Sudarśana, a wise and noble king, took as his queen the daughter of the king of Kāśī and ruled his kingdom with great virtue for five thousand years. One night, as he slept, the great goddess Mahākālī appeared to him in a dream and spoke words of guidance. She instructed him, “O wise one, journey to the Himalayan mountains and dwell there.” She revealed to him the fate of the lands: “The western ocean, once a mine of jewels, has lost its islands—they have perished. In the south, a mighty submarine fire consumed the ocean, and there too, the islands were destroyed. All those islands, once known and prosperous, have vanished. Even the living beings there met their end. Therefore, O king, strive to preserve your life.” Heeding the goddess’s command, Sudarśana set out for the Himalayas, not alone, but accompanied by the foremost of kings, the chief merchants, and the twice-born sages. When they arrived, they saw that the earth was covered in gravel, and in that devastation, living beings perished. Later, when the fierce winds subsided, all the waters dried up. In time, as the Tretā Age dawned, Sudarśana and his people returned to the city of Ayodhyā. By the wondrous power of the goddess Māyā, the entire city became enchanting, filled with beauty and prosperity. Sudarśana ruled there for another ten thousand years. By the boon of the sacred cow Nandinī, a son was born to him—Raghu, illustrious and renowned. Raghu, in turn, ruled the kingdom at the end of King Dilīpa’s reign, just as his father had. By the blessing of a Brāhmaṇa, Raghu’s son was Aja, who governed wisely, following the path of his ancestors. From Aja was born Rāma, who was none other than Hari himself incarnate. Rāma’s son was Kuśa, who ruled for ten thousand years, and his son was Nibandha, who ruled with the same righteousness. Nibandha’s son was Nābha, who too governed as his father had. Nābha’s son was Kṣemadhanvan, who upheld the same just rule. From Kṣemadhanvan came Ahīnaja, who established the sacred land of Kurukshetra and saw the birth of hundreds of people in the Tretā age. Ahīnaja’s son was Pariyatra, who ruled as his father’s equal. Pariyatra’s son was Chadmakari, who continued the line of righteous kings. Chadmakari’s son was Vajranabhi, followed by Vyutthanabhi, then Svarnanabhi, then Dhruvasandhi, and then Shighraganta—each one governing the kingdom with the same virtue and justice as his forebears. Shighraganta’s son was Prasuvaśruta, and with him, the first Tretā period in the Bharata lineage was completed. After him, King Susandhi ruled from sunrise to sunrise, followed by his son Mahashva, then Brihadaishana, then Vatsapala, then Prativyoma, then Sahadeva, then Bhanuratna, then Marudeva, and finally Keshinar—each ruling with the wisdom and righteousness that had become the hallmark of their illustrious line. Thus, from Sudarśana’s time, the royal lineage flourished, guided by divine wisdom and sustained by the blessings of the gods, upholding dharma through the ages.