According to this chronology, in its most elaborated form, every day, yea, every hour as well as every _yuga_, or epoch, has its peculiar moral character assigned to it. It is well known that the first era in the _maha-yuga_ is called _Sattia yuga_, or the era of truth. During this period the cow of righteousness stands upon four legs, and all living beings are good, beautiful, and happy. This indeed is the golden age of Hinduism. But, alas, its last departure was some four million years ago, and it will not return, they say, for nearly half a million years more. Then it is followed by "the silver age," in which the cow is said to stand on three legs only! In other words, virtue and happiness have suffered diminution, and evil and misery have crept into human life. If in the previous age asceticism was the crowning glory, in this second age knowledge is supreme. This is said to be the time of Rama's exploits and trials. We then come into the bronze era, the so-called period of Krishna's incarnation and "goings." The poor cow of virtue has suffered still further limitations and has but two legs to stand upon in this _yuga_! This is called the age of sacrifice--the time when sacrifice has preeminence as a source of power in salvation. Then we come down to the iron age in which we have the supposed infelicity to live. This is the time of evil, _par excellence_, in which the cow has been reduced to the last extremity and has to stand upon one leg! The gradual deterioration of the ages finds here its culmination. Of this fourth age there is a description in the Vishnu-purana, which is translated as follows:-- "Hear what will happen in the kali yuga. The usages and institutes of caste, of order and rank, will not prevail, Nor yet the precepts of the triple Veda. Religion will consist in wasting wealth, In fasting and performing penances At will; the man who owns most property, And lavishly distributes it, will gain Dominion over others; noble rank Will give no claim to lordship; self-willed women Will seek their pleasure, and ambitious men Fix all their hopes on riches gained by fraud. The women will be fickle and desert Their beggared husbands, loving them alone Who give them money. Kings, instead of guarding, Will rob their subjects, and abstract the wealth Of merchants, under plea of raising taxes. Then in the world's last age the rights of men Will be confused, no property be safe, No joy and no prosperity be lasting." "Women will bear children at the age of five, six, or seven, and men beget them when they are eight, nine, or ten. Gray hair will appear when a person is but twelve years of age, and the duration of life for men will only be twenty years."