Formerly, the whole planet, Bhārata-varṣa—it was named Bhārata-varṣa—and it was being governed by one emperor. Therefore it is said here, sva-rāṭ. Sva-rāṭ means completely independent. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was not dependent on any other king or any other state. He was fully independent. Whatever he liked, he could do. That is king. That is emperor. If the so-called king or the president is dependent on the votes of some rascal voters, then what kind of sva-rāṭ he is? At the present moment, the so-called president is dependent on the votes of some rascals. That's all. The rascals, they do not know whom to vote, and therefore another rascal is elected, and when he is not doing well, they cry. "You have elected. Why you are crying now?" Because they are rascals. They do not know. So this is going on. But actually, the head of the state should be sva-rāṭ, fully independent. Not on the votes of the prajā. He is only dependent on Kṛṣṇa, just like Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. All the Pāṇḍavas, they were under the order of Kṛṣṇa.
So the king or the emperor is representative of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore he is so honored, naradeva. The king's another name is naradeva, "God in . . . as human being." "God as human being," the king is so respected. Because he is representative of Kṛṣṇa. Any representative of Kṛṣṇa . . . just (as) king. Not the present king or president, but this is the ideal. So he should be so perfect representative that . . . it is said by Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ.
If the king is real representative of God, then simply by pleasing the king, you please the almighty father, God. This was the . . . so why Kṛṣṇa wanted this Battle of Kurukṣetra to install Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira on the throne? Because He knew that, "He is My right representative, not Duryodhana. Therefore there must be fight, and this Duryodhana and company should be finished, and Yudhiṣṭhira should be installed."
So selection . . . this is paramparā. So Yudhiṣṭhira's responsibility is that next king . . . because he was going to retire. "The next emperor, he should be also equally qualified like me." Therefore it is said, susamaṁ guṇaiḥ. Susamam, "Exactly my representative. He has got . . . my grandson, Parīkṣit, he has got the equal qualification. Therefore he should be installed," not a vagabond. No. That cannot be.
When Mahārāja Parīkṣit was born, he was the only child in the whole Kuru family. All others were killed in the battle. No. He was also posthumous child. He was within the womb of his mother. His mother was simply pregnant. His father, sixteen years old only, Abhimanyu, Arjuna's son, he went to fight in the battle. He was so great warrior. So seven big men required to kill him: Bhīṣma, Droṇa, Karṇa, Duryodhana, like that, all combined together. So there is no mercy. This Abhimanyu was grandson, great-grandson of all the heroes who encircled him to kill. Very beloved grandson or great-grandson . . . Bhīṣma's great-grandson, Duryodhana's grandson. But it is fight, kṣatriya. When you have come to fight, you must kill the opposite party. It doesn't matter whether he is my beloved son or grandson or great-grandson. This is duty.
So this Abhimanyu, father of Mahārāja Parīkṣit, only sixteen years old . . . his mother, Uttarā. So king of . . . Mahārāja Virāṭa. So when he was born . . . there is Vedic ceremony, jāta-karma ceremony. After a child is born . . . oh, what a horrible age we are now. Eh? We are killing before the birth of the child. This is Kali-yuga. Such . . . it is so welcome, auspicious, a child is born in the family. There is ceremony, jāta-karma ceremony. Before the child is born there is ceremony, garbhādhāna ceremony, śvāda-bhaksana ceremony. Such a nice culture. Where it has gone now? Now child is killed within the womb of the mother by the mother. This is called Kali-yuga. And it is scientific advancement. The scientists, the priests, they give order. The doctor gives out, "Yes, do it." Just try to understand what is Kali-yuga.