atra praśastamatir ekakartṛtvasiddhaye pramāṇayati ekādhiṣṭhānā brahmādayaḥ piśācāntāḥ parasparātiśayavṛttitvāt iha yeṣāṃ parasparātiśayavṛttitvaṃ teṣām ekāyattatā dṛṣṭā yatheha loke gṛhyagrāmanagaradeśādhipatīnām ekasmin sārvabhaume narapatau tathā ca bhujagarakṣoyakṣaprabhṛtīnāṃ parasparātiśayavṛttitvam tena manyāmahe teṣām apyekasminnīśvare pāratantryam iti /
Here Praśastamati proves [the existence of] a single creator [thus]: "All [beings] from Brahmā down to the Piśācas must have a single controller, because they exist in mutual hierarchical gradation. Here [in the world], wherever there is mutual hierarchical gradation, dependence on one [superior being] is observed - just as the rulers of households, villages, cities and regions [are dependent] on one universal emperor. And serpents, Rakṣas, Yakṣas and others exist in mutual hierarchical gradation. Therefore we conclude that they too are dependent on one Īśvara."