Text 21]
Questions by Vidura
21
śaśāsa—rules; kṣitim—the world; eka-cakrām—by one military force; eka—one; atapatrām—flag; ajitena—by the mercy of the unconquerable Kṛṣṇa; pārthaḥ—Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira.
TRANSLATION
Thus, when he was in the land of Bhāratavarṣa traveling to all the places of pilgrimage, he visited Prabhāsaṣetra. At that time Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was the emperor and held the world under one military strength and one flag.
PURPORT
More than five thousand years ago, while Saint Vidura was traveling the earth as a pilgrim, India was known as Bhāratavarṣa, as it is known even today. The history of the world cannot give any systematic account for more than three thousand years into the past, but before that the whole world was under the flag and military strength of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, who was the emperor of the world. At present there are hundreds and thousands of flags flapping in the United Nations, but during the time of Vidura there was, by the grace of Ajita, Lord Kṛṣṇa, only one flag. The nations of the world are very eager to again have one state under one flag, but for this they must seek the favor of Lord Kṛṣṇa, who alone can help us to become one worldwide nation.
TEXT 21
तत्राथ शुभ्राव सुद्धिनष्टिं वनं यथा वेणुजवह्निसंभयप् । संस्पर्धया दग्धयथानुशोचन् सरस्वतीं प्रत्यगियाय तूष्णीम् ॥२१॥
tatrātha śuśrāva suhṛd-vinaṣṭim vanam yathā veṇu-javahni-saṁśrayam saṁspardhayā dagdham athānuśocan sarasvatīm pratyag iyāya tūṣṇīm
tatra—there; atha—thereafter; śuśrāva—heard; suhṛt—kinsmen; vinaṣṭim—all dead; vanam—forest; yathā—as much as; veṇu-javahni—fire due to the bamboos; saṁśrayam—friction with one another; saṁspardhayā—by violent passion; dagdham—burnt; atha—thus; anuśocan—thinking; sarasvatīm—the River Sarasvati; pratyak—westward; iyāya—went; tūṣṇīm—silently.