King Parīkṣit, the illustrious grandson of the Pāṇḍavas, took Irāvatī, the daughter of Uttara, as his wife, and from this noble union were born four sons, the eldest among them being Janamejaya. In the course of his reign, Parīkṣit performed three great Aśvamedha sacrifices on the sacred banks of the Gaṅgā. With Śāradvata as his officiating priest, he gave gifts so abundant that even the gods themselves became visible at those ceremonies. Once, as Parīkṣit set out to conquer the four directions, a remarkable event occurred. The heroic king came upon Kali, who, though dressed as a king, was in truth a śūdra. Disguised thus, Kali was seen striking a cow and a bull with his foot. At this, the sages gathered at Naimiṣāraṇya, led by Śaunaka, questioned Sūta: "For what reason did King Parīkṣit capture Kali during his conquest? Who was this śūdra, bearing royal insignia, who dared to strike the cow? Please, if this relates to the stories of Kṛṣṇa, tell us! For those devoted to the nectar of the Lord’s lotus feet, what use are other fruitless talks, which only waste our precious lives?" Śaunaka continued, "O gentle one, for mortal men of brief lifespan who seek immortality, the Lord, as Death, has been invited here by the sage Śāmīka. No one dies as long as Death remains present; thus, the Lord was called by the great sages. Oh, let the nectar of Hari’s pastimes be savored in the world of men! In this age, people are slow, dull-witted, and short-lived; their nights are wasted in sleep and their days in vain pursuits." Sūta replied: "When Parīkṣit, residing in the land of the Kurus, learned that Kali had entered his realm, the valiant archer took up his bow. Mounting his splendid chariot, yoked with dark horses and bearing the lion banner, he set out, surrounded by his army of chariots, horses, elephants, and infantry, to subdue the directions. He conquered the regions of Bhadrāśva, Ketumāla, Bhārata, the northern Kurus, Kimpuruṣa, and more, collecting tribute from all. He subdued cities and forests, pure rivers, men who seemed like gods, and women of exquisite beauty. Everywhere he went, Parīkṣit beheld wondrous sights—dwellings of splendor and women who rivaled the celestial nymphs. In these lands and others, he heard the praises of his noble ancestors being sung—hymns that revealed the greatness of Lord Kṛṣṇa. He also heard tales of his own deliverance from the fiery weapon of Ashvatthāman, of the deep affection between the Vṛṣṇis and the sons of Pāṇḍu, and their unwavering devotion to Keśava. Greatly pleased, his eyes wide with joy, Parīkṣit bestowed abundant gifts of wealth, garments, and necklaces upon those who honored him. The king, devoted to the lotus feet of Viṣṇu, lovingly served the Pāṇḍavas—acting as their charioteer, companion, attendant, friend, envoy, and sharing in their valor, following them, praising and bowing to them. In doing so, he brought the world to bow before Viṣṇu. While Parīkṣit thus followed the noble path of his forebears day by day, a marvelous event unfolded nearby. Dharma, the personification of righteousness, moving on only one foot, encountered the Earth, whose shadow was diminished. She wept like a cow separated from her calf, and Dharma gently questioned her: 'O gentle one, is all well with you? Why do you appear so pale and withered? I sense a deep sorrow within you—do you grieve for a distant relative, O mother? Do you mourn for your missing limb, for yourself about to be consumed by the wicked, or for the gods whose sacrifices are stolen, or for the people, since Indra no longer sends rain? Are you saddened for the women and children left unprotected, suffering at the hands of cruel men? Or for the sacred speech of the goddess, corrupted among the brahmins, or for the noble families degraded by unrighteous kings? Is it for the kṣatriya clans afflicted by Kali, or for the ruined kingdoms? Or for those who wander, seeking food, drink, shelter, and baths, their livelihoods lost? Or, O mother, do you remember the deeds of Hari, who incarnated to relieve your burden, but has now departed, delaying your deliverance? Tell me, O Earth, what is the root of your distress? Has your good fortune, worshipped by the gods, been taken away by Time, the strongest of the strong?' The Earth replied: 'You indeed know all that you ask, O Dharma, for you uphold the four legs that bring happiness to the world. Truth, purity, compassion, forgiveness, renunciation, contentment, straightforwardness, tranquility, self-control, austerity, equanimity, forbearance, withdrawal, learning, knowledge, detachment, lordliness, heroism, brilliance, strength, memory, independence, skill, beauty, courage, gentleness, boldness, humility, good conduct, endurance, vigor, prosperity, depth, steadiness, faith, fame, honor, and absence of pride—all these and other great virtues reside in you. Those who seek greatness pursue these qualities, for they never diminish in you. Therefore, I grieve for the world, now bereft of the presence of Śrīnivāsa, the worthy vessel of all virtues, and afflicted by the sinful gaze of Kali. I lament for myself, for you, the best among rulers, for the gods, ancestors, sages, all the virtuous, and for all orders and stages of life. Even Brahmā and the gods, yearning for but a sidelong glance, performed severe austerities and surrendered to the Lord; yet the goddess Śrī herself, leaving her own abode, lovingly worships the dust of His feet, adorned with auspicious marks. I was once adorned by the Lord’s glorious footprints—marked with the lotus, thunderbolt, goad, banner, and other symbols—but though I attained such splendor, I did not win His favor; in the end, He cast me aside, and the worlds, too, rejected me with disdain. He, by His own power, removed the unbearable burden of the earth—the hundred armies of demonic kings—established you, though weakened, in your own strength, and delighted the Yadu dynasty by bearing their charming forms. Who could endure separation from the Supreme Person, whose loving glances, radiant smiles, and sweet words steal away the steadfastness even of the honey-bees—when the very dust of His feet, marked with auspicious signs, brings a thrill to my being?' As the Earth and Dharma thus conversed, at that very moment, King Parīkṣit, the royal sage, arrived at the eastern bank of the Sarasvatī river. All glories to the Supreme Person, the great soul, the abode of all beings, the source of all, the transcendent, the Supreme Self! Salutations to You, the treasure-house of knowledge and wisdom, the Absolute, of infinite power, beyond qualities, unchanging, and not of this world! Salutations to Time, the source of time, the witness of the divisions of time, the universe itself, the overseer of all, the creator and the cause of the universe!