382                        ALBERUNPS INDIA.

of them will know how long it is. The one will die as
an embryo, the other as a baby or child. The pious
will be torn away and will not have a long life, but
he who does evil and denies religion will live longer.
Sudras will be kings, and will be like rapacious wolves,
robbing the others of all that pleases them. The doings
of the Brahmans will be of the same kind, but the
majority will be Sfidras and brigands. The laws of the
Brahmans will be abolished. People will point with
their fingers at those who worry themselves with the
practice of frugality and poverty as a curiosity, will
despise them, and will wonder at a man worshipping
Vishnu ; for all of them have become of the same
(wicked) character. Therefore any wish will soon be
Page 192. granted, little merit receive great reward, and honour
and dignity be obtained by little worship and service.

But finally, at the end of the yuga, when the evil
will have reached its highest pitch, there will come for¬
ward Garga, the son of J-S-V (?) the Brahman, i.e. Kali,
after whom this yuga is called, gifted with an irresis¬
tible force, and more skilled in the use of any weapon
than any other. Then he draws his sword to make
good all that has become bad ; he cleans the surface of
the earth of the impurity of people and clears the earth
of them. He collects the pure and pious ones for the
purpose of procreation. Then the Kritayuga lies far
behind them, and the time and the world return to
purity, and to absolute good and to bliss.

This is the nature of the yugas as they circle round

through the Caturyuga.

The origin        The book  Ccirakct, as quoted by 'Ali Ibn  Zain of

accordingto Tabaiistan, says : " In primeval times the earth   was

Caraka.        always fertile and healthy, and the elements or mahct-

bhuta were equally mixed.   Men lived with each other

in harmony and love, without any lust and ambition,

hatred and envy,  without anything that makes  soul

and body ill.    But then came envy, and lust followed.