The mandala system served as the political formation of the Majapahit Kingdom in establishing power relations between the center (Wilwatikta), the outlying regions (Desantara), and allied states (Mitreka Satata). In this formation, the center acts as the governing authority with defined territorial boundaries. These boundaries signify the extent of Majapahit's power, leading to instances where regions outside the administrative center pay tribute, even though they remain outside the central administration. The mandala also functions as a metaphor illustrating a circle of power centered on a king. This mandala system played a crucial role in Majapahit-era power dynamics and can be understood as an early political power system in Southeast Asia. This paper focuses on the power relations between the central government and surrounding regions in terms of the mandala concept, as well as Majapahit’s hegemonic efforts to maintain power. The objective is to uncover the power relations and hegemony of the Majapahit Kingdom as represented in three significant Javanese manuscripts: Negarakertagama, Pararaton, and Kakawin Gadjah Mada. The question addressed is how power relations between the central government and subordinate states contribute to the formation of the mandala system and why the mandala system becomes a tool of hegemony. This paper is based on library research, employing descriptive analysis and interpretative techniques grounded in Foucauldian perspectives on power relations and Gramscian notions of hegemony. The Foucauldian approach elucidates how power relations are dispersed and widespread, while the Gramscian approach identifies subtle forms of hegemony (soft power) characterized by flexible acceptance. Findings reveal that the mandala system—shaped by territorial policies advocated by Hayam Wuruk and Patih Gajah Mada—comprises three zones: Wilwatikta (the core state), Desantara, and Mitreka Satata. Each zone holds distinct advantages and undergoes different power relations treatment. In Negarakartagama, regions in the Nusantara are referred to as Desantara, while kingdoms in Southeast Asia become Mitreka Satata, serving as allies rather than direct subordinates. Kingdoms considered as Majapahit’s expansion areas retain autonomy without the direct placement of Majapahit bureaucrats and military forces, yet must periodically offer tributes and recognize Majapahit's sovereignty. Their loyalty to the central government is evident through the adoption of Majapahit's religious, cultural, and socio-economic ideologies, making them buffer zones that reinforce Majapahit's power. The mandala system is maintained by various actors who drive the kingdom’s hegemonic power, including the king, high officials, the Mahapatih, priests, and poets. Hegemony emerges from Majapahit's effective diplomatic strategies—manifesting as soft power—between the center and its subordinate kingdoms. Majapahit's hegemony is evidenced by the dissemination of Panji stories across the Nusantara, widespread claims of descent from Majapahit in Southeast Asian territories, Gajah Mada's pilgrimage sites found in different regions, and the continued use of Majapahit's Surya ornament in various areas.