There are fourteen realms (lokas) in this brahmanda where all the 'Beings' reside just like the bees in a Beehive. The Beehive is the 'purusha' and all the bees are the dependent bees on Him. The Bhagavad-Gita emphatically says that "This universe is like an inverted tree, 'Urdhvamula ashvatha' and all live on this magical tree; Further, "Cut this illusory tree by the sharp axe of knowledge", says Bhagavan Shree Krishna. At the higher level of the tree are the devata and Rishi munis including the brahma, vishnu and maheshvara. At the lower levels are the insects, germs, and viruses and we know how these microscopic germs and viruses can kill us! What is the secret of the power of these? Humans are found in the middle rungs of the Inverted Ashvatha Tree that draws energy from the roots above and the jivarashi enjoy their fruits of action (karmaphala) at the lower levels.
It has already been stated that the brahmanda is replicated at three levels- universe (brahmanda), individual (pindanda) and the microcosm (andanda). The fourteen lokas (Realms of existence) are thus found also in the humans from the foot to head- patala loka to sat-loka (sahasrar). The tenth from the bottom is svar-loka. This is the navel region where manipura chakra (plexus of consciousness) is located. Vishuddhi chakra and the Ajnya chakra are located at the throat and 'bhru' level (between eyebrows), respectively.
The left side of the navel is of negative (demoniac) qualities (kuru/kourava) and the right side is the positive (pandava) or divine qualities. One can transform from left to right by right thinking and right action taking sattvic food.
Coming to the devata and the Rishis, the noble qualities and jnyan are attributed to these nobel divine souls. The devata are the divine qualities and the Rishis are jnyanis. Not all the Jnyanis are Rishis, but all the Rishis are jnyanis. The Rishis are those who are capable of transcending the time, space and causality and visualize the truth. The Rishi is a drushtara, a person who can understand the inner meaning of a mantra. Since the mantra are divine intuition knowledge obtained from parame vyoman (vast and deep ocean of consciousness). Here, it is important to note how the universe is formed from subtler forces of sound waves (AUM) the sound of the light waves or quantum flow of energy particles as electromagnetic waves (sun rays). There is not much difference between the Vedic pronouncements of 'AUMmmm' and the Scientists version of creation like Big Bang!
There are different levels of understanding and as such, there are different levels of devata and Rishis.At the highest level are the brahmarshi and the maharishis, followed by Rishi and Rishika, Rushiputra, Shrutarshi, rajarshi and devarshi. Narada was a devarshi; Vashishtha and vishvamitra were brahmarshis. Bhrugu, marichi, atri, angirasa, pulaha, kratu, manu daksha and many others are maharshis. Vasishtha was a maharshi earlier and attained to brahn by tapas. A rishimust be capable of hearing the inaudible sacred sounds and interpret them to their ardent disciples, peferably, their firs born.
Incidentally, these first-born may or may not have mother or father or both, and as such, and it is difficult to understand this.Drushthadyuman is one such who had no parents. All the brain-children of Brahma like the first-born atharvan, followed by sanaka, sanatsujata, skanda, sanatkumara, narada- all had no mothers! Saraswati, Gayatri, or Savitri are referred to as male figures like the Sun! Girvani-Bharati, Vaakdevi or Sharada should not be treated as brahma's wife as stated in many puranas (stories for children?). When brahma requested them to help him in his task of creation, they all refused and decided to remain in the pursuit of brahm jnyan! They refused to promote creation and remained great Rishis. These are the great Rishis who have given us the pancha ratra agama shastra that is said to be older than the Veda. The Veda came later after Lakshmi presented Herself as the manifest force Shakti form of Sri hari Narayana as vasudeva, sankarshana, sudarshana, pradyumna, aniruddha, and vivasvan as the first manu (Sun) followed by other manus and upto Ikshvaku dynasty and Rama.
These are very interesting accounts given in the History of Vedic Literature. It is strictly warned that the students of the Vedic studies should know that the Veda is not a scripture. It is a collection of mantra heard by the great Rishis; in fact, they became Rishi because of the hearing of these sacred sounds inaudible to common man. Dr. N. S. Anantarangachar (in Kannada) and renown Vedic scholar Sri Sudhakara Chaturvedi have given a detailed account of these and I have quoted with grateful thanks to the two great scholars, only a few lines, from these sources for the benefit of our readers.
Since the highest level of existence is not at the body and the sense level, anybody who takes to transcendental meditation can attain to these highest levels. As one goes higher and higher up the ladder in consciousness, the lower levels drop off and such persons are known as divine souls.
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