Nanda Mahārāja, the foster father of Kṛṣṇa, he was keeping 900,000 cows. And He was rich man. He was Mahārāja, king. But see the behavior. His beloved Son, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, He's entrusted to take care of the calves or cows: "Go in the forest". He is well dressed with ornament and nice dress, everything. All the cowherds boy, they are very rich. They have got enough grains and enough milk. Naturally they'll be rich. But not that the cows and the calves will be taken care of by some hired servant. No. They would take care himself.
That was children's sport, to go to the forest, take the calves and cows and carry some tiffin. Eat there, dance there, play there, and again come in the evening. Then they will take bath and change their dress and take their meals and immediately go to sleep. This was the boy's, children's, engagement. So how they would grow healthy, because they go outside and play and work, and very happily they enjoy the company. So there is no question of becoming contaminated. Yāmuna-tīra-vana-cārī (Jaya Rādhā Mādhava). Yāmuna-tīra, on the bank of the Yamunā . . . just like we go to the seaside, the beach, similarly, there is bank of Yamunā, very nice river, and there are trees. So these boys, Kṛṣṇa and His friends, with their cows they will go and loiter on the bank of the Yamunā and sport and frivolities, everything, so nicely.
So there was no question of education at that time. After the child is grown up, healthy, nice, then he goes to school. Otherwise, first of all eat sumptuously milk, butter and yogurt, and play sufficiently in open air with friends, take care of the cows. This is labor. But it is sporting, very nice. So these things were taught by Kṛṣṇa Himself, although He was the son of king. Then when He was grown-up, His real father took Him charge, Vasudeva. Then He was . . . as kṣatriya . . . He belonged to the kṣatriya family. All other education was given: how to fight, how to rule, everything.
So this kṣatriya, this Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, they also kṣatriyas. So when they were going to see Bhīṣmadeva, they were going there in royal style, with chariots, with horse, and decorated with golden ornaments, and the brahmins, Vyāsadeva and other. All the kṣatriyas, kings, would be always accompanied by hordes of brahmins. As soon as they required any instruction, immediately consult the brāhmaṇas, and they gave good advice: "Do like this." This is the business of the brāhmaṇa. And the kings, they would not do anything without consulting. Don't think that because there was monarchy, they were all autocrat. No. If the brāhmaṇas would not agree, then they won't do. The brāhmaṇas' community, all saintly persons and learned scholars, brāhmaṇas . . . there was a committee, and the king would take their advice how to manipulate the political affairs or administration, and they would consult standard books.
Just like nowadays the rascals, every day they are changing some law. Somebody told me . . . where? In Africa, every week there is change of the cabinet. Every week. Means so full of rascals. So one rascal will fight with another rascal. So there is no stability of government. All these rascals, politician—they are trying to occupy the post, "I shall become president. I shall become secretary. And then I shall exploit the state like anything." This is the motive. Their manifestation, that "I am going to give you heaven. If you select me president, then I shall give you heaven within three minutes." (laughter)
So these promises, they simply promise. Actually, there is nothing. But king was very responsible, as we are discussing. Now, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was thinking of the women: "Now their husbands and their sons or their fathers, so many have died. Now how to take care of them?" He was perplexed. So responsible, for children, for the brāhmaṇas, those who are helpless. Women, children, brāhmaṇa and old men and cows, they must be taken first care. That was the king's duty. Children. And who is taking care of the children? Who is taking care of the women? And who is taking care of the brāhmaṇas? There is no brāhmaṇa. Even there are some brāhmaṇas—we are creating now—who is taking care of us?
It was the duty of the government to see to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, "Oh, such an important movement is going on? Our first attention should be how this movement can go on." So nice character, so nice behavior, so nice knowledge, so nice consciousness of God, so pure, and the government has no attention. They are thinking it is something sentimental. And all the politicians, going to the brothel and drinking and dancing naked, they are all first-class men. This is the position of the society. No care for the living entities who are very important. Just like in this verse, vipra. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira is always accompanied by brāhmaṇas. Without brahminical culture, what is the value of the society? There is no value. It is animal society.
Therefore Bhagavad-gītā recommends, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). Here you cannot find all one class of men. That is not possible. There is those rascals who are trying to have a classless society, no class, all one. That is rascaldom. That is not possible. There must be classes. That is scientific. Why? Because this material nature is being conducted under three modes: first class, second class, third class. Goodness, passion and ignorance. So how you can make classless society? There must be divisions. There must be classes, color, colorful.