त्रिवर्गमूलनिश्चयः — Determining the Roots of Dharma, Artha, and Kāma
Mahābhārata, Śānti-parva 123
अपां राज्येडसुराणां च विदधे वरुणं प्रभुम् मृत्युं प्राणेश्वरमथो तेजसां च हुताशनम्
apāṃ rājyed asurāṇāṃ ca vidadhe varuṇaṃ prabhum | mṛtyuṃ prāṇeśvaram atho tejasāṃ ca hutāśanam ||
ວະສຸຫະໂຣມາ ກ່າວວ່າ: ພຣະອົງໄດ້ສະຖາປະນາວະຣຸນະເປັນຈອມເຈົ້າເຫນືອນ້ຳ ແລະເຫນືອອານາເຂດຂອງອະສຸຣະ; ແຕ່ງຕັ້ງຄວາມຕາຍເປັນຈອມເຈົ້າເຫນືອລົມຫາຍໃຈແຫ່ງຊີວິດ; ແລະໃຫ້ພຣະໄຟ (ຫຸຕາຊະນະ) ເປັນຜູ້ປົກຄອງເຫນືອແສງສະຫວ່າງແລະພະລັງງານ. ນີ້ຊີ້ວ່າອຳນາດບໍ່ແມ່ນສິ່ງສຸ່ມໆ ແຕ່ເປັນຕຳແໜ່ງທີ່ຖືກກຳນົດເພື່ອໃຫ້ໂລກເຮັດວຽກດ້ວຍການປົກຄອງອັນຊອບທຳແລະການຄວບຄຸມ.
वसुहरोम उवाच
The verse teaches that the universe is sustained by an ordered distribution of authority: each cosmic force has a defined jurisdiction (waters, life-breath, radiance). This models dharma as rightful placement of power and responsibility rather than arbitrary dominance.
Vasuharoma describes how a supreme ordainer assigns rulership: Varuṇa is set over waters (and the Asuras’ realm), Death over the life-breaths of beings, and Agni over tejas. It is a catalog of cosmic appointments illustrating structured governance of the world.