Taaratamya
Hierarchy
One of the most important and basic tenets of Tattvavaada is “Taaratamya” or hierarchy. Jagannatha Daasaru has, in great detail, explained this in his magnum opus, “Hari-kathaamrutha saara”.
Knowledge and acceptance of Taaratamya is considered as an essential quality for those seeking spiritual advancement. It is a widely held belief that this concept is to be shared only among believers, and through a guru.
There is Devatha and Daitya Taaratamya. These gradations are not fluid. The comprehension of the concept of God is in direct proportion to one’s position in the hierarchy.
Devatha Taaratamya
There are 32 grades (kaksha) of devathas in the Devatha Taaratamya.
At the apex of all creation is Vishnu. He is Sarvotthama, literally, better than everything else. However, this does not mean that Vishnu is present somewhere far away. He is within every being, not only living but even non-living. This has been established by the terrifying appearance of Narasimha from a pillar in the court of Hiranyakashipu, to vindicate Prahallada’s claim that God is present everywhere.
As mentioned earlier, Hari is supreme, independent (swatantra) and beyond the complete comprehension of every other dependent being, including Maha Lakshmi. She is next to him in the Taaratamya.
For further details please look up Harikathamruthasara under Books.
Lakshmi is followed by Bramha, Vayu, Saraswathi, Bharathi, Garuda, Adi Shesha, Rudra and so on.
At a material level, Taaratamya determines the various positions of deities arranged in temples (only of the Maadhwa order)*, the order of doing pooje, arti, naivedya etc.
For instance, a flower falls off the idol of Lakshmi. It cannot be picked up and placed on the idol of Rama. It can however be placed on an idol of Hanuman.
*In most temples, it is common to find the idols of demi gods and higher ones not arranged according to hierarchy.
Guna and Jeeva Taaratmya
Krishna, in Bhagavad Gita, speaks of the three essential qualities (gunas) that are found in every being, except in himself. These are Satthva, Rajas and Tamas (more on this later). The gradation is in the same order.
Based on the tendency of each soul towards the Gunas, the souls are graded. (a Saathvik soul is higher than a Raajasic soul which is higher than a Taamasic soul). ‘Jeeva taaratamya’ is one of the most distinguishing features of Madhwa philosophy. Not everybody is equal. Roughly, there are three categories of souls… those that are born on the earth but strive towards salvation/moksha. Those that are born, live, die, reborn…. In an endless cycle with no hope of redemption. The third category being those who are born and carry out such heinous acts that they are finally cast in hell.
This concept of eternal damnation, common to the Christian belief, is unique to Tattvavaada, among Hindu Dharma.
As mentioned before, the bliss of Moksha is subjective. The misery of punishment is also subjective.
Hierarchy among every aspect of the world and beyond
There is hierarchy among rivers, mountains, places, spaces, time, directions, stars, planets, metals, material (fabric etc), liquids, fruits, plants, animals, body parts and sense organs, forms of worship and charity (daana), rewards and punishments, and so on.
The knowledge of these gradations comes naturally to a true seeker. This knowledge is not meant to be used for ritualistic rigidity. The only take away a person needs is the acceptance of the supremacy of Vishnu*.