Sūta and the assembled sages, eager to understand, asked for a brief account of the nature of things. At this time, Pārtha—Arjuna, the supremely righteous Pāṇḍava and conqueror of foes—beheld the sage Kṛṣṇadvaipāyana Vyāsa walking along the path. Overcome with reverence, Arjuna immediately cast aside his sorrow and fell prostrate at the sage’s feet. Rising, Arjuna addressed the revered Vyāsa: “O lord, where are you hastening to, and what destination calls you? Please, O lotus-eyed one, tell me what task awaits me.” The sage, surrounded by his disciples, seated himself upon the riverbank and replied, “I am on my way to the great city of Vārāṇasī, the holy abode of the god.” Vyāsa continued, “In that sacred city, there will arise great sinners—people bereft of caste and the proper stages of life. In the coming age of Kali, expiation alone will be the remedy for all sins. Yet, even then, there will be great souls—righteous, truthful, and noble. If you uphold your own supreme duty today, O Arjuna, you shall be freed from all fear.” Wishing to understand the deeper truths, Arjuna bowed again and humbly asked the best of the twice-born about the duties appropriate to each age. He also offered his respects to the god Īśāna and inquired about the eternal duties that govern the passage of time. Vyāsa responded, “O Pārtha, it is not possible for me to explain every detail to you now. Know this: the third age is called Dvāpara, and the fourth is Kali. In Dvāpara, sacrifice is the chief virtue; in Kali, it is charity. In Dvāpara, the presiding deity is Vishnu; in Kali, it is Rudra, the great lord. Yet, blessed Rudra, bearer of the Pinaka bow, is worshipped in all four ages.” He went on to describe the Tishya, or Krita, age, saying, “In the Krita age, only the essence of existence remains, lacking three quarters of what is to come. In that time, all beings are always content, always joyful, and enjoy every pleasure. Lifespans, happiness, and beauty are equal for all. People are steadfast in meditation and austerity, devoted above all to Mahadeva. They dwell in mountains and by the oceans, without fixed abodes, O scorcher of foes.” Vyāsa explained that when this original perfection faded, a new kind of perfection arose. Rain began to fall from clouds accompanied by thunder, and trees appeared, becoming as homes to the people. At the dawn of the Treta age, people lived from the bounty of these trees. But then, suddenly, passion and greed arose among them. Consequently, all those trees that served as their homes perished. Those who remained truthful pondered the lost perfection, and for them, clothes, fruits, and ornaments were produced as if by magic. Honey of great potency, pure and unadulterated, was found in every hive. By this perfection, all were delighted, nourished, and free from disease. But driven by desire, they seized the trees and the honey by force. With the loss of the honey, the wish-fulfilling trees also disappeared from the earth. Oppressed by the dualities of life, people began to create enclosures and boundaries. When both the honey and the wish-fulfilling trees were lost, another way of life emerged: abundant rain became their means of sustenance. With the unceasing fall of rain, the rivers filled their channels once more, sustaining all living beings.