In that era upon the earth, kings were locked in ceaseless battles, each striving for dominance over the other. As time unfolded, the dreadful age of Kali Yuga, the fourth and darkest epoch, began its reign. In this age, Viṣṇu himself took on a dark complexion, and sin began to prevail everywhere. The kings of the earth, once noble, became consumed by greed for wealth, their hearts overflowing with countless desires and delusions. The world changed in many ways: cows yielded only scant milk, and those twice-born, who were once paragons of truth, abandoned their virtue. In Kali Yuga, truth became rare, and the wicked grew ever more deceptive. Even the natural order faltered—by the twelfth year, women would bear children, and all distinctions between castes and stages of life faded away, making everyone indistinguishable. The sacred fords, once pure places of pilgrimage, were defiled by foreigners and rendered useless. Witnessing these troubling changes, the sacred fords themselves, together with the holy shrines, approached Brahmā, the one born from the unmanifest, and addressed him: “O Lord of the gods, tell us—where should we dwell in this age, so that we may remain ever pure?” Brahmā instructed them that it was necessary to depart together, seeking a new abode. He revealed that even those who had committed great sins would be purified if they beheld the holy Mount Arbuda. And so, all the sacred fords departed from their ancient sites in the Kali age, fleeing the corruption and defilement, and took refuge upon Mount Arbuda, the lord of mountains, out of fear of Kali Yuga. Kurukshetra, Prabhasa, Brahmavarta—all these sacred places established their residence upon this mountain. There, it was declared, peaceful souls would truly attain the highest liberation. “Listen, O wise one,” the sage continued, “to a wondrous event that once took place upon that sacred mountain in ancient times.” There, a man of righteous nature performed intense austerities, free from desire and anger. During his penance, his bile fell to the ground, shining with a reddish hue. Realizing the power he had attained, he exclaimed, “I am accomplished!” and began to dance with joy. Such was the force of his dance that even the mighty oceans were shaken and disturbed. As he danced, the entire universe trembled. Alarmed, all the hosts of gods approached the destroyer of desire, Shambhu, seeking his intervention. Shambhu, Lord Shiva, appeared before the ascetic in the form of a Brahmin, the best among the twice-born, and addressed him. The ascetic explained, “A power has arisen and been attained within me, transforming my blood into bile. It is out of excitement from this power that I dance.” To demonstrate, he struck his thumb with his forefinger, and then said to Mankanaka, “Look, Brahmin, at my hand.” Pulastya, the sage, narrated that upon seeing this, the Brahmin was astonished and instantly recognized the ascetic as the bull-bannered one—none other than Shiva himself. “Certainly, I have recognized you; this truth abides in my heart. The power you have revealed is yours alone, belonging to no other.” Shiva, pleased, said, “Choose a boon, for you have excelled in dance. By your favor, those who worship here shall obtain the fruits of the Rājasūya and Aśvamedha sacrifices. They will attain the highest state, free from old age and death. At this famous confluence of the Ganga and Sarasvati, those who give gold here, according to their ability, to worthy Brahmins, will be blessed.” Having spoken thus, Maheshvara, the god of gods, vanished from sight. And it was declared: by seeing him, a man may truly attain supreme accomplishment.