Shloka 143
युधिष्ठिरकृष्णसंवादः — Yudhiṣṭhira’s Appeal and Kṛṣṇa’s Assurance
Droṇa-parva, Adhyāya 59
दीर्घायुष: प्रजा: सर्वा युवा न म्रियते तदा । (यज्ञों अथवा अग्निहोत्र-गृहोंमें) सब ओर अग्निदेव प्रज्वलित होते रहते थे। उन दिनों किसी प्रकारका अनर्थ नहीं होता था। सारी प्रजा दीर्घायु होती थी। किसी युवककी मृत्यु नहीं हुआ करती थी
dīrghāyuṣaḥ prajāḥ sarvā yuvā na mriyate tadā |
Nārada berkata: “Pada masa itu seluruh rakyat berumur panjang; tiada seorang pun yang muda mati. Api-api suci—sama ada dalam korban besar mahupun dalam upacara agnihotra di rumah—menyala di merata tempat. Tiada bencana atau kekacauan; negeri ditandai kemakmuran, tertib ritual, dan terpeliharanya nyawa.”
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse links social well-being—longevity, safety of the young, and absence of calamity—with dharmic order, symbolized by the widespread maintenance of sacred fires and regular rites. It implies that when dharma and disciplined ritual life prevail, society experiences stability and protection.
Nārada is describing an earlier ideal condition of society: sacred fires were continually maintained in sacrifices and households, misfortunes did not occur, the populace enjoyed long life, and premature death among the young was unknown.