text among the eighteen Maha Puranans that constitute one of the most sacred of ancient Hindu texts. Based on the matsya or fish avatar of Lord Vishnu, this Purana is generally considered to be one of the oldest and can be dated to 200 to 500 CE. In Bibek Debroy’s detailed and rigorous translation the Matsya Purana comes to life for readers—a rare gift from one of the masters of Sanskrit literature.