by The symbolism of fish in traditional cultures
Meanwhile, it is necessary to clarify the starting date of the Age of Pisces. According to the International Astronomical Union (IAU), the date of 67 BC is derived from the alignment of the vernal point with the actual constellation. However, Western astrology does not employ actual constellations, as it is based on the tropical zodiac. The zodiac signs are fictitious divisions of the ecliptic from the vernal point, and all possess the same extent. Consequently, if we cannot determine the commencement date of one era, it is challenging to ascertain the beginning of another. Various dates have been suggested based on reasonable or less sensible rationales. For instance, the Age of Pisces commences at the spring equinox of 360 AD, according to the sidereal zodiac used in Vedic astrology. We can note that no correlation exists between the two circumstances.
The fish symbol holds significance in various traditions worldwide, including the Indian tradition. The first emanation of Viṣṇu, the deity responsible for preserving the universe, manifests in the form of a fish or a fish-man (Matsyāvatāra). Many Vedic texts and Purāṇas legends portray Matsya as the saviour of humanity from the flood, making it a precursor to the biblical Noah. In some of these legends, the asura Hayagrīva, at the end of a Kalpa or cosmic cycle of existence, steals the sacred scriptures (the Vedās) from the sleeping Brahmā, creator of the universe, and attempts to destroy them by casting them into the ocean. Vishnu then transforms into a fish and retrieves the Vedās, entrusting these teachings to the seven Ṛṣi, the seers whose role is that of preparing humanity for the subsequent cycle of existence. In these legends, the fish represents the recovery of consciousness from the undifferentiated ocean, the connection with the divine reflected in the creation of a new era of humanity after the loss of contact with the source has caused its destruction.
The symbol of the fish, associated with Christ in Christianity, has been present in the early years of Christian communities, with its origins presumed to come from Alexandria. The Greek term ἰχθύς (Ichthys), which accompanied its diffusion, was rendered as an acronym of Iēsous Christos, Theou Yios, Sōtēr, or Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior. Tertullian, a Christian author of the African provinces of Rome, in his work De Baptismo, states that “We, small fish, in the image of our Ichthys, Jesus Christ, were born in the water (of baptism).”
The only reference to this symbol in the Gospels appears in Mark 1:16–18, where it is said, “As Jesus was walking along by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea, for they were fishermen. Jesus said to them, “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
These quotations, albeit incomplete, underscore certain symbolic similarities. Jesus is considered the Savior, but what is the reason behind it? He is regarded as God’s Son, the divinity that incarnated as a human being and chose to sacrifice himself to spread spiritual enlightenment. The small fish regains its greatness and teaches humanity how to achieve that greatness, leading them back to the divine embrace. Similarly, in Vedic and Puranic literature, the fish symbolises rebirth and emergence from the abyss, here accomplished through the recovery of sacred scriptures (knowledge) and there through blessed baptismal water that purifies and renews. Similarly, the Pisces zodiac sign’s glyph signifies the start of a new cycle and renewal.
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