Madhvaon Brahma Sūtra 4.4.18

“ He who knows them (the four forms of Narayana) knows Brahman, (and) to this (Brahma who knows them) all the gods (in heaven) pay their tribute (bear their offerings ”) (Tait. VI). Thus the rulership of the world being expressly declared of the released, it may be sup- posed that every released soul attains to absolute power ; but this supposition cannot be maintained; for in that text it is Brahma, the four-faced, the ruler of all the offi- ciating gods that is spoken of. The following is in the Garuda : “ Some meditate on the imperishable Lord Hari, the glorious and perfect Lord of all, as the Atman (Lord) only and attain release here; and these have no passage (through the Brahmanadi) and stay only here; some in the Antarikshaloka, some in Svarga, some in the Maharloka, some in the Janaloka, some in the Tapoloka, and some in the Satyaloka; some others of great wisdom go to the sea of milk; and they in the order of their rank and increasing measure of knowledge take their places nearer to Brahman; some dwell in the same sphere ; (some) obtain similar forms; some stay always by the side of the Lord; some are always in the embrace of the Lord. In all places beginning with the Earth to the Sea of Milk where the glorious Person named Narayana seated upon Ananta (the serpent) is present, there are human souls of the four different classes (Yarnas, as well as of the four Asramas) ; there are the Rulers of the earth, musicians attend- ing upon men, the gods, the fathers called the Chiras and Ajanajas, Karmajas, (those that have attained to the state of being gods by virtue of their holy acts) ; the gods that preside over the twenty-five principles (Tattvas), the Lord of Sachi, Rudra, Brahma —all these are in their regular ascending order, one over another; in eternal bliss, in enjoyments, in wisdom and in other excellences, all of them differ from each other, the one above having bliss, etc., hundred times what the one below enjoys. Those that are higher in the scale are worshipped by those below ; and by all of them the four-faced is worshipped and they have each a con- trol over those below as they had (in the gross universe, before. Those that are fit for Saynjya (entering into the Lord’s Person and enjoying the blessings by means of the Lord’s members), enter into the Supreme Lord and at will issue forth, assume either intelligent forms or material bodies and enjoy all blessings except a few. Thus the state of the released, in heaven is clearly explained to thee.”