Shloka 46
त्रिवर्गमूलनिश्चयः — Determining the Roots of Dharma, Artha, and Kāma
Mahābhārata, Śānti-parva 123
पर्वतेभ्यश्न जागर्ति रसो रसगुणात् तथा । जागर्ति निर्क्रतिदेवी ज्योतींषि निर्क्रतेरेपि,व्यवसायसे दण्ड लेकर तेज जगत्की रक्षा करता हुआ सजग रहता है। तेजसे ओषधियाँ, ओषधियोंसे पर्वत, पर्वतोंसे रस, रससे निर्क्रति और निर्ऋ्रतिसे ज्योतियाँ क्रमशः उस दण्डको हस्तगत करके लोक-रक्षाके लिये जागरूक बनी रहती हैं
parvatebhyaś ca jāgarti raso rasaguṇāt tathā | jāgarti nirṛtidevī jyotīṁṣi nirṛter api ||
Vasuharoma said: “From the mountains, the sap—essence (rasa)—keeps watch; and from the quality of that essence, it too remains vigilant. The goddess Nirṛti keeps watch, and from Nirṛti even the lights of heaven remain wakeful. Thus, in a chain of mutual support, each principle takes up the ‘staff’ (daṇḍa)—the power of restraint and governance—and stays alert for the protection of the world.”
वसुहरोम उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse presents a dharmic vision of governance and cosmic stability: protective power (daṇḍa—discipline, restraint, rightful authority) must remain ‘awake’ through an interlinked chain of supports. Order is sustained when each level of reality performs its role vigilantly for loka-rakṣā (protection of the world).
Vasuharoma describes a symbolic sequence—mountains, essence (rasa), its qualities, the goddess Nirṛti, and the luminaries—each ‘keeping watch.’ The imagery explains how the world’s protection is maintained through successive agencies that uphold the principle of daṇḍa, i.e., the enforcing power that preserves order.