Skandapurana 3.2.36

Nārada said:

Tell me, O you of good vows, what happened after this;

and relate it entirely to me as before, O best of speakers!

Tell me, for how long was that place firmly established?

By whom was it protected, and whose command prevailed there, O lord?

Brahmā said:

From the Tretā to the end of the Dvāpara, until the arrival of the Kali [age],

Hanūmān, the son of the wind, was the sole guardian in protecting it.

No one else was capable except Hanumat, O son,

by whom Laṅkā was destroyed and powerful rākṣasas were slain.

He alone protected it there by Rāma's command, my dear son.

The command of the twice-born prevailed, and likewise that of the glorious Mother.

Day after day, great joy arose among the people dwelling there.

The twice-born there recited the characteristics of the Ṛg, Yajus, and Sāman,

and they recited the Atharvan there day and night.

The sound arising from the roar of the Veda resounded throughout the three worlds with their moving and unmoving beings.

Festivals arose there in every village and in every town.

Various sacrifices, resting upon diverse righteous duties, were performed.

Yudhiṣṭhira said:

Did destruction ever happen to that place, or did it not?

Was the place ever conquered by daityas, or by wicked rākṣasas?

Vyāsa said:

Well asked by you, O king! You are knower of dharma and ever pure.

Listen to what was granted when the Kali age first arrived, O king!

For the welfare of the worlds, for desire, and for happiness,

I will also tell of the sacrifice; listen to it all, O protector of the earth.

Now, when the Kali arrived, there was indeed one named Āma,

the glorious ruler of Kānyakubja, knowing righteousness and devoted to statecraft,

peaceful, self-controlled, of good character, and devoted to truth and righteousness.

At the end of the Dvāpara, O best of kings, as the Kali age was approaching,

out of fear of the particularities of Kali, and from fear of unrighteousness and the like,

all the gods abandoned the earth and took refuge in Naimiṣāraṇya.

Rāma too went with his companions to Setubandha, O king.

Yudhiṣṭhira said:

Indeed, what kind of fear, so hard to overcome, exists in the world when Kali arrives,

because of which the earth, bearer of gems, was abandoned by the gods?

Vyāsa said:

Listen, O king, to the characteristics of the Kali age, how they will come to be.

People will speak untruth and be intent on reviling the virtuous,

all engaged in the deeds of bandits and devoid of devotion to their fathers,

delighting in the wives of their own clan, and intent on meditating upon greed.

All will hate the Veda and oppose one another;

they will slay those who come for refuge in the Kali age.

The brahmins will pursue the livelihood of Vaiśyas, fallen from the Veda and full of pride;

when the Kali age arrives, the twice-born will neglect the twilight prayers,

brave when at peace, wretched in times of danger, devoid of ancestral offerings and libations,

engaged in the conduct of asuras, devoid of devotion to Viṣṇu,

coveting others' wealth, and eager to accept bribes.

The brahmins will eat without bathing, and the Kṣatriyas will avoid battle;

when Kali arrives, they will become foul, of wicked conduct,

all addicted to drinking intoxicating liquor, and performing sacrifices for those who are unworthy of sacrificing.

Women will hate their husbands, sons will hate their fathers,

and the base will hate their brothers in the Kali age.

Those brahmins, intent on wealth, will indeed sell cow products;

cows will not yield milk when the Kali age has arrived.

Trees will never bear fruit, O descendant of Bharata;

there will be sellers of daughters, and sellers of cows and goats,

sellers of poison, sellers of liquids,

and sellers of the Veda in the Kali age.

A woman will conceive at the eleventh year;

people everywhere will abandon fasting on the eleventh lunar day.

And brahmins will not be devoted to attending sacred fords;

they will eat heavily and be overwhelmed with much sleep,

all addicted to crooked conduct, wholly devoted to reviling the Veda,

and devoted to censuring ascetics, deceiving one another.

There will be no fear of the fault of touch in the Kali age;

Kṣatriyas will be stripped of their kingdoms, and a barbarian will become king.

All will be treacherous, and engaged in rebellion against their gurus;

they will betray their friends, O king, devoted only to their genitals and bellies.

All four classes will become a single class;

when the Kali age arrives, O great king, my word is not otherwise."

Having heard this from his guru, the mighty ruler of Kānyakubja,

named Āma, indeed ruled the kingdom there on earth.

Having attained universal sovereignty, he was intent on protecting his subjects;

but through the influence of Kali, an inclination toward sin arose among his subjects.

Abandoning the Vaiṣṇava religion, they turned to the Buddhist religion;

the subjects followed him, instructed by the mendicants.

That king had an illustrious chief queen named Māmā;

she, endowed with every auspicious mark, bore a child for the king.

When the tenth month was complete, there was born to the queen in due time

a beautiful daughter whose face resembled the full moon,

named Ratnagaṅgā, adorned with gems and rubies.

Once, by the power of fate, there arrived from another country

a man named Indrasūri in this land of Kānyakubja.

And that maiden, the king's daughter, was sixteen years of age and not yet married.

Having met her through a maidservant, the mendicant Indrasūri

recited Śābarī incantation-lore, O descendant of Bharata.

She became single-minded, enchanted by that Śaiva ritual;

then, having fallen into delusion, she devoted herself to his every word.

Instructed by the mendicants, O child, and devoted to the Jain religion,

to the wise Kumbhīpāla, the ruler of Brahmāvarta,

that valorous [king] gave her, Queen Ratnagaṅgā;

deluded by fate, he gave him the Mohereka district in marriage.

Having arrived at Dharmāraṇya, he then made it his capital;

and he installed deities prescribed by the Jain religion.

All the classes became like that, taking refuge in the Jain religion;

brahmins were not honored at all, nor were rites for peace and prosperity performed.

He never gave gifts; thus time passed.

The brahmins, who had received royal charters, were deprived of their ownership day and night;

their minds agitated, they approached King Āma,

the hero residing in Kānyakubja, who was surrounded by heretics.

Having reached the city of Kānyakubja after some days, O king,

those exhausted Moḍha brahmins settled on the bank of the Gaṅgā.

Reported by spies, they came before the king.

Summoned in the morning, the brahmins arrived in the king's assembly.

The king did not respectfully rise to greet them or offer salutations.

He then questioned all the brahmins who were standing there:

“For what reason have you come, brahmins? Speak what your business may be.”

The brahmins said:

“We have come here from Dharmāraṇya into your presence, O ruler of men.

O king, the husband of your daughter is Kumārapāla;

by him, following the Jain faith

at the instigation of Indrasūri, the great, wondrous charter of the brahmins has been revoked.”

The king said:

“By whom indeed were you settled in this city of Moheraka?

Tell all this occurrence just as it happened, O brahmins!”

The brahmins said:

“Formerly we were settled by kings, [beginning with] the wise Dharmarāja,

and then a city was established here in this auspicious place by Rāma.

Seeing the charter of Rāmacandra, by other kings as well

the charter was indeed preserved righteously here, O best of kings.

Now your son-in-law does not protect the brahmins.”

Having heard those words of the brahmins, the king then said to the brahmins:

“Go quickly indeed, O brahmins, and speak by my command

to King Kumārapāla: ‘Restore the settlement to the brahmins!’”

Having heard his words, the brahmins attained supreme joy.

Greatly delighted, they went from there, and his message was delivered there.

Having heard the words of his father-in-law, the king spoke these words:

Kumārapāla said:

“I will certainly not preserve the charter of Rāma, O brahmins!

I abandon the brahmins who are devoted to the slaughter of animals in sacrifice.

Therefore, I have no devotion toward violent men, O twice-born ones!”

The brahmins said:

“How have you, through a heretical doctrine, revoked the charter?

Protect [it], O best of kings; do not set your mind on sin!”

The king said:

“Non-violence is the supreme virtue; non-violence is the supreme austerity;

non-violence is supreme knowledge; non-violence is the supreme fruit.

In grasses and in trees, in insects and in men,

in worms, bugs, and the like, in goats, horses, and elephants,

in spiders and in snakes, as well as in buffaloes and such—

living beings are equal, O brahmins, among the minute and the large.

How can you conduct yourselves devoted to violence, O brahmins?”

Hearing those words like a thunderbolt, the excellent twice-born,

all the brahmins, replied with eyes red with anger:

The brahmins said:

“‘Non-violence is the supreme virtue’—this was spoken truly by you.

Yet still, duty is [manifold]; listen with a focused mind!

The violence prescribed by the Vedas is determined not to be violence.

That which is struck with a weapon and where injury arises in creatures—

that alone is unrighteousness in the world, O best among knowers of righteousness.

Living beings killed through Vedic mantras without a weapon,

that is not a cause of torment to creatures; that [ritual] violence brings happiness.

Helping others leads to merit; tormenting others leads to sin.

Even having performed the violence enjoined by the Veda, one is not tainted by sins.”

Having heard the words of the brahmins, he spoke again:

The king said:

“Dharmāraṇya is the supreme, unsurpassable sacred field of Brahmā and the others;

Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśa, and the rest are not present there now.

Nor is righteousness found here; that Rāma you mentioned was a mere mortal!

And where is that long-tailed one who was left to protect you?”

"If your charter is not to be seen, I will not uphold it at all."

Filled with anger, the twice-born then replied:

The twice-born said:

"Ah, fool! How do you know, speaking greedily through arrogance?

For the destruction of the Daityas and for the protection of dharma,

Rāma, visibly four-armed, took human form on earth.

He gives refuge to the helpless, and is wholly devoted to dharma;

He is compassionate, merciful, the protector of living beings."

The king said:

"Where is Rāma today? Where indeed is the son of the Wind?

Like scattered clouds, all of them—where is Rāma, where is Hanumān?

However, if Rāma and Hanumān are present everywhere,

my intention will now turn to helping the brahmins.

Show me Hanumān, or Rāma, or Lakṣmaṇa!

If there is any proof, let it be shown to us, O brahmins!"

It was said by them: "Lord Rāma, making the son of Añjanī his messenger,

granted one hundred and forty-four villages, O king!

Returning again to this place, thirteen villages were given,

and upon the earth and at the Gaṅgā, the sixteen great gifts

were given to the chief brahmins, and magnificent villages were given;

again they were ordained to the number of fifty-six, O hero!

Thirty-six thousand excellent landholders were created;

one hundred and twenty-five thousand merchants called Māṇḍalikas were given."

By him it was said: "All you brahmins, show me Māruti!

Merely by token of him, I will restore your former status.

I will do as the brahmins say, if proof is shown.

Then all will be devoted to Vedic dharma;

otherwise, conduct yourselves entirely according to the Jaina religion."

Having heard the king's words, they returned to their respective places.

The brahmins, depressed in mind and blinded by anger on the earth,

letting out deep sighs, kept crying, "Alas, alas!"

Grinding their teeth together and wringing their hands,

speaking to one another: "What shall we do now?"

Meeting together, all the brahmins held an excellent consultation,

meditating in their hearts upon Rāma's word, and meditating upon the son of Añjanī.

The twice-born held an assembly, young and oldest alike.

The eldest brahmin among them then spoke auspicious words:

"Our sixty-four and seventy-two clans,

with the family names of their respective lineages, speaking for their single village—