Canto 2: Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa ()Chapter 67: The Sages Request Vasiṣṭha to Coronate a son of DaśarathaText 2.67.15
Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 67: The Sages Request Vasiṣṭha to Coronate a son of Daśaratha
Text 2.67.15
नाराजके जनपदे प्रभूतनटनर्तकाः।
उत्सवाश्च समाजाश्च वर्धन्ते राष्ट्रवर्धनाः॥
nārājake janapade prabhūta-naṭa-nartakāḥ
utsavāś ca samājāś ca vardhante rāṣṭra-vardhanāḥ
na = do not; arājake = devoid of genuine king; janapade = in a place; prabhūta-naṭa-nartakāḥ = with abundant dancers and actors; utsavāḥ ca = religious festivities; samājāḥ = pilgrimages; ca = as well as; vardhante = take place; rāṣṭra-vardhanāḥ = that develop the country.
In a place devoid of a genuine king, religious festivities with abundant dancers and actors as well as pilgrimages that develop the country do not take place.1
1 Rāmāyaṇa-bhūṣaṇa: samājāḥ tīrtha-yātrāḥ.
Without religious festivities and pilgrimages the country would not develop.
NOTE. Without these scriptural arrangements, the citizens of a country will not benefit themselves in their next lives. Prabhupāda notes in his purport to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.18.3:
Unfortunately, in this age even exalted professors and learned men believe that there is no next life and that everything is finished in this life. Since they are rascals and fools, what advice can they give? Still they are passing as learned scholars and professors... It is the duty of everyone to mold his life in such a way that he will have a profitable next life. Just as a boy is educated in order to become happy later, one should be educated in this life in order to attain an eternal and prosperous life after death. It is therefore essential that people follow what is given in the śrutis and smṛtis to make sure that the human mission is successful.