In the ancient times, the venerable Pitāmaha, the Grandfather of all beings, undertook the arduous task of milking the earth for the benefit of all creatures. By his effort, medicinal herbs and plants began to emerge when the earth was ploughed, marking the beginning of agriculture. People, desiring sustenance, devoted themselves to farming, which became known as the essential means of livelihood. Without this, at the end of the Tretā age, those nourishing plants would not have survived, and instead, various water-born and hand-grown plants began to appear. But as the ages shifted, the nature of people changed. Overwhelmed by anger, they began to seize one another’s sons, wives, and wealth by force, each according to the power of the age. To bring order and protect beings from harm, the Lord born from the lotus—Brahmā—created the Kṣatriyas, establishing boundaries and ensuring protection. He set forth the order of varṇa and āśrama by his own divine power, fashioning society through conduct and means of livelihood. It was during the Tretā age that the practice of sacrifice was gradually initiated. Among the virtuous, some refrained from animal sacrifice. Then, Viṣṇu himself, all-seeing, performed a sacrifice by force, which was praised by the twice-born. Thereafter, O sage, sacrifices became non-violent. As the Dvāpara age unfolded, differences of opinion arose among people. Livelihood became difficult to attain by mind, action, and speech. Bodily hardship increased among all beings, giving rise to greed, the concept of wages, trade, war, and uncertainty regarding what was true. The Vedic branches multiplied, dharmas became confused, the established order of varṇa and āśrama was undermined, and desire and hatred grew. In this Dvāpara age, passion, greed, and intoxication prevailed. Vyāsa divided the one Veda into four parts to preserve it as lifespans declined. In the Tretā age, the Veda was established in four divisions, but in Dvāpara it was divided further, as people’s abilities diminished. The sons of seers, perceiving differences in mantras, Brāhmaṇas, tones, and letters, created even more divisions. The wise compiled the collections of Ṛk, Yajus, and Sāman, each establishing both general and altered versions according to their vision. Some followed Brāhmaṇas, Kalpasūtras, and expositions on mantras, while others remained with the older traditions. Even the Itihāsas and Purāṇas were divided by the weight of time: Brāhma, Pādma, Vaiṣṇava, Śaiva, and Bhāgavata; Bhaviṣya, Nārada, Mārkaṇḍeya, Āgneya, Brahmavaivarta, Laiṅga, Vārāha; and then Vāmana, Kūrma, Mātsya, Gāruḍa, Skānda, Brahmāṇḍa—thus, their divisions are recounted. The Laiṅga Purāṇa itself was divided into eleven forms during the auspicious Dvāpara age, such as Manu, Tri, Viṣṇu, Hārīta, Yājñavalkya, Uśanas, Aṅgiras, Yama, Āpastamba, Saṃvarta, Kātyāyana, Bṛhaspati, Parāśara, Vyāsa, Śaṅkha, Likhita, Dakṣa, Gautama, Śātātapa, and Vasiṣṭha, along with countless others. Meanwhile, drought, death, diseases, and afflictions began to trouble the people. From the sufferings caused by speech, mind, and actions, disillusionment arose. This disillusionment led people to inquire about liberation from suffering. From inquiry came detachment, and from detachment, the perception of faults in worldly life. Thus, knowledge was born in the Dvāpara age. This age, Dvāpara, became known for conduct marked by passion and darkness. In the first age, Kṛta, righteousness prevailed completely; in Tretā, it continued to be strong; but in Dvāpara, righteousness was disturbed. Finally, in the Kali age, righteousness was destroyed. In the Kali age, particularly in the times known as Tiṣya and Māyāmasū, and during the killing of ascetics, people’s minds were clouded by darkness, and they committed such acts. In Kali, heedlessness, disease, constant hunger and fear, and dreadful droughts became widespread. Lands fell into disorder, and the authority of scripture was lost among men. Unrighteous conduct prevailed, with the unrighteous being unrestrained, greatly angry, and lacking understanding. Driven by greed, people spoke falsehoods. In Tiṣya, wicked offspring were born—children of evil deeds, poor learning, bad conduct, and improper approaches. Because of the faults in the actions of Brahmins, fear arose among the people. At that time, they no longer studied the Vedas, nor did the twice-born perform sacrifices. Men and Kṣatriyas declined, and the common people followed suit. Through the use of mantras, Śudras became associated with Brahmins. In that Kali age, by sharing beds, seats, and meals, kings—mostly Śudras—oppressed the Brahmins. Killing of embryos and heroes became common. Śudras adopted the conduct of Brahmins, and Brahmins followed the ways of Śudras. Thieves took up the duties of kings, while kings behaved like thieves. Women with only one husband became rare, and those who sought others increased. The established order of varṇas and āśramas disappeared everywhere. The earth yielded little fruit, though occasionally it produced much. O stone-eater, kings who should protect became robbers, and all Śudras became learned, honored even by Brahmins. Kings were no longer Kṣatriyas, and Brahmins lived by serving Śudras. When the twice-born were seated, the ignorant did not rise in respect. Śudras of little understanding struck the best among the twice-born, and Brahmins would humbly address Śudras, placing their hands on their mouths or ears. At that time, they spoke to them as if to those of low status. O best of the twice-born, Śudras sat on high seats among Brahmins. Thus, as the ages turned, righteousness waned, divisions multiplied, and the natural order was overturned, each age bearing its own mark upon the world.