Shloka 30

विषप्रयोगः कृत्योत्पादनं च (प्रह्लादस्य अवध्यता, कृत्याविनाशः, पुरोहितानां रक्षणम्)

Devanagari script

इत्य् उक्तास् तेन ते क्रुद्धा दैत्यराजपुरोहिताः कृत्याम् उत्पादयाम् आसुर् ज्वालामालोज्ज्वलाननाम्

Transliteration

ity uktās tena te kruddhā daityarājapurohitāḥ kṛtyām utpādayām āsur jvālāmālojjvalānanām

Translation

Thus addressed by him, the priests of the Daitya king flared up in anger; and, in their wrath, they brought forth a kṛtyā—an engineered rite-born force—its face blazing with garlands of flame.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle/quotative)

• उक्ताः: having been spoken to / addressed
• उक्ताः: Karma (Predicate participle/कर्मणि-भाव)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) → उक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुल्लिङ्ग/स्त्रीलिङ्ग? प्रथमा बहुवचन (agreeing with ते)

• तेन: by him / by that (person)
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन

• क्रुद्धाः: angry
• क्रुद्धाः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रुध् (धातु) → क्रुद्ध (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन

• दैत्यराजपुरोहिताः: the priests of the king of the Daityas
• दैत्यराजपुरोहिताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य-राज-पुरोहित (प्रातिपदिक; components: दैत्य + राज + पुरोहित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (दैत्यराजस्य पुरोहिताः)

• कृत्याम्: a magical rite / sorcery-entity (kṛtyā)
• कृत्याम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• उत्पादयाम्: they produced / caused to arise
• उत्पादयाम्: Kriya (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत्-√पद्/उत्पादय् (धातु; causative stem)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect/periphrastic perfect usage), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; causative (णिजन्त)

• आसुः: they were / (auxiliary with periphrastic perfect)
• आसुः: Kriya (Auxiliary/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• ज्वालामालोज्ज्वलाननाम्: whose face was blazing with a garland of flames
• ज्वालामालोज्ज्वलाननाम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्वाला-माला-उज्ज्वल-आनन (प्रातिपदिक; components: ज्वाला + माला + उज्ज्वल + आनन)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (ज्वालामाला-उज्ज्वलम् आननं यस्याः सा) qualifying कृत्याम्

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Prahlāda’s unwavering devotion and how Hari protects his devotee against demonic rites

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: authoritative

Prahlada Narrative

Phase: Persecution

Bhakti Quality: Steadfast, fear-transcending ekānta-bhakti to Hari despite hostile authority

Persecution: Weapons

Characters & Entities

• Daityas
• Daitya king
• Purohitas (royal priests)
• Kṛtyā (ritual entity)

FAQs

What is the significance of a kṛtyā in the Vishnu Purana?

A kṛtyā represents ritual power deliberately shaped into a hostile force—showing how sacred techniques, when driven by anger and adharma, become instruments of destruction rather than dharma.

How does Sage Parāśara frame the role of priests and mantra in such episodes?

Through the narrative, Parāśara highlights that mantra and ritual efficacy are real, but their ethical orientation matters; when wielded under wrath, they signal spiritual decline and invite corrective cosmic consequences.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when not named in the verse, the Purāṇic worldview assumes Vishnu as the supreme regulator of order—so the rise of violent ritual forces ultimately remains subordinate to the higher governance of dharma sustained by him.