Shloka 31

प्रह्लादस्य अव्यभिचारिणी भक्ति, मायाविनाशः, तथा विष्णोः विश्वरूप-स्तुतिः

Devanagari script

कृत्याकृत्यविधानं च दुर्गाटविकसाधनम् प्रह्लाद कथ्यतां सम्यक् तथा कण्टकशोधनम्

Transliteration

kṛtyākṛtyavidhānaṃ ca durgāṭavikasādhanam prahlāda kathyatāṃ samyak tathā kaṇṭakaśodhanam

Translation

Explain to me, O Prahlāda, with full clarity the ordinances of what must be done and what must be avoided; also the means of securing and administering forts and wilderness frontiers, and likewise the cleansing away of ‘thorns’—the removal of harmful elements that afflict the realm and disturb the order of dharma.

Word by Word

• कृत्य-अकृत्य-विधानम्: the rules about what should and should not be done
• कृत्य-अकृत्य-विधानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अकृत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + विधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समासः—कृत्य + अकृत्य (इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व), ततः ‘कृत्याकृत्यविधानम्’ (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-प्रायः: ‘कृत्य-अकृत्ययोः विधानम्’)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• दुर्ग-अटवि-का-साधनम्: measures regarding forts, forests, and (the like)
• दुर्ग-अटवि-का-साधनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + अटवि (प्रातिपदिक) + का (प्रातिपदिक) + साधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समासः—दुर्ग + अटवि + का (समाहार-द्वन्द्व: ‘दुर्गा अटविका च’), ततः ‘दुर्गाटविकसाधनम्’ (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-प्रायः: ‘...साधनम्’ = means/measures)

• प्रह्लाद: O Prahlāda
• प्रह्लाद: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रह्लाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन

• कथ्यताम्: let it be explained
• कथ्यताम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ/imperative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive): ‘let it be told’

• सम्यक्: properly
• सम्यक्: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: रीतिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: रीतिवाचक/समुच्चयार्थ-अव्यय (adverb: likewise)

• कण्टक-शोधनम्: the removal of thorns (i.e., suppression of troublemakers)
• कण्टक-शोधनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कण्टक (प्रातिपदिक) + शोधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘कण्टकानां शोधनम्’ = removal/purging of thorns/evils)

Speaker

Uncertain from the single verse excerpt (context suggests a king/ruler addressing Prahlāda as an instructor in dharma and statecraft; the Purāṇic frame remains Parāśara narrating to Maitreya).

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: The final set of rāja-nīti questions: do’s/don’ts, forts/frontiers, and removal of ‘thorns’ harming the realm.

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dharma in governance is discernment of kṛtya/akṛtya and the active protection of society by removing ‘thorns’—forces that injure order and well-being.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Identify ‘thorns’ in one’s life/community (harmful habits, corruption, abuse) and remove them through ethical policy, accountability, and personal discipline.

Vishishtadvaita: The ‘cleansing of thorns’ aligns with the Vaishnava view of the world as the Lord’s body (śarīra): protecting beings is reverence toward the indwelling Lord, even when framed as rāja-dharma.

Prahlada Narrative

Phase: Teaching (Prahlada's schools)

Bhakti Quality: Moral clarity: asked to define duty/avoidance and purging harms—setting the stage for Prahlāda’s dharma-centered (and ultimately Vishnu-centered) reply.

Characters & Entities

• Prahlada

FAQs

What is the significance of kṛtyākṛtya (what should and should not be done) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames dharma as practical discernment: the ruler (and society) must know obligatory acts and prohibited acts to preserve moral order and align governance with righteous duty.

How does the Vishnu Purana present kaṇṭaka-śodhana in the context of kingship?

Kaṇṭaka-śodhana is portrayed as the king’s duty to remove “thorns”—harmful elements like criminals, oppressors, and destabilizing forces—so that dharma and public welfare can flourish.

Why are forts (durga) and forests/frontiers (āṭavī) mentioned together in this verse?

They represent the protective infrastructure of a realm: securing forts and managing wilderness frontiers are governance responsibilities that safeguard society, enabling stable dharmic life under rightful rule.