[Advaita-l] [advaitin] Is Ramanuja a Demon? Is his Sribhashya a ku-bhashya?

[V Subrahmanian]

On Fri, Sep 19, 2025 at 10:06 AM Krishna Kashyap <kkashyap2011 at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Namaste Sunil Ji,
>
> I do not know Raghavendra swami's personal biography. Thanks for filling
> in some details of his married life. Definitely sounds cruel to me.
>
> *I am interested in finding out the text reference of where he mentions
> about Madhvacharya and Shiva. *
> Raghavendra swami followed the commentaries by Madhvadharya sincerely. He
> may have added some additional info from his point of view. His view on
> Shiva and Madhvacharya, can be probably traced to some statements directly
> made by Madhvacharya himself.
>
> I dont find it very odd since the school of thought (dvaita)
> recognizes hierarchy or devata-taratamya as a fundamental feature, and
> even knowing this is important for moksha for them.
>
> In the Dvaita system of philosophy, particularly as expounded by
> Madhvacharya, the concept of *Devata Taratamya* (hierarchy of deities) is
> fundamental. This hierarchy is not arbitrary but is based on the inherent
> nature and potency of the deities, with Vishnu (Narayana) occupying the
> supreme position. Yes, the hierarchy of deities (Devata Taratamya) is
> explicitly mentioned and established in Madhvacharya's own original works.
> It is a cornerstone of his Dvaita philosophy. Madhvacharya systematically
> presented this concept, citing various Puranas and Vedic texts as
> scriptural evidence for the graded superiority of different deities and
> souls. He meticulously argued against the Advaita notion of all deities
> (and even individual souls) being ultimately identical to the impersonal
> Brahman.
>
> Here's a simplified representation of the hierarchy, moving from highest
> to lowest in terms of inherent bliss, knowledge, and power (though even the
> lowest are infinitely superior to humans):
>
>    1.
>
>    *Lord Vishnu (Narayana/Hari/Krishna):* The Supreme God, independent,
>    omniscient, omnipotent, and the source of all existence. All other deities
>    derive their power and authority from Him. He is the ultimate object of
>    worship and meditation.
>    2.
>
>    *Goddess Lakshmi (Shri/Ramaa):* The eternal consort of Vishnu, she is
>    next in rank. She is inherently free from sorrow and embodies all
>    auspicious qualities. She is not a jiva (soul) but an eternal companion and
>    power of Vishnu.
>    3.
>
>    *Lord Brahma:* The creator god, holding the highest rank among jivas
>    (individual souls) and entrusted with the creation of the universe. He is a
>    Mukti-yogya (eligible for liberation) soul.
>    4.
>
>    *Lord Vayu (Mukhya Prana/Hanuman/Bhima/Madhavacharya):* Holds a unique
>    and extremely high position, considered the foremost jiva after Brahma. He
>    is the primary life-force and plays a crucial role in creation, sustenance,
>    and dissolution. Madhvacharya is regarded as an incarnation of Vayu.
>
>
Actually it was Madhwa himself who proclaimed himself as the third
incarnation of Vayu, the first two being Hanuman and Bhima. He
substantiated his claim by picking out many passages from the Rg Veda and
other sources. He positioned himself on the lines of the earlier two - who
were the greatest contributors, according to him, to the accomplishment of
the  purpose of the Rama and Krishna avatara-s.  In this third avatara of
Vayu, Madhwa positions himself as the one who serves Veda Vyasa (who is
also an avatara of Vishnu, in a way) by demolishing all incorrect doctrines
that had come before his advent.



>    1.
>
>    *Lord Shiva (Rudra):* The destroyer god, also a very high-ranking jiva.
>    2.
>
>    *Goddess Saraswati (Bharati):* Consort of Brahma, goddess of knowledge.
>
>
Actually Saraswati/Bharati are above Shiva in the Madhwa hierarchy.

warm regards
subbu

>
>    1.
>
>    *Goddess Parvati (Uma/Gauri):* Consort of Shiva.
>    2.
>
>    *Lord Indra:* King of the devas (celestial beings), associated with
>    rain and thunder.
>    3.
>
>    *Lord Surya (Sun God):*
>    4.
>
>    *Lord Chandra (Moon God):*
>    5.
>
>    *Other Devas:* This includes other celestial beings, such as Agni
>    (fire), Varuna (water), Vayu (wind, distinct from Mukhya Prana), Yama
>    (death), Kubera (wealth), Gandharvas, Yakshas, and others, in their
>    respective descending order.
>    6.
>
>    *Rishis/Sages:* Elevated human souls who have attained significant
>    spiritual merit.
>    7.
>
>    *Humans:*
>    8.
>
>    *Other living beings:* Animals, plants, etc.
>
> *Key Points about Devata Taratamya:*
>
>    -
>
>    *Difference in Nature:* This hierarchy is not just about power, but
>    about the inherent nature of the souls and their proximity to Vishnu.
>    -
>
>    *Graded Liberation:* The Dvaita system posits that even among
>    liberated souls (Muktas), there is a hierarchy of bliss based on their
>    inherent nature and spiritual efforts.
>    -
>
>    *Worship:* While Vishnu is the supreme object of worship, other
>    deities can be worshipped as emanations or subservient aspects of Vishnu,
>    or to achieve specific material benefits, but always with the understanding
>    of their subordinate position.
>    -
>
>    *Varying Details:* While the broad outlines are consistent, the
>    precise ordering of some deities (especially those lower down) can
>    sometimes have minor variations in different Dvaita texts or commentaries.
>
> It's a complex and detailed system, but the core principle is the absolute
> supremacy of Vishnu and the graded reality of all other entities.
>
> *Best Regards,*
>
> *Krishna Kashyap*
>
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