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श्री हरये नमः। Shri Haraye Namaha.

The Naaraayana Sukta of the Krshna-Yajurveda’s Taittireeya Aaranyaka says:

नारायणः परं ब्रह्म तत्त्वं नारायणः परः ।

Taittireeya Aaranyaka, Prapaathaka 10 (Maha-Naaraayana Upanishad), Anuvaaka 13 (Naaraayana Sukta), Mantra 4

“Naaraayana is Param Brahma, Naaraayana is the highest Tattva.”

But what is not well known is that this particular vaakya is actually repeated several times in the Shaastras. Following are a few references:

• Mahaabhaarata, Anushaasana Parva, Adhyaaya 186, Shloka 9 (var. Adhyaaya 124)
• Naaraayana Samhita, Adhyaaya 2, Shloka 35 (Shlokas 35-37 repeat mantras 4-5 of the Naaraayana Sukta)
• Narasimha Puraana, Adhyaaya 64, Shloka 63 (Shlokas 63-65 repeat mantras 4 and 5 of the Naaraayana Sukta)
• Padma Puraana, Uttara Khanda, Adhyaaya 226, Shloka 59 (repetition of the Naaraayana Samhita reference)

Further, the statement ‘नारायणः परं ब्रह्म’ (Naaraayana is the Supreme Brahman) occurs in the:

• Mahabharata, Shaanti Parva, Adhyaaya 46, Shloka 128 (var. Adhyaaya 47, Shloka 63)
• Brahmaanda Puraana, Paada 2, Adhyaaya 36, Shloka 40
• Shesha Samhita, Adhyaaya 2
• Jayaakhya Samhita, Adhyaaya 1, Shloka 61

When the Shaastras repeatedly declare something, it implies that it is one of their their important conclusions. Thus, it is stated:

आलोड्य सर्वशास्त्राणि विचार्य च पुनः पुनः ।
इदमेकं सुनिष्पन्नं ध्येयो नारायणः सदा ॥

Mahaabhaarata, Anushaasana Parva, Adhyaaya 186, Shloka 13 (Quoted by Shripaada Madhvacharya, in the Mahaabhaarata Taatparya Nirnaya, Adhyaaya 2, Shloka 72; Shri Vedaanta Deshika, in Rahasyatraya Saara, Chapter 24)

“Enquiring into all Shaastras and analyzing their meanings again and again, provides this conclusion — Naaraayana is always to be meditated upon.”

This shloka is also found in the:

• Narasimha Puraana, Adhyaaya 64, Shlokas 77-78
• Linga Puraana, Uttara-bhaaga, Adhyaaya 7, Shlokas 11-12
• Garuda Puraana, Aachaara Khanda, Adhyaaya 230, Shloka 1

श्रीकृष्णार्पणमस्तु ॥

हरिः ॐ । Harihi Om.

In the 10th Khanda of the Subaala Upanishad, a list of the various lokas and their dependence has been mentioned.

अथ हैनं रैक्वः पप्रच्छ भगवन्कस्मिन्सर्वे
सम्प्रतिष्ठिता भवन्तीति रसातललोकेष्विति होवाच
कस्मिन्रसातललोका ओताश्च प्रोताश्चेति भूर्लोकेष्विति
होवाच कस्मिन्भूर्लोका ओताश्च प्रोताश्चेति
भुवर्लोकेष्विति होवाच कस्मिन्भुवर्लोका ओताश्च
प्रोताश्चेति सुवर्लोकेष्विति होवाच कस्मिन्सुवर्लोका
ओताश्च प्रोताश्चेति महर्लोकेष्विति होवाच कस्मिन्महर्लोका
ओताश्च प्रोताश्चेति जनोलोकेष्विति होवाच कस्मिन् जनोलोका
ओताश्च प्रोताश्चेति तपोलोकेष्विति होवाच कस्मिंस्तपोलोका
ओताश्च प्रोताश्चेति सत्यलोकेष्विति होवाच कस्मिन्सत्यलोका
ओताश्च प्रोताश्चेति प्रजापतिलोकेष्विति होवाच
कस्मिन्प्रजापतिलोका ओताश्च प्रोताश्चेति ब्रह्मलोकेष्विति
होवाच कस्मिन्ब्रह्मलोका ओताश्च प्रोताश्चेति सर्वलोका
आत्मनि ब्रह्मणि मणय इवौताश्च प्रोताश्चेति
स होवाचैवमेतान् लोकानात्मनि प्रतिष्ठितान्वेदात्मैव
स भवतीत्येतन्निर्वाणानुशासनमिति वेदानुशासनमिति
वेदानुशासनम् ॥

Subaala Upanishad, Khanda 7

“Then Raikva asked Him: “O Lord, where do all things rest? He replied: “In the worlds of Rasātala (or nether worlds).” “In what are these (Rasātala worlds) woven warp and woof?” He replied: “In the worlds of Bhūḥ.” “In what are these (worlds of Bhūḥ) woven warp and woof?” He replied: “In the worlds of Bhuvaḥ.” “In what are these (Bhuvaḥ worlds) woven warp and woof?” “In the worlds of Suvaḥ.” “In what are these (Suvaḥ worlds) woven warp and woof?” “In the worlds of Mahaḥ.” In what are these (Mahaḥ worlds) woven warp and woof?” “In the Janaloka.” “In what are these (Jana worlds) woven warp and woof?” “In the Tapoloka.” “In what are these (Tapolokas) woven warp and woof?” “In the Satya loka.” “In what are these (Satya worlds) woven warp and woof?” “In the Prajāpati loka.” “In what are these (Prajāpati worlds) woven warp and woof?” “In the Brahmaloka.” “In what are these (Brahma worlds) woven warp and woof?” “In the Sarvaloka.” “In what are these (Sarva lokas) woven warp and woof?” “In Ātmā—which is Brahman, like beads (in a rosary) warp-wise and woof-wise.”

Then he said: “All these rest in Ātmā, and he who knows this, becomes Ātmā itself. Thus is the exposition of Nirvāṇa. Thus is the exposition of the Vedas; yea, thus is the exposition of the Vedas.”

The following statement has an Upa-Braahmana in the Bhagavat Geeta:

होवाच कस्मिन्ब्रह्मलोका ओताश्च प्रोताश्चेति सर्वलोका
आत्मनि ब्रह्मणि मणय इवौताश्च प्रोताश्चेति

“In what are these (Sarva lokas) woven warp and woof?” “In Ātmā—which is Brahman, like beads (in a rosary) warp-wise and woof-wise.”

It can be found in the 7th chapter and the 7th shloka

मत्त: परतरं नान्यत्किञ्चिदस्ति धनञ्जय ।
मयि सर्वमिदं प्रोतं सूत्रे मणिगणा इव ॥ 7 ॥

Bhagavat Geeta, Adhyaaya 7, Shloka 7

(Shri Krshna said,) “There is nothing higher than Myself, O Arjun. Everything rests in Me, as beads strung on a thread.”

Thank you for reading.

श्री कृष्णार्पणमस्तु ।

हरिः ॐ । Harihi Om.

‘Tattva’, literally meaning “truth” or “reality”, is a level or an element, that constitutes the objects in this material universe, as per the Shaastras. Each Tattva has a presiding devata and the devatas of superior Tattvas are superior to the devatas of the previous Tattvas. They start with the Pancha-bhutas and reach upto Purusha (Brahman). There are a total of 25 Tattvas. These 25 Tattvas are accepted by almost every philosophy, and mainly by Vedaanta.

Hierarchy of the Tattvas

1. Prthivi (Earth)
2. Aapas (water), Varuna
3. Tejas (fire), Agni
4. Vaayu (wind), Pravaaha Vaayu
5. Aakaasha (space)
6. Chakshu (the eye), Surya
7. Shrotra (the ear), Soma
8. Ghraana (nose), Ashvinau (the two Ashvins)
9. Rasa (tongue), Varuna
10. Tvak (skin), Kubera
11. Vaak (speech), Agni
12. Hastau/Paani (the two hands), Indra
13. Upastha (genitals), Daksha (Prajaapati)
14. Paayu (anus), Yama
15. Paada (the feet), Jayanta (the 10th of the 11 Rudras)
16. Sparsha (touch) and Shabda (sound), Suparnee
17. Rasa (taste) and Rupa (sight), Vaaruni
18. Gandha (smell), Paarvati
19. Manas (the mind), Rudra (Shiva)
20. Ahankaara (ego), Chandra
21. Buddhi (Intellect), Sarasvati/Bhaarati
22. Chitta (the subconscious mind), Kshetrajna (Paramaatma)
23. Mahat (the material energy that is the basis of this universe), Brahmaa/Mukhya Praana
24. Avyakta (formless)/Prakrti (the material nature and the basis of the 23 Tattvas), Lakshmi
25. Purusha, Vishnu

The first five Tattvas are known as the ‘Pancha-Bhutas’. The next five are known as ‘Karmendriyas’ (senses of action). Tattvas 11–15 are known as the ‘Jnaanendriyas’ (senses of knowledge). Tattvas 16–18 are known as ‘Arthas’ (objects of perception) and the three Devis (Vaaruni, Suparnee and Paarvati) preside over them.

Pramaanas for this Hierarchy

पृथिवी च पृथिवीमात्रा चापश्चापोमात्रा च तेजश्च तेजोमात्रा च वायुश्च वायुमात्रा चाकाशश्चाकाशमात्रा च चक्शुश्च द्रष्टव्यं च श्रोत्रं च श्रोतव्यं च घ्राणं च घ्रातव्यं च रसश्च रसयितव्यं च त्वक्च स्पर्शयितव्यं च वाक्च वक्तव्यं च हस्तौ चादातव्यं चोपस्थश्चानन्दयितव्यं च पायुश्च विसर्जयितव्यं च यादौ च गन्तव्यं च मनश्च मन्तव्यं च बुद्धिश्च बोद्धिव्यं चाहङ्कारश्चाहङ्कर्तव्यं च चित्तं च चेतयितव्यं च तेजश्च विद्योतयितव्यं च प्राणश्च विद्यारयितव्यं च ॥ ८ ॥

Prashna Upanishad, Prashna 4, Mantra 8

“Earth and its subtle form, water and its subtle form, fire and its subtle form, air and its subtle form, akaasha and its subtle form, sight and its objects, taste and its objects, touch and its objects, speech and object, hands and what is to be handled, the organ of generation and what is to be enjoyed, the organ of excretion and what must be excreted, the feet and what is to be trodden on by them, mind and what must be thought, the intellect and what must be determined, egotism and its object, Chitta and its object, light and its object, and Praana and what must be supported by it.”

The 5th Khanda of the Subaala Upanishad, too, mentions a few of the Tattvas and their respective devatas.

The View of Vaishnava Dharma

As per the Vaishnava philosophy (Pancharaatra), there are five additional Tattvas between Prakrti and Purusha. This has been said in the Parama Samhita.

29. The powers characteristic of the Supreme Soul are said to be five. By means of these, it is that the Supreme God remains in the highest Heaven.

30. These five are (1) Parameṣṭi, (2) Pumān, (3) Viśva, (4) Nivṛtti, (5) Saṛva. These are said to be His Five powers. (Śaktis) and are named Pañcopaniṣad (five secrets).

Parama Samhita, Adhyaaya 2, Mantras 29-30

The Rudra who is the devata of Manas-Tattva is Shiva himself, and not one of the Rudras. As per the Vaishnava philosophy, Rudra is the son of Brahmaa and hence, Brahma is superior to him, being the devata of Mahat-Tattva.

Mukhya Praana is the only equal of Brahmaa and so, he shall be taking over the position of Brahmaa, during the next cycle of creation. Bhaarati-Devi, the wife of Mukhya Praana, and Sarasvati Devi, are at an equal position. Both of them are the devatas of Buddhi Tattva. As per the Mundaka Upanishad, Mundaka 3, Khanda 1, Mantras 3–5, Praana (Vaayu and Brahmaa) associates with Buddhi (Bhaarati Devi and Sarasvati Devi). Praana being the devata of Mahat-Tattva is mentioned in the aforementioned reference of the Prashna Upanishad.

Thank you for reading.

Shri Krshnaarpanamastu.