taḿ tadā puruṣaḿ martyā
mahā-rājopalakṣaṇam
yajanti veda-tantrābhyāḿ
paraḿ jijñāsavo nṛpa
tam -- Him; tada -- in that age; purusham -- the supreme enjoyer; martyah -- mortal men; maha-raja -- a great king; upalakshanam -- playing the role of; yajanti -- they worship; veda-tantrabhyam -- according to both the original Vedas and ritual tantras; param -- of the Supreme; jijnasavah -- those who want to gain knowledge; nripa -- O King.
When Lord Krishna was leaving the city of Hastinapura, Arjuna personally held an umbrella over the Lord, and Uddhava and Satyaki fanned the Lord with decorated fans (Bhag. 1.10.17, 18). In this way, Emperor Yudhishthira and his followers worshiped Krishna as the greatest of noble kings and as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Similarly, at the Rajasuya sacrifice all of the great souls of the universe elected Krishna as the King of all kings, the greatest personality, deserving of first worship. Such reverential worship of the Lord is characteristic of Dvapara-yuga, as described in this verse (maha-rajopalakshanam). With each successive yuga, namely Satya, Treta, Dvapara and Kali, the condition of human society deteriorates more and more. As mentioned in this verse, the only favorable qualification of the residents of Dvapara-yuga is that they are jijnasavah, strongly desirous of knowing the Absolute Truth. Otherwise there is no good qualification mentioned. The inhabitants of Satya-yuga were described as santah, nirvairah, suhridah and samah, or peaceful, free from envy, the well-wishers of every living entity, and fixed on the spiritual platform beyond the modes of material nature. Similarly the inhabitants of Treta-yuga were described as dharmishthah and brahma-vadinah, or thoroughly religious, and expert followers of the Vedic injunctions. In the present verse, the inhabitants of Dvapara-yuga are said to be simply jijnasavah, desiring to know the Absolute Truth. Otherwise they are described as martyah, or subject to the weakness of mortal beings. If the human society of even Dvapara-yuga was clearly inferior to that of Satya and Treta-yugas, we can hardly imagine the truly disastrous condition of human society in Kali-yuga. Therefore, as will be mentioned in the following verses, human beings who have taken their birth in the present age of Kali should attach themselves rigidly to the movement of Caitanya Mahaprabhu to free themselves from foolishness.