Rājarṣayaḥ means king, rāja, and ṛṣayaḥ. Rāja means king. Formerly, the government was monarchy. So all the kings, all the government head men, they understood Bhagavad-gītā. That is needed. This science, Bhagavad-gītā, must be learned by the leaders. The society is managed by the leaders, by the kings, by the brāhmaṇas. That is Vedic culture. The brāhmaṇas, they give guidance according to the śāstra, and the king is trained up in such a way that he takes instruction from the saintly persons and brāhmaṇas and rules over the kingdom. Therefore it was so perfect.
Raja means
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Rāja means king. Formerly, the government was monarchy. So all the kings, all the government head men, they understood Bhagavad-gītā. That is needed.
Lecture on BG 4.2 -- Bombay, March 22, 1974: