त्रिवर्गमूलनिश्चयः — Determining the Roots of Dharma, Artha, and Kāma
Mahābhārata, Śānti-parva 123
वेदा: प्रतिष्ठा ज्योतिर्भ्यस्ततो हयशिरा: प्रभु: । ब्रह्मा पितामहस्तस्माज्जागर्ति प्रभुरव्यय:
vedāḥ pratiṣṭhā jyotirbhyaḥ tato hayaśirāḥ prabhuḥ | brahmā pitāmahastasmāj jāgarti prabhuravyayaḥ ||
Vasuharoma berkata: “Daripada cahaya-cahaya ilahi datanglah ‘tongkat’ kewibawaan, yang dengannya Veda-Veda ditegakkan dengan kukuh. Daripada Veda lahir Tuhan Hayagrīva; dan daripada Hayagrīva lahir Brahmā—Tuan yang tidak binasa, Sang Pitāmaha. Setelah menerima tongkat disiplin dan pemerintahan itu, baginda sentiasa berjaga demi melindungi serta menata segala alam.”
वसुहरोम उवाच
Legitimate authority (daṇḍa) and world-protection must be grounded in sacred knowledge (Vedas) and exercised with disciplined vigilance; power is justified when it serves dharma and safeguards the world-order.
Vasu-haroma outlines a chain of cosmic authority: divine radiance establishes the Vedas; from the Vedas emerges Hayagrīva; from Hayagrīva comes Brahmā, who, empowered by the staff of rule, stays awake to protect and regulate the worlds.