Prajopadravam ālakṣya. This is the duty of the king or the government—to see that the citizens are in peaceful condition. So two brahmāstra weapons released, one by Aśvatthāmā and by Arjuna, it created a havoc, catastrophe. And the people were suffering. So this is the duty of the government, to see that everyone is in peaceful condition. During Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira's time they were so happy that it is stated that there was not even scorching heat and pinching cold also. Neither people were in anxiety for their livelihood. This is government: to see that people are in good atmosphere in everything. That is the first duty of the government. Of course, we have seen at the present moment also, in some of the European government they have got very good arrangement. In England I have seen, although they have lost their empire, still, people get free education, free medical treatment. And England does not produce practically anything except potato. They . . . the government imports so many eatables so that people may not suffer for want of food. So that is the way of good government from the time immemorial.
So according to Vedic system, the government has to look after about the ultimate goal of life also. The modern government, they are anxious to give material comforts, but formerly the aim was to . . . how to educate people for spiritual advancement of life. Therefore the society was divided into four higher and lower divisions: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. You cannot make one class of men. That is not very good arrangement. There must be different departments according to capacity. You cannot engage a śūdra in a brāhmaṇa's position, neither you can engage a brāhmaṇa in the śūdra's position. But every one of them should be cooperating. Not that everyone has got the same capacity. Combinedly, they should make progress, and that progress is yajña. Yajña. Yajña means how to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead Viṣṇu, Lord Viṣṇu. Lord Viṣṇu's another name is Yajña-pati, Yajñeśvara. So in the Bhagavad-gītā it is clearly stated . . . (coughing) Water. Hmm. (water cup is empty, and someone has to go to fill it) Another rascaldom. While drinking water they have to take. Yajñārthāt karmaṇo 'nyatra loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ (BG 3.9). People have to be trained up to work for Yajña. Yajñārtha. If you do not act for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord, yajñārthe, yajñārthe karma, otherwise karma-bandhanaḥ: you become bound up or conditioned by your work.
So these things are there, and it is the duty of the government to see how things are going on. But it is simply now dream. People are also not interested what is the aim of life, what is the mission of this human form of life; neither there is guidance. There are so many upadravas. That is Kali-yuga. Kali-yuga means that people will be more and more unhappy. Prāyeṇa alpāyuṣaḥ kalāv asmin yuge janāḥ (SB 1.1.10). The first thing is that the duration of life will decrease, alpa-āyuṣa. And manda, all bad men. Hardly we'll find any good men. Manda. Manda means "bad" and "slow." Both the meanings can be manda. Manda-gati: they're not interested in progressive life. That is also manda. Manda matayaḥ: and they have got their own opinions. They do not follow the standard path. And it is confirmed by the so-called leaders, yata mata tata patha, you can manufacture your own way of life. These are the situation of upadrava. Mandāḥ manda-matayo . . . Mandāḥ sumanda-matayomanda-bhāgyāḥ (SB 1.1.10). And this Kali-yuga, everyone is unfortunate, manda-bhāgyāḥ. Even in family . . . There is no family life. It is now increasing. They cannot live even peacefully in family. Family means husband, wife, children, father, mother. Generally, this is family.