DEMIGOD WORSHIP: “God” and “Gods”

On existence of demigods �  Is it just a figment of the imagination of

some primitive aboriginal tribes? � What is the need of so many demigods? � Can’t everything in nature happen by

itself?

Who are demigods? �  God is one —Krishna – and the demigods are

all living entities (nityanām) endowed with different grades of material power to manage this material world.

�  Universal administration is carried out by demigods

�  Demigod means subgod or they are not independent controllers but dependent controllers

�  Pantheism: worshipping many gods is not supported by Bhagavad-gita

Demigods as administrators of the universe

Krishna says in 3.10-12: “In charge of the various necessities of life, the

demigods, being satisfied by the performance of yajña, will supply all necessities to you. But he who enjoys such gifts without offering them to the demigods in return is certainly a thief.”

�  Supreme Lord doesn’t directly involve Himself in the management of this material universe

Relationship of demigods with Kṛṣṇa

nityo nityānāḿ cetanaś cetanānām eko bahūnāḿ yo vidadhāti kāmān

(Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13) “He is the prime eternal among all eternals. He is the

supreme living entity of all living entities, and He alone is maintaining all life”

�  Demigods are parts and parcels (jivas) of Supreme Lord

�  Krishna says in verse 10.2, aham ādir hi devānāḿ maharṣīṇāḿ ca sarvaśaḥ (“I am the source of the demigods and sages”)

Kṛṣṇa is the origin of demigods

nārāyaṇād brahmā jāyate, nārāyaṇād prajāpatiḥ prajāyate, nārāyaṇād indro

jāyate, nārāyaṇād aṣṭau vasavo jāyante, nārāyaṇād ekādaśa rudrā jāyante,

nārāyaṇād dvādaśādityāḥ From Narayana, Brahma is born, and from Narayana the

patriarchs are also born. From Narayana, Indra is born, from Narayana the eight Vasus are born, from Narayana the eleven Rudras are born, from Narayana the twelve Adityas are born." This Narayana is an expansion of Krishna. (Nārāyaṇa Upaniṣad)

Kṛṣṇa is the origin of demigods

eko vai nārāyaṇa āsīn na brahmā na īśāno nāpo nāgni-samau neme dyāv-āpṛthivī na

nakṣatrāṇi na sūryaḥ In the beginning of the creation there was only

the Supreme Personality Narayana. There was no Brahma no Siva, no water, no fire, no moon, no stars in the sky, no sun.

(Maha Upanishad 1)

�  All Vedic literature agree that Krishna is the source of Brahma, Siva and all other demigods

Kṛṣṇa is the origin of demigods

na me viduh sura-gaṇāh prabhavam na maharṣayah

aham ādir hi devānām maharṣīṇām ca sarvaśah

Neither the hosts of demigods nor the great sages know My origin or opulences, for, in every respect, I am the source of

the demigods and sages. (Bhagavad-gītā 10.2)

Who approach the demigods? kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ prapadyante 'nya-devatāḥ taḿ taḿ niyamam āsthāya

prakṛtyā niyatāḥ svayā Those whose intelligence has been stolen by

material desires surrender unto demigods and follow the particular rules and regulations of worship according to their own natures.

(Bhagavad-gītā 7.20)

Are demigods different forms of the Lord?

� The demigods are not different forms of God, but they are God’s different parts and parcels. God is one, and the parts and parcels are many.

� The Vedas say, nityo nityānām: God is one - Krishna, and the demigods are all living entities (nityanam) endowed with different grades of material power to manage this material world.

Approaching Demigods � Demigod worship is impelled by material

desires (Bhagavad-Gita 7.20) � People worship demigods to get quick

material benefits such as land, wealth, woman, power, position, fame, status and other enjoyable paraphernalia. (Bhagavad-Gita 4.12)

� Examples: Ravana worshipping Lord Śiva, Hiranyakasipu worshipping Lord Brahma etc.

Approaching Demigods �  The medium of exchange between Krishna and

His devotees is unmotivated love (Bhagavad-Gita 9.26, 34; 11.54, 18.55)

�  The medium that connects the demigods and their worshippers is material benefits. Material benefits are temporary. (Bhagavad-Gita 7.20, 9.2, 9.25, 8.16) ◦  One can’t worship demigods with love because by

nature we are part and parcels of Krishna ◦  Therefore, the word ‘worship (pooja)’ is used for

demigods and the word ‘devotional service (bhakti)’ is used for Supreme Lord

�  Demigods can’t award liberation to conditioned living entity. (9.25, 8.16, 9.21, 8.5-6)

�  Supreme Lord Krishna, known as Mukunda, can extricate the living entity from clutches of birth and death (4.9, 9.25, 9.34, 18.66)

Destination of Demigod Worshippers

yānti deva-vratā devān pitṝn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ

bhūtāni yānti bhūtejyā yānti mad-yājino 'pi mām

Those who worship the demigods will take birth among the demigods; those who worship the

ancestors go to the ancestors; those who worship ghosts and spirits will take birth among such beings; and those who worship Me will live

with Me. (Bhagavad-gītā 9.25)

Destination of Demigod Worshippers

ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna

mām upetya tu kaunteya punar janma na vidyate

From the highest planet in the material world down to the lowest, all are places of misery wherein repeated birth and death take place. But one who attains to My abode, O son of Kunti, never takes birth again

(Bhagavad-gita 8.16)

Do all paths lead to the same goal?

�  Those who worship demigods will attain the planets of demigods

�  Life in heavenly planets is temporary �  All paths don’t lead to same goal because, ◦  If we worship demigods, destination is planets of

demigods ◦  If we worship forefathers, destination is wherever

they have gone ◦  If we worship other people, we go wherever they go ◦  If we serve Krishna, we go to Krishna loka which is

beyond this material universe Bhagavad-Gita 9.25, 8.16, 9.21

Is demigod worship necessary?

Watering the root vs. watering the leaves and twigs ye 'py anya-devatā-bhaktā yajante śraddhayānvitāh te 'pi mām eva kaunteya yajanty avidhi-pūrvakam

Those who are devotees of other gods and who worship them with faith actually worship only Me, O son of Kunti, but they do so in a wrong way.

(Bhagavad-gītā 9.23)

Is demigod worship necessary?

�  Jiva is eternally related to Supreme Lord as His part and parcel

� When it forgets this relationship with Supreme Lord, it becomes vicious, and lives in a state of fear (bhaya) and lamentation (soka)

� Although jiva approaches demigods for solving his problems, they can’t give that sense of protection and belongingness that the soul needs