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

Nghe lời chàng nói, các tư tế của vua Daitya nổi giận; trong cơn thịnh nộ, họ tạo ra một 'Kritya'—một thế lực tà thuật—với khuôn mặt rực cháy những vòng lửa.

Word by Word

इतिthus

उक्ताःhaving been spoken to / addressed

तेनby him / by that (person)

तेthey

क्रुद्धाःangry

दैत्यराजपुरोहिताःthe priests of the king of the Daityas

कृत्याम्a magical rite / sorcery-entity (kṛtyā)

उत्पादयाम्they produced / caused to arise

आसुःthey were / (auxiliary with periphrastic perfect)

ज्वालामालोज्ज्वलाननाम्whose face was blazing with a garland of flames

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.