Assertion (A): Saluva Narasimha put an end to the old dynasty and assumed the royal title. Reason (R): He wanted to save the kingdom from further degeneration and disintegration.

1. This is an Assertion-Reason question about the Vijayanagara Empire. 2. Assertion (A): Saluva Narasimha put an end to the old dynasty and assumed the royal title. This is true. Saluva Narasimha Deva Raya, a powerful feudatory, usurped the throne of the Vijayanagara Empire around 1485, ending the Sangama dynasty and establishing the Saluva dynasty. 3. Reason (R): He wanted to save the kingdom from further degeneration and disintegration. This is also true. The later rulers of the Sangama dynasty were weak, and the kingdom faced internal strife and external threats. Saluva Narasimha's usurpation is generally seen as an attempt to restore order and strength to the empire, thereby saving it from disintegration. 4. Evaluating the relationship: Both A and R are true. Does R explain A? Yes. The reason Saluva Narasimha took the drastic step of ending the old dynasty and assuming power (A) was precisely his objective to halt the decline and save the kingdom (R). Therefore, R provides the motivation and justification for the action described in A. 5. The correct option is (A).