When the twilight period faded away, taking the Kṛta Yuga with it, a new era dawned. Medicinal herbs began to spring forth from the earth, and the rains started their gentle descent, nourishing all life. At this time, the sacred systems of varṇas and āśramas were established, and the mantras were gathered together, setting the stage for the proper order of society and spiritual practice. It was then that Indra, the lord and enjoyer of the universe, initiated a grand sacrifice. At his magnificent Aśvamedha sacrifice, the great sages assembled, drawn by the sanctity and significance of the event. The priests diligently carried out their duties, performing the prescribed sacrificial acts, and when the lighter tasks had been completed, the chief Adhvaryu priests took their places. Offerings were poured into the sacred fire by the Brahmins who tended it, and the gods, who are of the nature of the senses, became the recipients of the sacrifice. Yet, at the moment of priestly injunction, the Adhvaryu priests and the assembled sages found themselves disturbed. Together, they approached Indra and questioned him, “What is this method of sacrifice you employ?” They observed, “O best of gods, we see the killing of animals in your sacrifice. This is not righteousness; indeed, it is unrighteousness. Violence cannot be called righteousness.” They insisted that a sacrifice should be conducted according to proper rules, with righteousness unbroken by transgression, and that it should last a maximum of three years, using only those beings that do not sprout. Thus, Indra, lord of the universe, together with the seers who perceive the truth, pondered the question: With which moving or unmoving beings should the sacrifice be performed? To resolve their doubts, they composed their words and questioned Vasum, the sky-roaming sage, on Indra’s behalf, saying, “O descendant of Uttānapāda, speak and dispel our doubt, O lord.” Recalling the Vedas and scriptures, Vasum spoke about the true nature of sacrifice, declaring, “Sacrifice should be performed with sacrificial animals, grains, and fruits.” He explained that, according to the great sages, the mantras for the deities imply violence, and thus, based on that authority, he had spoken. He urged them to proceed with the sacrifice in this way, lest their words become untrue. Seeing the inevitability of this course, the sages fell silent. Vasum, who once moved above, now became one who moved in the netherworld. King Vasu, who had dispelled doubts about righteousness, thus fell down. The path of righteousness, with its many doors, is subtle and far-reaching; except for Manu, the son of Svāyambhuva, neither gods nor seers had attained it. Thousands of crores of seers, by their own austerities, reached heaven. These ascetics lived on gleaned grains, roots, fruits, vegetables, and water as their only wealth. They practiced non-injury, absence of greed, austerity, compassion for all beings, and self-restraint. This, indeed, is the difficult-to-attain root of eternal Dharma. Among the royal sages of great strength and established fame were Priyavrata, Uttānapāda, Dhruva, Medhātithi, and Vasu, as well as Prājīnabarhi, Parjanya, Havirdhāna, and others. This entire universe was once created by Brahmā through austerity. Sacrifice consists of substance and mantra; austerity is of the nature of fasting. True Brahmanical action is the conquest of nature through renunciation and detachment. Thus, a very great dispute arose regarding the initiation of knowledge, marking a profound moment in the journey of Dharma.