In the beginning, the mighty Lord, ever compassionate and undisturbed, set forth the creation of the first beings. With great favor, he brought into existence Sananda and Sanaka, followed by Sanātana, the foremost among the virtuous, who attained the highest state through renunciation. Next came Marīci, Bhṛgu, Aṅgiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, and Kratu—each a sage of profound wisdom and power. Through the strength of yoga, the Lord then created Dakṣa, Atri, and Vasiṣṭha. Alongside these sages, he manifested the principles of resolve, dharma, and adharma, establishing the fundamental forces that would govern creation. Altogether, these twelve illustrious progenitors were brought forth by Brahmā, whose own birth is mysterious and unmanifest. At the very beginning, Sanātana also produced Ṛbhu and Sanatkumāra, two divine beings born with upward-flowing energy, versed in Brahman, all-knowing and all-encompassing, resembling Brahmā himself in their greatness. Having thus created these principal and first beings, the lotus-born creator established the duties and order of the ages, laying down the universal law that would guide the world. Later, after hearing the words spoken by Śakra, my father, the great sage respectfully approached the lord of the gods, bowing with joined palms, and asked, “O blessed Śakra, all-knowing, worshipped by the gods, lord of Śacī, master of the universe, thousand-eyed, great lord—how did the lotus-born one establish the duties of the ages? Please tell me everything, as I am bowed before you.” Śakra, hearing the request of the great-souled Śilāda, began to describe, in detail, the duties of the ages as he had witnessed them. “Know that the first is the Kṛta age, followed by the Tretā age, then Dvāpara, and finally Tiṣya—these four are the ages in brief. The Kṛta age is characterized by sattva, the Tretā by rajas, Dvāpara by both rajas and tamas, and Kali by tamas. Thus, the nature of the ages should be understood. Meditation is supreme in the Kṛta age; sacrifice is praised in Tretā; pure worship is honored in Dvāpara; and in Kali, only giving is extolled. The Kṛta age consists of four thousand years, with a twilight period of as many hundreds, and a portion of twilight likewise. In the Kṛta age, the lifespan of those who subsist on stones is four thousand years. When the Kṛta age and its twilight have passed, only a quarter of the age’s duties remain everywhere. The excellent Tretā age is lacking one fourth; Dvāpara is half of Kṛta; Tiṣya is said to be half of that. Three hundred, two hundred, and one hundred years are the twilight periods, and the twilight portions are likewise, in each cycle, in every age. In the first, the Kṛta age, dharma stands on four feet, eternal; in Tretā, it stands on three; in Dvāpara, on two; and in Tiṣya, it is deprived of three, supported only by sattva. In Kṛta, the origin of pairs is direct, and sustenance is full of essence. All people are always satisfied, enjoying all happiness; there is no distinction of low or high among them, all are auspicious. Their lifespan, happiness, and form are equal in that Kṛta age; their affection is constant, there is no conflict, no hatred, and no fatigue. They dwell on mountains and in oceans, without fixed abodes; free from sorrow, abundant in sattva, and full of single-mindedness. They act without desire, their minds always joyful; in the Kṛta age, there is no activity of good or evil deeds. The system of varṇa and āśrama existed then, but there was no mixing; the abundance of essence perishes in Tretā due to the influence of time. When that perfection is lost, another perfection arises; when the subtlety of water returns, then, indeed, it comes from the nature of clouds. From the clouds and thunder, rain began to fall; and with that single rainfall, the earth’s surface became saturated. Then, from that, trees known as ‘house-trees’ appeared; all means of sustenance and enjoyment for people arose from these trees. At the beginning of Tretā Yuga, people lived from those trees. But after a long time, due to a reversal among them, a state characterized by passion and greed suddenly arose. Because of that reversal, all those house-trees perished. When those were destroyed, people, bewildered, were born from sexual union. Yet even then, those devoted to truth meditated on that accomplishment, and for them, the house-trees appeared again. From these trees came garments, fruits, and ornaments; fragrant, colorful, and tasty things arose for their enjoyment. There was honey, strong as the earth, in every cluster, by which they lived happily and with long life. By this accomplishment, people became joyful, nourished, and free from suffering. But after some time, they were again overcome by greed. They seized the trees and honey by force, and because of that treatment, the wish-fulfilling trees and honey disappeared here and there. When only a little of that accomplishment remained, due to the force of time, with the turning of the Tretā Yuga, pairs of opposites arose—intense cold, rain, and heat—and people became greatly afflicted. Afflicted by these dualities, they made coverings; to ward off the pairs of opposites, they built shelters on the mountains. Formerly, they wandered as they wished, without fixed dwellings, but then, according to need and desire, they began to live in homes. Thus, the story unfolds of how the lotus-born creator established the order of the ages and the changing conditions of humanity, as revealed by Śakra to the questioning sage.