Shloka 31

Devanagari script

कृत्याकृत्यविधानं च दुर्गाटविकसाधनम् प्रह्लाद कथ्यतां सम्यक् तथा कण्टकशोधनम्

Transliteration

kṛtyākṛtyavidhānaṃ ca durgāṭavikasādhanam prahlāda kathyatāṃ samyak tathā kaṇṭakaśodhanam

Translation

ஓ பிரஹ்லாதா! செய்யவேண்டியது–செய்யக்கூடாதது என்ற விதிமுறைகள், கோட்டைகளும் காட்டுப்புற எல்லைகளும் பாதுகாப்பு-நிர்வாகம் பெறும் வழிகள், மேலும் ‘கண்டக-சோதனம்’—ராஜ்யத்தைத் துன்புறுத்தும் தீய கூறுகளை அகற்றுதல்—இவற்றை எனக்கு தெளிவாக உரை.

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.