As the Kali age dawns, a heavy shadow falls upon humanity. Lifespans shorten, strength wanes, and beauty fades; soon enough, people meet their end, their days swiftly spent. Yet, in this difficult time, those noble twice-born who steadfastly uphold dharma—following the sacred scriptures without envy—are truly blessed. In earlier ages, dharma was practiced with greater ease: in Treta, it was observed yearly; in Dvapara, monthly; but in Kali, the wise must strive daily, adapting their practice to the hardships of the age. This is the nature of Kali: hear now about its twilight. In each age, three quarters of perfection are lost, leaving only a fragment behind. The twilight portion of each age retains but a quarter of its original virtue, and its own distinctive qualities are established in that brief span. When the twilight of Kali approaches, a ruler arises, destined to destroy the wicked. In the lineage of the moon, one named Pramiti is spoken of. In a previous cycle, during the Svayambhu interval, he was partly human, but his true nature was divine. Having reached twenty years of age, Pramiti travels the earth, leading a formidable army with horses, chariots, and elephants. He is surrounded by hundreds and thousands of Brahmins, armed and resolute, and together they slay thousands of mlecchas—foreigners and outsiders. Pramiti, as lord, destroys all impostors and kings born of Shudra lineage, leaving none who are unrighteous. Everywhere he goes, he eradicates those who lack virtue, as well as those born from mixed castes and their followers. With the wheel of action set in motion, Pramiti, powerful and invincible among all beings, roams the earth, ending the reign of the mlecchas. Though born as a man in this age, Pramiti’s previous birth was as a deity—none other than Vishnu himself. When Kali is complete, this lord from the lunar lineage begins his journey in his thirty-second year, spanning twenty years of relentless action. Through his harsh deeds, he destroys countless beings, leaving only the seeds of life on earth. Driven by mutual causes and sudden anger, Pramiti subdues and destroys nearly all unrighteous outcastes. With his followers, he settles between the sacred rivers Ganga and Yamuna, remaining there with his ministers and army as time passes. Having overthrown all kings and thousands of foreigners, he stands at the twilight of the age, as the end of the yuga approaches. Now, only a handful of people remain, scattered here and there. Those who survive are seized by greed and become unrestrained in every way. They harm one another, even after exchanging bows, and with the absence of a king, uncertainty prevails as dictated by the age. Tormented by mutual fear, the people wander, abandoning their families and homes. Indifferent to their own lives, devoid of compassion, and deeply miserable, with Vedic and customary law destroyed, they begin to kill each other. Without boundaries, expelled, without affection or shame, with righteousness lost and strength broken, their numbers dwindle—reduced to just twenty-five. Abandoning sons and wives, their senses disturbed by disputes and struck by drought, they give up their livelihoods and wander far. They dwell in borderlands, leaving their own countries behind, seeking out rivers, seas, wells, and mountains. Suffering greatly, they survive on honey, meat, roots, and fruits, wearing bark, leaves, or animal skins, with no rituals and no possessions. Having fallen away from caste and stage of life, they endure terrible hardship; thus, only a few people remain, enduring immense suffering. Afflicted by old age, disease, and hunger, their minds are overwhelmed by sorrow and despair. From this despair arises reflection, and from reflection, a state of equality. Awareness marked by equality emerges; from awakening comes righteousness and virtue. Those few who remain at the end of Kali, though without form or restraint, possess this sense of equality. Then, for these survivors, the age turns over in a single day and night, their minds bewildered as if in sleep or intoxication. By the force of destiny, the cycle of the Krita age returns; with its arrival, the Krita Yuga begins anew. Those who survive Kali are reborn in Krita Yuga, and the perfected beings who remain move about unseen. In this new age, seven groups are established along with the seven sages: Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras, remembered for the purpose of procreation. All those born in Kali become undifferentiated at this time; among them, the seven sages expound dharma, and others do so as well. The practices associated with varna and ashrama, both Vedic and traditional, are twofold. When these rites are performed among them, the people flourish in the Krita age. Of the dharmas performed according to Vedic and traditional rites, as shown by the seven sages, some remain at the end of the age for the sake of reestablishing dharma. The sages endure through the periods of the Manus, just as grass persists on earth after being scorched by fire. As the first rain brings forth new growth at the roots of forests, so too does the origin of Krita ages arise among those of Kali. Thus, the succession of ages proceeds, each following the other, continuing until the end of a Manvantara, without interruption. Throughout these cycles, happiness, lifespan, strength, beauty, dharma, wealth, and desire diminish, losing three quarters in each successive age. So the wheel of time turns, and the story of humanity unfolds, ever guided by dharma and the rhythms of the ages.