# The Demigods *On the devatās and their position in relation to Kṛṣṇa* --- ### Servants of Kṛṣṇa > The demigods are not independent. They are all servants of Kṛṣṇa. Just like in a government, there are different departments—education department, defense department, finance department—similarly, Kṛṣṇa has different demigods to manage different departments of this cosmic affair. — [[spoken/1972/721017sb.vrn|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.2.6, Vṛndāvana, 1972]] --- ### Not Supreme > The demigods are not the Supreme. The Supreme is Kṛṣṇa. Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat. There is no one superior to Kṛṣṇa. The demigods are subordinate to Kṛṣṇa. They are servants, powerful servants, but still servants. — [[spoken/1970/700508ip.la|Śrī Īśopaniṣad, Mantra 6, Los Angeles, 1970]] --- ### Managing the Universe > The demigods are empowered representatives of Kṛṣṇa. Just like the sun god is managing the sun planet, the moon god is managing the moon planet. They are not independent. They are all working under the direction of Kṛṣṇa. — [[spoken/1976/760619sb.tor|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.6.3, Toronto, 1976]] --- ### Worship for Material Benefits > Those who are less intelligent, they worship the demigods for material benefit. Kāṅkṣantaḥ karmaṇāṁ siddhim. But the result is temporary. You worship the sun god, you get some result, but it is temporary. But if you worship Kṛṣṇa, you get permanent benefit. — [[spoken/1972/721017sb.vrn|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.2.6, Vṛndāvana, 1972]] --- ### Kṛṣṇa Gives the Result > Actually, even when you worship the demigods, it is Kṛṣṇa who gives the result. The demigods cannot give anything independently. Kṛṣṇa is the supreme proprietor. Everything is coming from Kṛṣṇa. — [[spoken/1970/700508ip.la|Śrī Īśopaniṣad, Mantra 6, Los Angeles, 1970]] --- ### Brahma and Śiva > Brahmā is the creator, Viṣṇu is the maintainer, and Śiva is the destroyer. These three functions are going on. But above them is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is the origin of everything. — [[spoken/1968/680816jm.mon|Janmāṣṭamī Lecture, Montreal, 1968]] --- ### Twelve Mahājanas > So one should know that dharma means the laws given by God. That is dharma. And such dharma, or the path of dharma, is strictly followed by these mahājanas. Just like Brahmā, Lord Śiva, Nārada, Manu, Kapila..., Kapiladeva, Kapiladeva who enunciated sāṅkhya philosophy. — [[spoken/1970/701219sb.sur|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.34–39, Surat, 1970]] --- ### Not to Be Neglected > We should not disrespect the demigods. They are also devotees of Kṛṣṇa. But we should not worship them as the Supreme. The Supreme is Kṛṣṇa. The demigods are Kṛṣṇa's servants. — [[spoken/1970/701215sb.ind|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.27, Indore, 1970]] --- ### Temporary Results > By worshiping the demigods, you can get temporary benefit, but by worshiping Kṛṣṇa, you get permanent benefit. You go back to home, back to Godhead. That is the difference. — [[spoken/1976/760630sb.nv|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.6.16, New Vṛndāvana, 1976]] --- ### Ultimately Kṛṣṇa > Whatever you worship—whether you worship Brahmā, whether you worship Śiva, whether you worship sun god—ultimately the benefactor is Kṛṣṇa. So why not worship Kṛṣṇa directly? That is intelligence. — [[spoken/1972/721017sb.vrn|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.2.6, Vṛndāvana, 1972]] --- *10 quotes from Śrīla Prabhupāda on the demigods* [[wiki/quotes|Back to Quotes]]