TARATAMYA OR GRADATION OF SOULS

Introduction: One of the most important tenets propounded by Acharya Madhwa is Taratamya or Gradation of Souls. Taratamya talks about gradation of souls that is inherent in souls and not subject to change. This is to say, a Jeeva never interchanges its Kaksha (or Grade) whether it be in asrujyaavasta, srujyaavasta or mukti. For instance, a Jeeva who is in Kaksha 5 can never move into Kaksha 4 or Kaksha 6. A Kaksha is classification of a Jeeva (or group of Jeeva-s) based on their capabilities called GuNa-s. Taaratamya exists among all kinds of souls Saatvik, Raajasik & Taamasik. Brahma is the topmost Jeeva in Satvik category, Puranjana in Rajasik and Kali in Tamasik category. So if we were to look at entire Jeeva-Samooha, Brahma is top-most and Kali is bottom-most. Quotations from Vyaasa Saahitya showing the importance of Taratamya: 1. BhavishyOttara PuraaNa Hari: sarvOttamasyAkShAdramAdEvI tata: paraM | Vidhi vAyu tadaMtEcha tadaMtE sharva pUrvakA: | Evam taratamAj~jEyA: suradaitya narEShu cha || Lord Hari is all Supreme. Goddess Lakshmi is next in gradation. Then come Brahma and Vayu. Then come Shiva and others. Similarly gradation is to be understood among gods (Devata Taratamya), demons (Daitya Taratamya) and men (nara Nityasamsari Taratamya). 2. Garuda PuraaNa durlabham taratamaj~jAnam vaiShNavAnAM kalau khaga | dviShaDguNO vApi chaturvEda yutOpi cha || 73 ||
It is hard to find the true knowledge of gradation in Kaliyuga among Vaishnava-s, even though, one may be equipped with twelve qualities and know all four vedas.

3. Tatvaviveka tAratamya parij~jAnAt tEShu dhyAta: vimuktida: | prItiM na chAnyathA yAyAt iti shAstrasya nirNaya: ||

The conclusion from Shaastra-s is that God, when meditated upon with Taaratamya gynAna, will be pleased and not any other way. 4. MahaaBharata Tatparya Nirnaya kiMcha Etadaj~jAnE anartha Eva shrUyatE | tAratamya parij~jAnAt anutthAnaM tamOvRujEt || tAratamyaM tatOj~jEyaM sarvOchchatvaM harE: tathA | EtadvinA na kashyApi vimukti: syAt kathaMchana || Why indeed, only evil will befall on those without tAratamya gnyAna, whereas with Taaratamya gynAna, the darkness of ignorance is lifted away. That is why Taaratamya gynAna and the all supremacy of Lord Hari is to be known. Without this, no one and no way will ever obtain mukti. 5. Sattatva-Ratnamala nAmAdi mArutAMtEShu dEvEShvEbhyashcha bhEdata: | upAsitO harirmuktiM dadyAnnAstyanna samshaya: || From the lowest god to Vayu deva, tAratamya among gods is to be known. Lord Hari worshipped with such gynAna, gives mukti and let there be no doubt in this. 6. Shri Raghavendra Swaamiji Chandogya Upanishat Khandartha tAratamya j~jAnapUrvaM tadaMtargatatvEnOpAsitO | harirmOkShAdi sarvapumarthaprada ityatO dEvAnAM tAratamyamAha || When gods are worshipped with taaratamya gynAna, Lord Hari, who is indweller of Gods, will confer all the purushaarthaas including moksha. Thus, after this taaratamya among gods is explained. Quotations from Daasa-Saahitya showing importance of Taaratamya: 1. Shri Purandara Daasaru Satyajagatidu paMchabhedavu nitya shrI gOviMdana | kRutyavaritu tAratamyadi kRuShNanadhikeMdu sArirai || Extol Shri Krishnas Supremacy through Taaratamya by understanding the doership of Govinda who is the controller of this universe that is Real. 2. Shri Guru Purandara Daasaru eMdeMdu mukutiyu bEkeMdavarge | aMdadi jIvara tAratamyava tiLidare | guru puraMdara viThala mukutiya nIva ||

Those who are craving for mukti, understand the Taaratamya of Jeevas - Shri Guru Purandara ViThala will bestow them Mukti. 3. Shri Vijaya Daasaru ArAdarEnu mattAvanAdarEnu | tAratamyava tiLiyade mukti yilla || There is no mukti without knowing Taaratamya for who so ever it be. tArataMyave tiLidu naDedA vishiShTharige | pAru mADuva vatsA vijaya viThalarEyA || For those who know Taaratamya and follow accordingly, Shri Vijaya ViThala will get them out of this Samsaara. 4. Shri Mohana Daasaru tAratamya paMchabheda tiLiyadavage | mArutIpriya mOhana viThala oliyA || Maruti-priya Shri Mohana ViThala does not bestow His Grace on those who do not know Taaratamya & Panchabheda, 5. Shri Jagannatha Daasaru dEva daityara tAratamyavu pAvamAni matAnugarigidu | kEvalAvashyakavu tiLivudu sarvakAladali || dAvashikhi pApATavige, navanAve yenipudu bhavasamudrake | pAvaTige vaikuMTha lOkakideMdu karesuvudu For the followers of PavamAna mata (Madhwa Siddhanta), understanding the DevaDaitya Taaratamya is utmost important always. It is like a a. Wild fire to burn a forest of sins (Paapa Samooha) b. Ship to cross the ocean of Samsaara c. Steps to reach VaikunTha

DEVATA TARATAMYA CHART

Kaksha Name of the God/Demi-God 1 Vishnu Sarvottama 2 Lakshmi Nitya Mukta

8 9 10

11 12

13 14 15

16

a) Brahma b) Vaayu c) Ruju-gaNa (Listed in Names of Ruju-s section) a) Saraswati b) Bhaarati c) Rujupatini-gaNa a) Garuda b) Shesha c) Rudra Shanmahishi-s of Krishna a) Jaambavati b) Bhadra c) Neela d) Kalindi e) Mitravinda f) Lakshana a) Sauparni (Dharmapatni of Garuda) b) Vaaruni (Dharmapatni of Shesha) c) Paarvati (Dharmapatni of Rudra) a) Indra (Purandara) b) Kaama Ahankaarika Praana a) Svaayambhu Manu b) Daksha Prajapati c) Bruhaspatyacharya d) Shachi (Dharmapatni of Indra (Purandara)) e) Rati (Dharmapathni of Kaama) f) Aniruddha (Son of Kaama) Pravaha Vaayu a) Vivasvaan Surya b) Chandra c) Yama d) Shataroopa (Dharmapatni of Svaayumbhu Manu) Varuna Devarshi Naarada a) Bhrugu b) Agni c) Prasooti (Dharmapatni of Daksha Prajapati) [a to g are Brahmaputra-s) a) Mareechi b) Athri c) Angirasa d) Pulastya

e) Pulaha f) Kratu g) VashishTa h) Vaivasvata Manu i) Vishwamitra a) Mitra b) Niraruti c) Praavahi (Dharmapatni of Pravaha Vaayu) d) Taara (Dharmapatni of Bruhaspatyacharya) a) Vishvaksena b) Ganapati c) Ashwini Devata-s Naasatya & Dasra d) Kubera e) Shesha Shatastha SOmarasapaanaarha-s (Listed in Somarasapaanaarha section) Karmaja Devatas (Listed in Karmaja Devata Section) a) Parjanya (Megabhimani) b) Ganga (Dharmapatni of Varuna) c) Sangnya (Dharmapatni of Vivasvaan Surya) d) Rohini ( Dharmaptni of Chandra) e) Viradusha (Dharmapatni of aniruddha) - BrahmAndAbhimAnini f) Shyamala (Dharmaptni of Yama) KurmAdhi anAkhyAta Devatha-s Svaaha (Dharmapatni of Agni) - ManthrAbhimAnini Budha (JalAbhimAni) a) Devaki b) Yashoda c) Usha (Dharmapatni of Ashvini Devata-s) - NAmAbhimAnini a) Shanaishchara b) Dhara Pushkara (KarmAbhimAni) AjAnaja Devata-s (Listed in AjAnaja Devata section) Chira Pitru-s Deva Gandharva-s Manushya Gandharva-s Kshitipa-s (Maanusha Chakravarti-s) ManushyOttama-s a) Nara b) Bhuchara c) Khechara d) Krimi e) Truna

17

18

19 20

21 22 23 24

25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32

(101 to 200 Per Shri Harikathamrutasara Vyaakhyaana of Shri Jambukhandi Vadirajacharya) S.No. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. Name Kalki Suteja Daasa Dharma Adharma khanDana Varchasvi KhaShaNa Saadhu Sumaheepati Saddharmagnya Dharmaja SampooorNa Suchi Vaikruta Anjana SarShapa KharpaTa Shraddha Sandhyaata Vignyaana

NAMES OF RUJU-s

21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44.

Mahaavignyaana Keertana SankeerNa Katthana Mahaabuddhi Jaya Mahattara Svaveerya Medhaavi Ajaya RatimAn (Rantimna) Manu Moda Pramoda Santasa Aananda SantuShTa Chaarvaanga Chaarusubaahu Chaarupada Sulochana Saarasvata Suveera Praagnya

45. 46. 47. 48. 49. 50. 51. 52. 53. 54. 55. 56. 57. 58. 59. 60. 61. 62. 63. 64.

Kapi AlampaTa Sarvagnya Sarvajit Mitra Paapavinaashana Dharmavineta ShaaradOja Tapasvi Tejasvi Daanasheela Susheela Yagnya Sukarta Yajvee Yaagavartaka PraaNa TraaNa AmarShi (AmaruShi) DharmopadEShTa(upadE ShTa) Taaraka Kaala KreeDana Sukartaa

65. 66. 67. 68.

69. 70. 71. 72. 73. 74. 75. 76. 77. 78. 79. 80. 81. 82. 83. 84. 85. 86. 87. 88. 89. 90. 91. 92.

Sukaalagnya Kaalasoochaka Kalisamhartaa Kali Kaali Shaamaretasa Sadaarata Subala Saha Kapi (Sadaakapi) Gamya Gnyaana Dashakala Shroptavya Sankeertitavya Mantavya Kavya DraShTavya Saravya Gantavya Kravya Smartavya Sevya Subhavya

93. 94. 95. 96. 97. 98. 99.

Svargavya Bhaavya gnyaatavya Vaktavya Gavya Laatavya Vaayu

100. Brahma

SOMARASA-PAANAARHA-S
There are 100 SOmarasa Paanaarha-s as detailed below: I. Higher Kaksha than Kaksha 18 : 13 II. Kaksha 18 : 84 III. Lower Kaksha than Kaksha 18 : 3 I. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. II. Higher Kaksha than Kaksha 18 (Count of 13): Urukrama Pradhana Vaayu Maha Rudra Indra Ahankaarika PraaNa Bruhaspati Pravaha Vaayu Chandra Yama Vivasvaan VaruNa Agni Mitra (Kaksha 1 - One among Aditya-s - AvathAra of Hari) (Kaksha 3 One among Aditya-s - Bharati Pati Mukhya PraNa) (Kaksha 5 - One among EkAdasha Rudra-s - Vaama) (Kaksha 8 - One among Adhitya-s - Purandara) (Kaksha 9 - One among Maruth-s) (Kaksha 10) (Kaksha 11 - One among Maruth-s) (Kaksha 12) (Kaksha 12) (Kaksha 12 - One among Aditya-s) (Kaksha 13 - one among Aditya-s) (Kaksha 15 - One among Ashta Vasu-s) (Kaksha 17 - one among Aditya-s)

Kaksha 18 (Count of 84): a. AshTa Vasu (Count of 8 -- 1 appear in other kaksha) 1. DroNa

2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Dhruva Dosha Arka PraNa Dyu Vibhavasu One Vasu 'Agni' appears in Uttama Kaksha - 15

b. Ekaadasha Rudra (Count of 11 -- 1 appear in other Kaksha) 1. Bheema 2. Raivata 3. Oja 4. Ajaikapaat 5. Mahan 6. Bahuroopaka 7. Bhava 8. Ugra 9. Vrushaakapi 10. Ahirbudhni One Rudra 'Vaama Parvati pati appears in Uttama Kaksha - 5 c. Dwaadasha Aditya (Count of 12 -- 6 appear in other Kaksha-s) 1. Bhaga 2. Poosha 3. Savitru 4. Dhaata 5. Aaryama 6. TvasTru Six Aditya-s appear in different Kaksha-s: Of these 5 Aditya-s appear in Uttama (higher) Kaksha: Urukrama Kaksha 1 Indra Kaksha 8 Vivasvaan Kaksha 12 VaruNa Kaksha 13 Mitra Kaksha 17 One appear in Adhama Kaksha: Parjanya Kaksha 20 d. Maruth GaNa (Count of 49 -- 2 appear in other Kaksha-s) 1. PraaNa 2. Apaana 3. Vyaana

4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 46. 47.

Udaana Samaana Naaga Koorma Krukala Devadatta Dhananjaya Aavaha Paraavaha Samvaha Shamyu Udvaha Vivaha Shanku Kaala Shvaasa Nala Anila Pratibha Kumuda Kaanta Shuchi Shveta Ajita Guru Jhunjhu Samvartaka Keela Jita Soumya Kapi JaDa Mandooka Samhruta Siddha Rakta KrushNa Pika Shuka Yati Bheema Hanu Pinga Kampana Two Maruth-s 'Ahankaarika PraaNa- Kaksha 9' and 'Pravaha Vaayu - Kaksha 11' appeared in Uttama Kaksha

Note: i. PraaNa, Apaana, Vyaana, Udaana, Samaana are Daasa PraaNa-s ii. Bharati-pati Mukhya PraaNa has 5 rUpAs with the same 5 names and those should not be confused with Daasa PraaNa-s. e. Vishvedevata (Count of 10 All appear in this Kaksha) 1. Puroorava 2. Aardava 3. Kaala 4. Kaama 5. Dhuri 6. Lochana 7. Satya 8. Vasu 9. Daksha 10. Kratu f. Ashwini Devata (Count of 2) 1. Naasatya 2. Dasra

g. Others in this Kaksha (Count of 2) 1. Dyaava 2. Rubhu

Total Count in Kaksha 18 = AshTa Vasu (7) + Ekaadasha Rudra (10) + Dwaadasha Aditya (6) + Maruth GaNa (47) + Vishvedevata (10) + Ashwini Devata (2) + Others (2) = 84 III. Lower Kaksha than Kaksha 18 (Count of 3): In Kaksha 19: Kavyavaaha In Kaksha 20: Parjanya - One among Aditya-s

5 appeared in Kakshas between 1 & 17, 6 appeared in Kaksha 18 In Kaksha 25: Pruthvi

KARMAJA DEVATA-S (KAKSHA 19)

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j. k. l. m. n. o. p. q. r. s. t. u. v. w. x. Dvaarapalaka-s Mareechi (Son of Vaayu) Paavaka (Son of Agni) Jayanta (Son of Indra) vishvakarma Shata Punya Shloka Raja-s RuShi-s Vishnu Parshada-s Gandharva-s 92 Apsara Streeya-s 7 Pitru-s Manu-s Indra-s Yagnya Sadhanaabhimaani Devatas Archara Marga Devatas Dhoomaadi Maarga Devatas Graha-s Sulekha Naamaka Chitragupta Dig-abhimaani Devata-s Ab-abhimaani Devata-s Vahana-s of Devata-s Maalagaara Sudhaama GaNa Naamaka ChanDaka Kaalaakhyabhimaani Dwaarapalaka-s There are 56 Dvaarapalaka-s. 7 AvaraNa-s * 8 dhvArapAlaka-s = 56 Dvaarapalaka-s 1. Jaya 2. Vijaya 3. Others Shata Punya Shloka Raja-s 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Prahlada Priyavrata Uttaanapaada Gaya Maandhaata Pruthu

7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16.

Shashibindu Kaartaveerya Kakutya Daushyanti Bharata Pareekshitha Janaka Haihaya Arshabha Others

Rushi-s (Count of Shata KoTi Rushi-s 8 appear in Uttama Kaksha & Shata-Una Shata Koti appear in Adhama Kaksha -- There are 92 RuShi-s in this Kaksha) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Chavana Uchitthya Kardama Kashyapa Sanaka Sanandana Sanatsujaata Others

Gandharva-s 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. HaaHaa HuHu DhrutaraashTra Tumbura Chitraratha Vishvaavasu Paraavasu Vidyaadhara

Manu-s (Count of 14 3 Belong to Uttama Kaksha) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. Svaayambhu [Kaksha 10] SvaarOchiSha uttama taapasa [Kaksha 1 Shri Hari] Raivata ChakShusha Vaivasvata [Kaksha 16] SaavarNi DakshsaavarNi BrahmasaavarNi DharmasaavarNi

12. RudrasaavarNi 13. DevasaavarNi 14. IndrasaavarNi

Indra-s (Count of 14 7 appear in Uttama Kaksha): 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. Yagnya ROchana Satyajitu Vibhu Trishikha Mandaradyumna Purandara Bali Adbhuta Shambhu Vidhruta Krutadhaama Divaspati Dhrutashuchi [Kaksha 1 Shri Hari] [Kaksha 3 - MukhyapraaNa] [Kaksha 12 - Yama] [Kaksha 18 - Dasra (Ashvini Devata)] [Kaksha 18 - Naasatya (Ashvini Devata)] [Kaksha 8 Sachipati Indra] [Kaksha 8 Sachipati Indra]

Graha-s (Count of 9 5 appear in Uttama & Adhama Kaksha): 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Guru Soorya Chandra Raahu Ketu Mangala Shukra Budha Shani [Kaksha 10 - Bruhaspatyaachaarya] [Kaksha 12] [Kaksha 12]

[Kaksha 23] [Kaksha 25]

Vahana-s 1. Nandi 2. Hamsa 3. Others

AAJAANAJA DEVATA-S (KAKSHA 27)

Aakhyaata Aajaanaja Devata-s: 1. 92 Gandharva-s 2. Kratu 3. Sindhu 4. 908 Apsara Streeya-s (92 appeaar in Kaksha 19) 5. 16,100 Children of Agni (Born as Shri Krishna Patni-s)

Anaakhyaata Aajaanaja Devata-s: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. Vibudha-s (100 in total) Deva Bhrutya Pitru-s (100 in total) Deva Bhrutya Asura-s (100 in total) Deva Gaayana Gandharva-s (100 in total) Deva Nrutya Apsara Streeya-s (100 in total) Siddha Sanketa-s (70 in total) [Deva Karya Nirvaahaka-s] Vaahana carriers YakShara-s (70 in total) Shibika carriers RakShasa-s (30 in total) Deva Paricharaka Chaarana-s (30 in total) Sevaakarta Bhuta-s (70 in total) Kinnara-s (70 in total) Pishacha-s (70 in total) Kubera Bhrutya Guhyaka-s (7 in total) Preta-s (70 in total) Vidyadhara-s (70 in total) VaruNa Bhrutya Naaga-s (5 in total) Shata-Una ShatakoTi RuShi-s