Real civilization requires caring for the vulnerable and cultivating Krishna consciousness above all material pursuits.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.14.43 — April 7, 1973, New York 730407SB-NEW YORK [23:28 Minutes] SB-01.14.43_730407SB-NEW YORK Pradyumna: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. [Prabhupāda and devotees repeat] [leads chanting of verse, etc.] api svit parya-bhuṅkthās tvaṁ sambhojyān vṛddha-bālakān jugupsitaṁ karma kiñcit kṛtavān na yad akṣamam [SB. 1.14.43] [break] ...yourself; sambhojyān—deserving to dine together; vṛddha—the old men; bālakān—boys; jugupsitam—abominable; karma—action; kiñcit—something; kṛtavān—you must have done; na—not; yat—that which; akṣamam—unpardonable.
[01:25] Translation: "Have you not taken care of old men and boys who deserve to dine with you? Have you left them and taken your meals alone? Have you committed some unpardonable mistake which is considered to be abominable?" Prabhupāda: api svit parya-bhuṅkthās tvaṁ sambhojyān vṛddha-bālakān jugupsitaṁ karma kiñcit kṛtavān na yad akṣamam [SB. 1.14.43] So, "Have you not taken care of old men and boys who deserve to dine with you?" So this is Vedic culture. When there is foodstuff to be distributed, the first preference is given to the children.
We remember, even now we are seventy-eight, when we were children, four, five years old, we remember. Some of you have seen that [indistinct] Ṭhākurbari, and if you... Anyone? You have seen. So, the first feasting is for children.
So sometimes I was little obstinate, I'll not sit down, "No, I'll take with you, [indistinct]." But that was system. First of all children should be sumptuously fed, then the brāhmaṇas, and children and old men. In the family, the children and old men... Just see Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, how much he was anxious to take care of Dhṛtarāṣṭra.
Although he played..., played the part of an enemy throughout, still it is the duty of the family member to take care of the old men. When Dhṛtarāṣṭra left home after being abused by his younger brother, Vidura, so, "My dear brother, you are still attached to family life. You have no shame. You are taking food whom to..., from whom you considered your enemies. You wanted to kill them from the very beginning.
You set fire to their home. You banished them in the forest. You intrigued against their life, and now everything is finished, all your sons, grandsons and son-in-laws and brothers, fathers, uncle...," I mean to say, Bhīṣma was his uncle. So all the family.
In the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra everyone was killed except these five brothers: Yudhiṣṭhira, Bhīma, Arjuna, Nakula, Sahadeva. All male members were killed. So only the remaining descendant was Mahārāja Parīkṣit. He was within the womb of his mother. And his father died, Arjuna's son, Abhimanyu.