_Mândhâtâ_ is a traditional name that has been preserved upto this time in common parlance in the saying "As old as king Mândhâtâ." The line of Mândhâtâ was divided into three different branches. _Muchukunda_ represented a branch of Yogins. The long, unbroken sleep of Muchukunda is traditional and he is credited also with Yogic powers. Another branch that of Ambarisha, Youvanâsva and Hârita represented a spiritual sub-race. But we have to follow the history of the Atlanteans through Purukutsa. The connection with Rasâtala, or the plane of Material ascendancy, affected the destiny of this line. In Trisanku, the aspiration ran very high. He became a Deva, but had his head turned downwards, _i.e._ turned towards materiality. With the powers of a Deva, but with the aspirations of an Asura, the ground was prepared for the downfall of this line. For a time, however, the Race flourished in all its materiality. The alliance between Devas and men became cemented by the performance of Vedic sacrifices. This was the first spiritual advance of the human race, through the temptations of Svarga life. The time of Haris Chandra is the Vedic era, when the earliest Riks of what we know as Rigveda were composed. Visvâmitra and his disciples were the Vedic Rishis of this age. The Vedas tried to curb the riotous course of materiality by prescribing a number of restrictions on the enjoyment of material desires. Elaborate rules were laid down as to how the desires might be best gratified for a prolonged period in Svargaloka, by the performance of sacrifices or Yajna. The whole of the life of the regenerate classes was regulated by rigid laws and a glowing picture was given of life in Svarga after death. The sacred injunctions were not, however, potent enough to check the Kâmic tendencies of the race and the cyclic law which now required the spiritual evolution of humanity was continually disregarded by the race. This was poison (_gara_) to the system of humanity and king Sagar imbibed this poison. Hence he was called the Poisoned. He had two wives. The sons of one wife were 60 thousand in number. They offended Kapila, an Incarnation of Vishnu, and thus were all consumed. They reached the limit of material degradation, where final extinction awaited the race. The number 60,000 is suggestive.