So the whole Battlefield of Kurukṣetra was arranged by Kṛṣṇa so that these irresponsible rogues, dressed as king, should be all killed. That was the plan of Kṛṣṇa. Just like Duryodhana. Duryodhana, in the dress of a king, he was a rogue. He cheated the Pāṇḍavas by gambling. "You bet your wife. You bet your kingdom." In this way, they were devotees, simple—cheated them. So Kṛṣṇa wanted to see that these cheaters and rogues must be killed. That was His plan. Therefore He said, yadṛcchayā copapannaṁ svarga-dvāram apāvṛtam: "Arjuna, you are hesitating to fight, but it is a great opportunity for you. Because as a kṣatriya, if you kill these cheaters and rogues, that will be a great achievement for you. And even though you cannot kill them, if you die yourself, then the heavenly door is open for you." Because a kṣatriya who dies in the battlefield for the right cause, he goes to the heaven. If he conquers over the enemy, he enjoys the kingdom. And if he dies . . . but the cause must be right. Svarga-dvāram.
- yadṛcchayā copapannaṁ
- svarga-dvāram apāvṛtam
- sukhinaḥ kṣatriyāḥ pārtha
- labhante yuddham īdṛśam
- (BG 2.32)
Yuddham means a political fight.
Nowadays, just like in our India, Pakistan and Hindustan, they are always planning fighting. That is political. That is political. When the Pakistani's government cannot manage . . . nobody is managing nicely, neither Pakistan nor Hindustan, but they divert their attention the religious slogan—"Hindus are our enemies" or "the Pakistan is our enemies." The so-called national slogan. Here also, everywhere. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). Here in Europe also the two wars was arranged by the German people; they were envious of the English people. So these wars are not right wars, righteous wars. No. They are play of the diplomats, politicians. They engage. When they cannot manage things very nicely, they engage people into war. That's all. Divert the attention. But war is not meant for that. War is meant for that when people are not properly being trained up by the king of the state, the other king can attack him.
So ideal state means the king must be very responsible. There are many instances. Just like Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja, he was a pious king. In Bengali there is a proverb, rājar doṣe rājya naṣṭo . . . ginnir . . . doṣe gṛhastha bhraṣṭa. If the king is not pious, then the whole kingdom is spoiled. Similarly, if the housewife is not good, the whole family is spoiled. Everyone has got this experience. So the king must be very honest, pious, religious. Therefore they are called rājarṣi. Although they are king, but they are just like saintly person. Just like Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. They were saintly, rājarṣi. Imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2).