Prabhupāda: (indistinct) . . . unpopularity. There was monarchy. The kings were very responsible. Therefore the kings were known as rājarṣi. Rājarṣi, rāja ṛṣi. Rājarṣi, this is compound word . . . (indistinct) . . . king supervising the administration of the state, still his character was just like a ṛṣi, a saintly person, great sage. That was the qualification of the king. Therefore . . .
Also Vedic civilization, even up to Mahārāja Parīkṣit, the government was monarchy. At the present moment, practically all monarchical state is abolished. Even there is some monarchy . . . formerly . . . (indistinct) . . . just like in England, the Queen, she is powerless. Actually, the Queen has no power. People have taken away the power.
Here also there is the . . . (indistinct) . . . Mahārāja, Jaipur. Actually, they are the owner of the state, Jaipur state, the old state, at least five hundred years old, this state . . . (indistinct) . . . it is the kingdom of Mahārāja Mansingh, former Mansingh, who was commander-in-chief of Emperor Akbar . . . (indistinct) . . . but now they have no power. The people have taken away the power.
But according to Vedic civilization, this people's government is not sanctioned. Democracy. Democracy is not sanctioned. But in the Kali-yuga, nobody will be a standard king. Anybody, by hook and crook, if he captures the royal throne, so he becomes king. That is predicted in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Formerly, only the kṣatriyas were the kings.
But at the present moment, because the institution of varṇāśrama-dharma is topsy-turvy, practically no more existing, everyone in this age is calculated to be śūdras. So therefore, there is struggle, who will capture the power. We see practically in political field, the people are interested for capturing the power, but they are not interested . . . formality. So they put their manifesto before the election that, "We shall serve you in this way and that way," but because they are simply busy to keep their position in the political power . . .
Just like recently there was fight between two political parties, and represented by two big men, Vishvanath Das and Hare Krishna Mahatattva. Both of them learned men, lawyers, but they are fighting like cats and dogs. So formerly, therefore, there was no such thing as democracy. A king, there must be one king responsible. But he was guided by the ministers and learned brāhmaṇas, sages. There was a body to guide him, to train him. Therefore, the monarchical government was perfect.
Now here is a story of Vena Mahārāja. His father was a very . . . (indistinct) . . . it is usual, very nice king. But his son, this Vena, born of a bad mother, he was not good. He was killing unnecessarily animals, even men, because he was prince. So he would play with his friends, and if there is any fault on the part of his friends, he will at once kill.
And because he was prince, son of the king, nobody could take any step. So the king was very much perturbed within his mind how to train this boy to become future king. But he was not successful. He was not successful. Therefore, being too much depressed and disgusted, he left home. He left home, let the things take place as it is.