Present-day politicians gain office by false promises and then declare war for political expediency.

After the Battle of Kurukshetra, when everything was settled, Maharaja Yudhishthira, who is well known as Dharmaraja, very pious king, he was very much aggrieved. It is said that sixty-four crores [640 million] of men were dead within eighteen days in the Battlefield of Kurukshetra. So Maharaja Yudhishthira is very much pious, he did not like the idea of so many persons being killed simply for the sake of enthroning him on the throne of the kingdom. He was very much aggrieved that "For me so many men have died. How much sinful I have become, although I am going to be the king."

But he had no cause to become aggrieved. Even great learned sages like Vyasa tried to console him. And Krishna was there. He's ishvara, ishvarah paramah—not only ordinary ishvara but the supreme ishvara. Ishvara means controller. So there are many different types of controller, but the supreme controller is Krishna. Ishvarah paramah krishnah sach-chid-ananda-vigrahah [Brahma-samhita 5.1]. So Krishna also tried to convince Maharaja Yudhishthira that it was duty. ...The fighting was being performed under the superintendence of Krishna, Dharma-setu, the leader of all religiosity. Under His superintendence, under His care, the fighting was going on. Therefore this fighting was not ordinary fighting. People cannot understand that how fighting can be religious principle. Yes, the fighting can be also religious principle—but not the present fighting. Present fighting, the politicians, out of their whims, they declare war, that is not religious fighting; that is abominable. That is to serve their political ends. When the politicians cannot control the mass of people being dissatisfied, they make a clique to declare some war so that all their attention may be diverted. This is politics.

But the Battle of Kurukshetra was not that type of battle. It was dharma-yuddha [war for protecting religious principles]. Dharma-kshetre kuru-kshetre samaveta yuyutsavah [Bg. 1.1]. Why they settled up that the fighting should take place in the dharma-kshetra [holy place]? They are to fight, it was settled they will fight, but why they selected the dharma-kshetra? This is Vedic system. Even up to date, in villages, not in the cities... In the cities, as soon as there is some misunderstanding between you and me, we go to the court, either criminal court or civil court, to settle up, and it takes years to settle up the business. It goes on. I have seen for generations. One generation passed to another generation; the fighting is going on in the court. But if people are Krishna conscious, it could be settled within few minutes. Still among the villagers the system is current in India: when there is some fighting, they go to a saintly person or in a temple to settle up. Just like when Sanatana Gosvami was there in Vrindavana, so in that area, whenever there was some fighting between two parties, they would come to Sanatana Gosvami, and they would ask him to become mediator, arbitrator, to settle up. And whatever verdict or judgment he will give, they will accept that "Baba has said. That's all right."

So these saintly persons were also advising Yudhisthira Maharaja. Vyasadeva, and not only Vyasadeva. There were other big, big saintly persons. The monarchy, as it is conceived in the Vedic civilization, that is not like this present-day monarchy. Just like we have got experience in the history, a monarch means get money and spend it for wine and woman. Not that kind of monarch. Monarchy means the ideal monarchy. Maharaja Yudhishthira, Maharaja Parikshit—they were very much advanced in spiritual knowledge, in administrative knowledge, in economic development. In everything, perfectly they were educated, and they were being guided by saintly persons. Maharaja Ramachandra was being guided by Vasishtha. So the kings were guided by a committee of saintly persons. Big, big learned, saintly persons, brahmanas, they would give advice to the king, and the king is already learned. There was a case, Vena Maharaja, the father of Prithu Maharaja. He was very much upstart. Therefore the committee of the learned brahmanas and saintly persons killed him. Because he was not hearing to the committee of the saintly persons, brahmanas, he was killed, and his son, Maharaja Prithu, was enthroned. There were many cases. If the king was an upstart, the brahmanas were so powerful, they did not require any weapon; simply by their words they will kill him.

So this monarchy is different. People now, they have taken to democracy. Democracy is also mentioned in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, that in the Kali-yuga there will be no more monarchy or the kingdom ruled by the kshatriyas, but amongst the people who will by trickery, some way or other get the votes of the people, one will be seated on the throne. That is stated. Some way or other. So therefore, the people are in trouble because so many rascals, they somehow or other manage to get some vote and become the president and minister and... So what they know? They do not know how to govern, how to bring peace in the country.

But this monarchy, Maharaja Yudhishthira, just see. Because for the sake of his personal interest so many have been killed, and he was sorry. Just see. Not that some way or other, you divide India: "Let me become Prime Minister, that's all." We have got political information that in India when the proposal was for partition, Gandhi was completely against this partition. He said, "Better I will have no independence; still, I shall not allow the country to be divided." He was stubborn on this point. But he was absent, and in the meantime the big Prime Minister signed it, agreed to partition because he wanted to be prime minister anyway, some way or other—"Let the country go to hell." This is politician, going on. Yudhishthira is not like that: "Let... Somehow or other, let me become King. Let so many people were killed. Never mind." No. He was so sorry, so sorry that he could not be solaced even by the instruction of Krishna and saintly persons like Vyasadeva. He was so sorry. Of course, he accepted, but personally he was so very, very sorry, that "So many people have been killed for me." But what could be done? It was Krishna's desire.

Krishna comes—paritranaya sadhunam vinashaya cha dushkritam [Bhagavad-gita 4.8], His two business. He wanted to establish the kingdom of His representative. He wanted that "Maharaja Yudhishthira is right representative, he should be enthroned on the kingdom of whole world." Formerly Bharata Varsha meant this whole planet, not this small tract of land. Now it is called India. But the Bharata Varsha means the whole planet, this planet. There was one flag. Up to Maharaja Parikshit there was one flag, not like at present there are hundreds and thousands of flags. You Americans, you know. In New York, when we pass through that United Nation building, we see so many flags are there. They are united, but everywhere the flag is increasing, disunited. Not like that. Actually, by monarchy, the pious king, there was unity all over the world. All over the world. And in the Battlefield of Kurukshetra it was a family fight, so all the kings of different parts of the world, they joined this side or that side. That is mentioned in the Bhagavad-gita. But still, Maharaja Yudhishthira did not like that so many people would be killed for the sake of enthroning him, but Krishna desired. Krishna desired. Krishna wanted it. And Duryodhana, the Kauravas were demonlike, simply making politics and diplomacy. Their only business was... Dhritarashtra along with his sons, they were simply making diplomacy how to kill the Pandavas and catch over the kingdom. That was their policy.

So the political head, executive head, of course, he should be intelligent to understand diplomacy and politics, but his only business is to see how people in general are in happiness. That is his business. Nowadays political parties, they are simply engaged how to keep up their position. All the political parties—I have seen personally—simply they are making plan how to keep their position in the government so they may not be dethroned, other party may not come. The whole time is wasted. When they will think of "No, the people are suffering for want of food. The people are suffering for unnecessary increase of price, although things are available in the black market. How to manage this?" That is the duty of the government first. But nobody is caring. Hundreds and thousands of people are starving, unemployment, but they are getting their fat salary, and they are satisfied. Bring income tax and divide amongst themselves, that's all.

So Maharaja Yudhishthira was not that type of king. Therefore he is known as Dharmaraja Yudhishthira, most pious king.