Adhyaya 8
अलर्कस्य दीर्घराज्यवर्णनम् (Alarka’s Extraordinary Reign)
Parāśara, continuing the dynastic narration for Maitreya, points to an extraordinary reign: Alarka is said to have enjoyed/ruled the earth for sixty thousand years and six hundred more, with no other youth matching his sovereignty. In Purāṇic historiography such longevity signals exceptional karmic fruition and the heavy charge of royal dharma (and its consequences). Within the guru–śiṣya frame, the aim is not mere wonder but orientation—kingship moves on a cosmic time-scale upheld by Viṣṇu, and memorable reigns mark turns in lineage, fame (kīrti), and the moral texture of rule.
Shlokas
Frequently Asked Questions
It states that Alarka alone, as a youth, ruled (and ‘enjoyed’) the earth for sixty thousand years plus six hundred, without another rival claimant to sovereignty.
As Purāṇic historiography: such durations function as markers of extraordinary karmic fruition and narrative emphasis, set within cosmic time (kāla) governed by Viṣṇu, rather than as ordinary human chronology.