It’s the sixteenth purana. During the period of mahapralaya, Lord Vishnu had taken Matsya avatar (fish incarnation) to save the seeds of all lives and Manu. Matsya Purana contains a comprehensive description of Manu and Matsya avatar.

Outline

General contents of this Purana are the following:

• Description of the greatness of Narasimha incarnation.
• Description of all the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu.
• Greatness of fasting like Anant Tritiya and the places of pilgrimage like Prayag.
• Tales of Chandravansha (lunar clan), Suryavansha (solar clan) and Kuruvansha (Kuru clan) and the kings like Yayati, Kartveerya etc.
• Description of the Kalpa and Yugas.
• Appearance of
  
  
  
  idols, construction of deva-mandapa (canopy for the deities).
• Tale of Savitri and Satyavan.
• Results of auspicious and inauspicious motion of the planets.
• Birth of Parvati.
• Immolation of Madan (Kamadeva).
• Wedding of Lord Shiva with Parvati.
• Birth of Kartikeya.
• Duties of a king.
• Description of the future kings.

This Purana is said to be narrated by Matsya avatar of Lord Vishnu to Manu, who was awaiting Lord’s arrival during Mahapralaya in his boat anchored on a very high mountain.