So it appear that five thousand years ago, all the lands of this globe were known. It is a mistake that "America was discovered." (laughter) It was known. Otherwise how it is said that "the land encircled by water" unless it is known? So our so-called Hindus, they say that if somebody goes on the other side of the sea, he becomes fallen. Does it mean that the emperor did not go outside? The capital was Hastināpura, which is now near New Delhi. They say... The Pāṇḍava fort is there. Anyway, so the whole world was being governed by the emperor situated in Hastināpura. One state. There are many evidences. Therefore the history of the whole world is called Mahābhārata. Mahā means greater. Mahābhārata. The history. Mahābhārata is history. They call it epic. No. It is history.
So formerly, the whole planet, Bhāratavarṣa... It was named Bhāratavarṣa. 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 a 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."