Hari spoke of the ancient lineages, recounting the kings who had ruled in succession. First came Śatānīka, followed by Aśvamedhadatta, Adhisomaka, Kṛṣṇa, Aniruddha, Uṣṇa, and then Citraratha. After them reigned Śucidratha, Vṛṣṇimān, Supeṇa, Sunīthaka, Nṛcakṣu, Mukhābāṇa, Medhāvī, and Nṛpañjaya. The line continued with Pāriplava, Medhāvī, Nṛpañjaya, Bṛhadratha, Haristigman, another Śatānīka, and Sudānaka. Next came Udāna, Ahninara, Daṇḍapāṇi, Nimittaka, and then Kṣemaka. After Kṣemaka, Śūdra took the throne, and his son, who was also called the previous father, succeeded him. The Bṛhadbalas were then remembered, along with the kings born in the illustrious Ikṣvāku lineage. Following Bṛhadbala were Urukṣaya, Vatsavyūha, and others. From Vatsavyūha came Sūrya, and his son was Sahadeva. The lineage continued with Bṛhadaśva, Bhānuratha, Pratīcya, Pratītaka, Manudeva, Sunakṣatra, Kinnara, and Antarikṣaka. Then came Suparṇa, Kṛtajit, the righteous Bṛhadbhrāja, Kṛtañjaya, Dhanañjaya, Saṃjaya, and Śākya. Śuddhodana followed, then Bāhula, Senajit, Kṣudraka, Sumitra, and Kuḍava. From Sumitra, the line of the Magadhas began. Among the Magadhas were Jarāsandha, Sahadeva, Somāpi, Śrutaśravā, Ayutāyus, Niramitra, Sukṣatra, and Bahukarmaka. Then came Śrutañjaya, Senajit, Bhūri, Śuci, Kṣemya, Suvrata, Dharma, Śmaśrula, and Dṛḍhasenaka. The line continued with Sumati, Subala, Nīta, Satyajit, Viśvajit, and Iṣuñjaya—these were the kings known as the Bārhadrathas. After these, it was foretold, there would arise kings who were unrighteous and of the Śūdra class. At that time, the blessed and eternal Nārāyaṇa himself—the source of all the heavens—would descend to earth. Hari then spoke of the great dissolutions: the occasional, the elemental, and the absolute. In these times, the earth is destroyed in the waters, the waters are consumed by fire, fire merges into air, air into space, space into the sense of ego, ego into intellect, intellect into mind, mind into the vital self, the vital self into the unmanifest, and finally into the Supreme Self. That Supreme Self is the supreme Lord, Viṣṇu, the one Nārāyaṇa, the eternal Person. All else, including the worlds and heavens, is perishable; only he is imperishable and supreme. Therefore, since all kings and others must meet their end, one should avoid sin. By steadfastly practicing righteousness and forsaking sin, one attains Hari. Brahmā then spoke, declaring that Lord Hari himself descends to protect the Manus and others, to destroy demonic ways, and to preserve the Vedic law and its branches. Taking various forms, beginning with the Fish, the unborn Lord makes his descents. As a Fish, he slew the demon Hayagrīva, the thorn among horses, and restored the Vedas, protecting the Manus and others. Becoming a Tortoise, Hari supported Mount Mandara for the benefit of the gods during the churning of the ocean of milk. From that churning, the god Dhanvantari emerged, holding a full water-pot, and brought forth the nectar. Dhanvantari then taught the eightfold science of Ayurveda to Suśruta. When the nectar appeared, Hari, taking the form of a beautiful woman, gave it to the gods. Then, descending as the Boar, Hari slew the demon Hiraṇyākṣa, upheld the earth, and protected the gods. Next, as Narasiṃha, the man-lion, he destroyed Hiraṇyakaśipu, the enemy of the gods, and protected the Vedas, dharma, and all beings. After that, Paraśurāma, lord of the world, was born from Jamadagni, and Hari made the earth devoid of kṣatriyas twenty-one times. He slew Kārtavīrya in battle, gave the earth to Kaśyapa, and, after performing a great sacrifice, dwelt on Mount Mahendra. Then Rāma, the destroyer of the wicked, was to be born in fourfold form as the son of Daśaratha, with Bharata as his younger brother, Lakṣmaṇa, and Śatrughna. Jānakī, known as Sītā, became Rāma's devoted wife. For the sake of his father's promise, Rāma acted for the good of his mothers. Rāma journeyed to Śṛṅgavera, Citrakūṭa, and the Daṇḍaka forest. There, he cut off the nose of Śūrpaṇakhā and slew Khara and Dūṣaṇa. When Sītā was abducted, Rāma killed the night-wandering demon Rāvaṇa and his brother in the city of Laṅkā, establishing Vibhīṣaṇa as king of the rākṣasas. With Sugrīva and Hanumān by his side, Rāma ascended the Puṣpaka chariot with Sītā, ever devoted to her husband. With Lakṣmaṇa, who was always favorable, Rāma returned to his own city, Ayodhyā. There, he ruled the kingdom and protected the people, along with the gods and others. He upheld dharma and performed great sacrifices such as the aśvamedha. Under Rāma’s rule, the earth rejoiced as she wished. Sītā, though dwelling in the house of Rāvaṇa, never turned her mind to him. By deed, mind, and speech, she remained ever devoted to Rāghava. Truly, Sītā was devoted to her husband, just as Anasūyā was. Now, listen to the greatness of a devoted wife. Once, in the city of Pratiṣṭhāna, there lived a brāhmaṇa named Kauśika, afflicted with leprosy. His wife, even in his suffering, worshipped her husband as a god. Even when reproached, she regarded him as a deity. At his command, she took a despised woman and brought back extra payment. On the road, there was a thief impaled on a stake, suspected of theft. Māṇḍavya, greatly afflicted, was there in the darkness, and so was Kauśika. Kauśika, carrying his wife on his shoulder, brushed against Māṇḍavya’s feet. Māṇḍavya, angered by the touch, declared, “At sunrise, you shall die, for you have disturbed me with your foot.” Hearing this, Kauśika’s wife replied, “The sun will not rise.” Because the sun did not rise, night continued endlessly for many years. The gods, witnessing this unending darkness, became afraid.