After the reign of the Śuṅga dynasty, the Kaṇvas rose to power in the land. Devabhūti, the last Śuṅga king, who had fallen into vice, was slain by his own minister, Vasudeva Kaṇva. Vasudeva then took the throne and enjoyed rulership over the earth. His lineage continued with his son Bhūmitra, followed by Nārāyaṇa, and then Nārāyaṇa’s son, Suśarmā. These four Kaṇvāyana kings together held sway for forty-five years. But change was inevitable. Bali-pucchaka, an Āndhra by birth and once a servant of Suśarmā, killed his master and seized the throne for himself. After Bali-pucchaka, his brother Kṛṣṇa became king. The succession continued: Kṛṣṇa’s son was Śāntakarṇi, whose son was Pūṛṇotsaṅga, then came Śātakarṇi, followed by Lambodara, Pilaka, Meghasvāti, and Paṭumān. After them came Ariṣṭakarman and Hālāhala. From Hālāhala descended Palalaka, then Puliṃdasena, Sundara, Śātakarṇi, Śivasvāti, Gomati’s son, and Alimān. Alimān’s son was Śāntakarṇi, then came Śiviśrita, Śivaskaṃdha, Yajñaśrī, Dviyajña, and Candraśrī. Pulomāpi followed in this line. Altogether, these kings ruled the earth for three hundred and forty-six years. The Āndhra servants, beginning with Saptābhīra and Daśagardabhin, then became kings. After them, sixteen kings followed in succession. The earth then saw eight Yavana kings, fourteen Turuṣkas, thirteen Muṇḍas, and eleven Maunas, who together ruled for one hundred and ninety years. Afterward, eleven Mauna kings held rulership for three hundred years. When these kings perished, the Yavanas known as Kaiṃkilas became rulers, though they were consecrated without proper rites. Their lineage included Vindhyashakti, Punarjaya, Ramachandra, Dharmavarma, Vanga, Nandana, Sunandi, his brother Nandiyasha, Shukra, and Praveera. These kings ruled for one hundred and six years. Their sons, thirteen in number, and three Bahlikas succeeded them. After them came eleven Pushpamitra kings, eleven Patumitra kings, and seven Andhras. In Kosala, nine kings took up the mantle of rule, and the Naishadhas returned to power. In Magadha, a man named Vishvasphatika installed rulers from various castes, establishing Kaivartas, Batus, Pulindas, and Brahmanas in the kingdom. Having expelled all the Kshatriya lineages, nine Naga kings ruled in Padmavati, along the Ganga, at Prayaga, and at Gaya, as the Magadhas. Other regions found new protectors: Kosala, Andhra, Pundra, Tamralipta, Samatata, and the city were guarded by Devarakshita; Kalinga, Mahisha, Mahendra, and the lands of the Bhau-mas were ruled by the Guhas. The Naishadhas, Naimishas, Kakalas, Kosakas, and the people of Kanchana came under the Manidhanya lineage. The Trairajya and Ushika peoples were ruled by the Kanakahvayas. The Saurashtras, Avantis, Shudras, Abhiras, and the regions of Narmada and Marubhumi were governed by outcaste Brahmanas, Abhiras, and Shudras. The Sindhu shore, Davi, Urvi, Chandrabhaga, and the regions of Kashmir were ruled by outcastes, Mlecchas, and Shudras. All these rulers, at the same time, governed the earth. Their reigns were marked by little kindness and great anger. They delighted in falsehood and unrighteousness, killed women, children, and cows, coveted others’ wealth, possessed little essence, and were mostly enveloped in darkness. Their rise and fall were swift, their lives short, their desires great, their virtue scant, and their greed abundant. Because of these rulers, the people became mixed, following their ways, seeking shelter from kings, adopting the customs of Mlecchas, and acting contrary to dharma, thus destroying themselves. Day by day, as dharma and artha declined and were interrupted, the world moved toward ruin. In this time, wealth alone determined noble lineage. Strength alone became the measure of righteousness. Mere mutual attraction became the cause of marital union. Womanhood alone became the cause of enjoyment. Thus, the order of the world changed, and dharma faded from the earth.