In the unfolding of creation, when water and earth came together in harmonious union, herbs sprang forth upon the land. Soon after, trees and shrubs emerged, gracing the world with their flowers and bearing fruits in their appointed seasons. This blossoming of plant life was not merely the result of the Tretā age; it was a destiny woven into the fabric of existence itself. Yet, as time moved on, these trees, shrubs, and herbs were taken and consumed according to each being’s strength. By the command of the Grandfather, Brahmā, the noble king Pṛthu milked the earth, forcefully extracting her treasures and riches, empowered by the inexorable flow of time. For the welfare of the brāhmaṇas, Brahmā created the kṣatriyas, the warrior class. He also established the performance of sacrifices, carefully ensuring that these sacred rituals were free from the killing of animals. Still, passion and greed began to take root, along with conflict and confusion about what was right and true. In the Dvāpara and subsequent ages, the great sage Vyāsa divided the single Veda into four parts, arranging the mantras and brāhmaṇas, altering tones and letters, and introducing both general and specific changes. This led to differences in interpretation across various regions. Alongside the Vedas, the histories, the Purāṇas, and the treatises on dharma were composed to guide humanity. Yet, as people suffered through the actions of speech, mind, and body, disillusionment arose. From this suffering, thoughtful reflection led to detachment, and detachment revealed the faults in worldly pursuits. Such conduct, marked by passion and darkness, was said to prevail in the Dvāpara age, and as agitation increased, it would ultimately perish in the Kali age. As the Kali age dawned, men became constantly troubled by darkness and confusion, striving for fleeting and uncertain gains. Dreadful fears of drought and calamity haunted the lands. The greedy spoke falsehoods, and wicked people were born, bringing great suffering to the world. The faults in the actions of the brāhmaṇas caused fear among the people, as sacrifices were performed improperly and those lacking wisdom recited the Vedas. In this age, indulgence in lying down, sitting, and eating became common. O lord of men, the killing of embryos and heroes began to occur, and the twice-born neglected their prescribed duties. The Vedas, treatises on dharma, and Purāṇas lost their guiding influence, and among the brāhmaṇas, there was no longer any delight in their own dharma. People became increasingly dependent on mutual begging, and women began to wear their hair loose, a sign of changing times. At the end of the age, even Śūdras took up the practice of dharma. Thieves preyed upon one another, and even the thief was not spared from being robbed. Attachment to unrighteousness became widespread, and conduct dominated by darkness came to characterize the Kali age. Some began to sell the Vedas and holy places, forsaking their sacredness. Shudras who served the king struck against the foremost among the twice-born, and though the king knew what was right, in the force of Kali he too acted wrongly. Those with little learning, fortune, or strength began to worship the Shudras, while the twice-born, seeking opportunities for service, waited at the doors of others. Brahmins, once honored, now served and praised with hymns in the Kali age, reciting Vedic mantras even as they embraced dreadful atheism. In this time, ascetics would arise by the hundreds and thousands, each seeking their own way amid the confusion and decline of dharma. Thus, the progression of ages brought about profound changes in the world, as foretold in the sacred tradition.