In the unfolding of royal destinies, it was the wise Kautilya himself who would anoint Chandragupta, born of the Maurya lineage, as king. From Chandragupta came a son named Bindusara, and to Bindusara was born Ashokavardhana. The line continued: after Ashokavardhana came Suyaśas, then Dasharatha, then Samyuta, followed by Shalishuka. From Shalishuka descended Somasharma, and from him, Shatadhanvan. In turn, Shatadhanvan was succeeded by Brihadratha. Thus, these ten Maurya kings would rule the earth for a span of one hundred and thirty-seven years. With the end of the Maurya line, ten Shunga kings would take up the mantle of rule. The first among them, Pushyamitra, a commander, would seize the throne by slaying his own master. His son, Agnimitra, would succeed him. The lineage would continue through Sujyestha, then Vasumitra, then Andhaka, followed by Pulindaka, Ghoshavasu, Vajramitra, and Bhagavata. After Bhagavata came Devabhuti. These Shunga rulers would hold sway over the earth for one hundred and twelve years. After the Shungas, the Kaṇvas would rise to power. Devabhūti, the last Shunga king, given to vice, would be killed by his own minister Kaṇva, named Vasudeva. Vasudeva would then claim the kingdom for himself. His son would be Bhūmitra, who would be succeeded by his own son, Nārāyaṇa. Nārāyaṇa’s son would be Suśarmā. These four Kaṇvāyana kings would rule for forty-five years. The end of the Kaṇva line would come at the hands of Bali-pucchaka, an Āndhra by birth and servant to Suśarmā. He would slay Suśarmā and take the throne. Bali-pucchaka’s brother, Kṛṣṇa, would become king after him. Kṛṣṇa’s son would be Śāntakarṇi, followed by his own son Pūṛṇotsaṅga. The succession would continue: Śātakarṇi, Lambodara, Pilaka, Meghasvāti, and Paṭumān. After Paṭumān, the throne would pass to Ariṣṭakarman, and then to Hālāhala. From Hālāhala would come Palalaka, then Puliṃdasena, followed by Sundara, then Śātakarṇi, then Śivasvāti, and then Gomati’s son, whose own son would be Alimān. Alimān’s son would be Śāntakarṇi, followed by Śiviśrita, then Śivaskaṃdha, Yajñaśrī, Dviyajña, and then Candraśrī. Pulomāpi would follow. In this way, these rulers would govern the earth for three hundred and forty-six years. After them, the Āndhra servants, beginning with Saptābhīra and including Daśagardabhin, would become kings. Thereafter, sixteen kings would follow. Then would arise eight Yavanas, fourteen Turuṣkas, thirteen Muṇḍas, and eleven Maunas—these would be the kings of the earth, ruling for one hundred and ninety years. When their time ended, eleven Mauna kings would reign for three hundred years. When the Maunas had perished, the Yavanas called Kaiṃkilas would ascend the throne, though they would be consecrated without the proper rites. Their descendants would be Vindhyashakti, then Punarjaya, then Ramachandra, followed by Dharmavarma, Vanga, Nandana, Sunandi, his brother Nandiyasha, Shukra, and Praveera. These kings would rule for one hundred and six years. After them, their sons—thirteen in number—and three Bahlikas would hold the throne. Following this, eleven Pushpamitra kings, eleven Patumitra kings, and seven Andhras would rule in succession. In Kosala, nine kings would rise, and these would be the same as the Naishadhas. In Magadha, a man named Vishvasphatika would install rulers of various castes, establishing Kaivartas, Batus, Pulindas, and Brahmanas in the kingdom. Having expelled all Kshatriya lineages, nine Naga kings would rule in Padmavati, along the Ganga, at Prayaga, and at Gaya as the Magadhas. Other regions would be governed as well: Kosala, Andhra, Pundra, Tamralipta, Samatata, and the city would be protected by Devarakshita. Kalinga, Mahisha, Mahendra, and the lands of the Bhaumas would be ruled by the Guhas. The Naishadhas, Naimishas, Kakalas, Kosakas, and the people of Kanchana would be ruled by the Manidhanya lineage, while the Trairajya and Ushika peoples would be governed by the Kanakahvayas. Thus, the earth would witness the rise and fall of many dynasties—each with its own kings, each with its own time to rule, as ordained in the unfolding tapestry of history.