Long ago, when the gods prepared for a great sacrifice, they summoned two learned Brahmins, Śaṇḍa and Amarka. The gods spoke to them, saying, “Abandon the Asuras and join us. Once we have conquered the Dānavas, we shall honor you both.” Accepting this agreement, Śaṇḍa and Amarka allied themselves with the gods. With their support, the gods gained victory, and the Dānavas were defeated. Deprived of Śaṇḍa and Amarka’s guidance, the Dānavas lost their power. In ancient times, it was by Kāvyā’s curse that the Daityas were struck down. Overwhelmed by this curse, bereft of all support, and expelled by the gods, the Dānavas were forced into the netherworld. Thus, restrained by the gods and subdued with great difficulty, the Dānavas fell, and from that time onward, this state of affairs came about due to the incidental curse of Bhṛgu. From then on, whenever righteousness waned and disorder arose, Viṣṇu would be born again and again, restoring dharma and bringing about the destruction of the Asuras. By Prahlāda’s command, those Asuras who would not remain, and those destined to be slain by men, were all declared by the Lord to be ‘Brahmins.’ During the Cākṣuṣa Manvantara, a portion of Nārāyaṇa arose from dharma itself. In the Vaivasvata Manvantara, the gods upheld the sacrifice. At the manifestation of this divine being, Brahmā acted as the chief priest, especially in the fourth Yuga when the gods were afflicted. At the end of the cosmic ocean, for the slaying of Hiraṇyakaśipu, Viṣṇu incarnated as Narasiṃha, with Rudra serving as chief priest. When Bali ruled the worlds in the seventh Tretā Yuga, and again in the third age for the sake of Vāmana, the chief priest performed the rites according to dharma. These three—Vāmana, Narasiṃha, and the earlier manifestation—are remembered as divine incarnations. There are seven other manifestations, human and born of a curse, which are now to be recounted. In the first Tretā Yuga, Dattātreya appeared, accompanied by Mārkaṇḍeya and others, when a quarter of dharma had been lost. In the fifteenth Tretā Yuga, King Māndhātā, the universal sovereign, arose as the fifth manifestation, together with Uttaṅka and others. In the nineteenth Tretā Yuga, the sixth was the mighty Jāmadagnya, destroyer of all Kṣatriyas, accompanied by Viśvāmitra and others. In the twenty-fourth Yuga, Rāma was born, with Vasiṣṭha as his chief priest; this seventh incarnation was for the sake of Rāvaṇa, the son of Daśaratha. In the eighth Dvāpara Yuga, Viṣṇu appeared, and in the twenty-eighth, Vedavyāsa was born of Parāśara, accompanied by Jātūkarṇya and others. To reestablish dharma and destroy the Asuras, the ninth, Buddha, was born through austerity, lotus-eyed and beautiful as a god, accompanied by Dvaipāyana and others. In that same age, as it declined and only the twilight remained, Kalki will arise—famed as Viṣṇu—accompanied by the son of Parāśara. The tenth incarnation, yet to be born, will come with Yājñavalkya, utterly destroying all beings who are wicked or heretical. Surrounded by hundreds of thousands of Brahmins ready for battle, at that time, he will annihilate all Śūdra kings and the enemies of the Brahmins, as well as those hostile to him. In the twenty-fifth era, Kalki, accomplished and with his army, will purify the Shudras and reach the edge of the ocean. With his power and the force of action set in motion, Kalki will bring destruction upon the base and unrighteous. Then, having established the people, Kalki will lead them to prosperity. Yet suddenly, deluded, the people will become enraged with one another; driven by future events, they will destroy each other. When time has passed, that god will disappear; when the kings are lost, he will withdraw for the sake of gathering the people. When protection has ceased, and after killing each other in battle, the survivors, deeply afflicted, will be left without cries. Ancient villages will be abandoned, all will be equalized and without possessions, the duties of ashramas will be lost, and the orders and castes destroyed. At the end of the age, there will be impaling stakes and posts at crossroads, Shiva’s tridents, and women with disheveled hair as stakes. The forest dwellers will have short lives and bodies, living by rivers and mountains, subsisting on roots, leaves, and fruits. Wearing bark, skins, and animal hides, they will live in confusion, afflicted by calamities and suffering, with little gain and much hardship. Thus, in the twilight of the age, the people will fall into hardship and perish together with the Kali Yuga. When Kali Yuga ends, the Krita age will return, and thus the deeds of gods and asuras have been properly described. The fame of Viṣṇu in the Yadu lineage has been recounted; now let us speak of Turvasu, as well as Puru, Druhyu, and Anu. Turvasu’s son was Garbha, and Garbha’s son was Gobhanu. Gobhanu’s son was the mighty, undefeated Trisari. Karandhama was Trisari’s son, and Bharata was his son. Duṣyanta, too, was of the Paurava line, and his son was Akalmaṣa. Thus, by Yayati’s curse, in ancient times, through the transmission of old age, Turvasu entered the Paurava lineage. Duṣyanta’s heir was a king named Varūtha; from Varūtha came Aṇḍīra, and Saṃdhāna was his son. Pāṇḍya, Kerala, Cola, and Karṇa were his descendants; their flourishing peoples became known as the Pāṇḍyas, Colas, and those of Kerala.