As the twenty-eighth cycle of Manu on earth drew toward its close, with the four ages nearly complete, the Kali age approached, casting its shadow near. In this time, a jewel among maidens was to be given by her father to a worthy suitor of his choosing. But all the king’s sons, friends, wives, ministers, servants, relatives, armies, and treasures had, with the passage of time, faded away, leaving him alone. Gripped once more by fear at the turning of ages and the loss of all he held dear, the king bowed low before the Blessed One and asked, “O Blessed One, in this situation, to whom should this maiden not be given?” Then the lotus-born Brahmā, teacher of all worlds, with head slightly bowed and hands joined in reverence, replied: “We do not know the beginning, middle, or end of the Unborn—He who is the source of all, who is everything. We do not know the true form, the supreme nature, or the essence of the Supreme Lord. Time, with its moments and hours, does not cause transformation for His glory, for He is birthless, deathless, ever of one form, without name or shape, eternal. By His grace, I—Brahmā, a form of Acyuta—create beings and bring about their end. Through His wrath arises Rudra, the cause of dissolution. And from Him, in the middle, is the Puruṣa, distinct from the supreme. Assuming these very forms, He creates; as Puruṣa, He preserves; as Rudra, He upholds the universe. Thus, the Infinite-bodied One encompasses all. For the ripening of beings, He becomes fire; as the soul of the earth, He supports the worlds; as Indra and others, He protects the universe; as the sun and moon, He dispels darkness. He acts as the breath of life; as water and food, He satisfies the world; established in the maintenance of the universe, as space, He gives all beings room. He alone creates creation, protects it, and is its divine guardian; He is the soul of the universe, its destroyer, and the imperishable essence of all. In Him, the world—the first of all worlds—abides. Even the self-born has taken refuge in Him. O Earth, the source of all beings, He has now descended here in a portion of Himself, O king, to nourish you. Your delightful city, Kuśasthalī, which was once like Amarāvatī, now exists as Dvārakā; there abides that portion of Keśava known as Baladeva. To him, O king, give this daughter as wife to the illustrious son of your erstwhile enemy, for he is worthy of praise and this jewel among women is a fitting match.” Thus instructed by the lotus-born Brahmā, the lord of the people returned to earth. There, he saw that men had become short, deformed, lacking strength, discernment, and valor. Arriving at the city of Kuśasthalī and seeing it utterly transformed, the wise king gave his daughter—whose bosom was like a mountain of crystal—to Śīrāyudha. Observing her great stature, Tālaketu touched her with the tip of his plough, and at once she became a woman of ordinary form. Śīrāyudha then duly married Revatī, the daughter of King Raivata. Having given away his daughter, the self-controlled king departed to Hemālaya for ascetic practice. While Kakudmī Raivata had not yet returned from Brahmaloka, the righteous city of Kuśasthalī, famed for its virtuous people, was destroyed by Rākṣasas of the Tamas class. In fear of these Rākṣasas, his hundred brothers fled in all directions, and their descendants became Kṣatriyas throughout every region. From Vṛṣṭa came the Vārṣṭaka Kṣatriya lineage. Nābhāga’s son was Nābhāgasaṃtra; his son was Ambarīṣa; Ambarīṣa’s son was Virūpa; and from Virūpa was born Pṛṣadaśva, then Rathītara. A verse remembers: these, born of Kṣatriya lineage, are also remembered as descendants of Aṅgiras; among the Rathītaras, the foremost are those twice-born who have adopted the Kṣatriya order. From Manu, who was hungry, a son named Ikṣvāku was born from his nose. Ikṣvāku’s three principal sons were Vikukṣi, Nimi, and Daṇḍa. Fifty sons, led by Śakuni, became protectors of the northern lands, while forty-eight ruled as kings in the south. After performing the śrāddha for his fathers, Ikṣvāku instructed Vikukṣi, “Bring meat suitable for the śrāddha.” Vikukṣi, accepting the command, took up his bow, entered the forest, and killed many animals. Exhausted, extremely hungry, and afflicted, he ate a hare himself. Bringing the rest of the meat to his father, he offered it for the śrāddha. Vasiṣṭha, the preceptor of the Ikṣvāku lineage, was asked to purify the offering, but he said, “This meat has been defiled by your wicked son, for he has eaten a hare, and thus it is impure.” Thus, Vikukṣi was given the name ‘Śaśāda’ and was abandoned by his father. Yet, after his father passed away, Vikukṣi ruled the entire earth righteously.