desist, this story relating to the the Dwāpara Yuga, will come to a close (58). When Ashwathāmā, a portion of Siva, will disappear, the dreadful Kali Yuga of Maheswara will set in (59). In this Yuga people will perpetrate many iniquities and there will flourish only a portion of virtue. Truth will disappear and falsehood will be stored up (60). In this Yuga, people will worship only Maheswara and Skanda; old and long-lived men will not exist on the earth (61). I have thus described the most excellent annihilation of the kings of this world. Therefore, O ye celestials, descend on earth, without delay in your respective portions (62). Let Kunti and Madri conceive portions of Dharma and let Gandhāri conceive Kali the instrument of all dissensions (63). These kings, urged on by destiny, will form two parties and being desirous of securing the earth, will seek a war (64). Let Earth, who upholds all the worlds, enter into her own native source. This sacred and well-known means of the kings is thus created (65)." Hearing the words of the Grand-father Earth with Kāla went away happily for encompassing the destruction of the kings (66). Thereupon Brahmā despatched the gods for slaying their enemies. The ancient Rishi Nara the (Serpent) Sesha, that upholds the earth, Sanatkumār, the Sadhyas, Agni, and other gods, Varuna, the Vasus, the sun, the moon, the Gandharvas, the Apsaras, the Rudras, the Viswas, the two Aswinis all descended on earth in their respective portions (67–69). As described by me before the incarnations of the portions of gods, those foremost of Purushas were born, through women or otherwise, on earth as the destroyers of the Daityas and Dānavas. Some of them multiplied their families like fig-trees. And some of them were hard-bodied like thunder-bolts (70–71). Some of them were endued with the strength of a million of elephants. Some of them were powerful like mighty currents and some were capable of handling clubs, Parighas and other weapons (72). All of them were capable of striking with the summits of the mountains. Hundreds and thousands of men, having arms like Parighas, were born in the race of Vrishnis. And the gods were born in the races of Kuru and Panchala as kings. There were born in the prosperous family of Yadus and those of Brāhmanas many sacrificers of pious deeds, well read in the scriptures, mighty bow-men, observant of Vedic rituals and endued with prosperity and accomplishments (73–75). Whenever angry they could shake the mountains, the rivers, the surface of the earth, rise up in the sky and agitate the mighty deep (76).