rehensible, the Wonderful and the Immaculate. He is without
beginning and without end, pervades all the world, is Unchangeable and
Undeteriorating. He is the Creator of all, but is himself uncreate and
is the Cause of all power. His knowledge is greater than that of all the
gods together. O best of kings and pre-eminent of men, after the
dissolution of the universe, all this wonderful creation again comes
into life. Four thousand years have been said to constitute the _Krita
Yuga_. Its dawn also, as well as its eve, hath been said to comprise
four hundred years. The _Treta-Yuga_ is said to comprise three thousand
years, and its dawn, as well as its eve, is said to comprise three
hundred years. The _Yuga_ that comes next is called _Dwapara_, and it
hath been computed to consist of two thousand years. Its dawn, as well
as its eve, is said to comprise two hundred years. The next _Yuga_,
called _Kali_, is said to comprise one thousand years and its dawn, as
well as eve, is said to comprise one hundred years. Know, O king, that
the duration of the dawn is the same as that of the eve of a _Yuga_. And
after the _Kali Yuga_ is over, the _Krita Yuga_ comes again. A cycle of
the _Yugas_ thus comprised a period of twelve thousand years. A full
thousand of such cycles would constitute a _day of Brahma_. O tiger
among men, when all this universe is withdrawn and ensconced within its
home--the Creator himself--that disappearance of all things is called by
the learned to be Universal Destruction. O bull of the Bharata race,
towards the end of the last mentioned period of one thousand years,
i.e., when the period wanted to complete a cycle is short, men generally
become addicted to falsehood in speech. O son of Pritha, then sacrifices
and gifts and vows, instead of being performed by principals are
suffered to be performed by representatives! Brahmanas then perform acts
that are reserved for the _Sudras_, and the _Sudras_ betake themselves
to the acquisition of wealth. Then Kshatriyas also betake themselves to
the practice of religious acts. In the _Kali_ age, the Brahmanas also
abstain from sacrifices and the study of the Vedas, are divested of
their staff and deer-skin, and in respect of food become omnivorous.
And, O son, the Brahmanas in that age also abstain from prayers and
meditation while the Sudras betake themselves to these! The course of
the world looketh contrary, and indeed, these are the signs that
foreshadow the Universal