Krsna-katha is compulsory for the rajarsi, or executive head of government. This is also mentioned in Bhagavad-gita (imam rajarsayo viduh). Unfortunately, however, in this age the governmental power is gradually being captured by third-class and fourth-class men who have no spiritual understanding, and society is therefore very quickly becoming degraded. Krsna-katha must be understood by the executive heads of government, for otherwise how will people be happy and gain relief from the pangs of materialistic life? One who has fixed his mind in Krsna consciousness should be understood to have very sharp intelligence in regard to the value of life. Maharaja Pariksit was rajarsi-sattama, the best of all saintly kings, and Sukadeva Gosvami was muni-sattama, the best of munis. Both of them were elevated because of their common interest in krsna-katha. The exalted position of the speaker and the audience will be explained very nicely in the next verse. Krsna-katha is so enlivening that Maharaja Pariksit forgot everything material, even his personal comfort in relation to food and drink. This is an example of how the Krsna consciousness movement should spread all over the world to bring both the speaker and the audience to the transcendental platform and back home, back to Godhead.