As the devatas are serving in a system created by Krishna, does it mean they are pure devotees?
Answer Podcast
Thank you. If the system of the worship of the devatas is created by Krishna, does that mean that the devatas are themselves also pure devotees? Indra commits many mistakes. So, we understand Indra may not be a pure devotee, but what about others? Answer, no, the point over here is that Krishna is expert enough to use everyone, whatever be their status, in it, in his service.
So, the devatas are, in general, it is said to be mixed devotees, not pure devotees. They are, generally, it is said that if somebody does exceptional amount of punya, pious work, then they can be elevated to the level of the devatas and thereby they can get a both of position, they can both get a service as well as position. So, that combination comes to them by the, they are generally considered mixed devotees.
The Lord is accommodating enough to engage even mixed devotees in his service and that’s how he engages, that’s how he carries on the system. So, just because somebody is in the service of the Lord, in the system that he has created, doesn’t necessarily mean that they are pure devotees. They have some amount of devotion, definitely, but it needn’t be pure devotion for them to be a part of the cosmic system.
This doesn’t mean that they are to be minimized. They are to be respected, they are to be venerated. We see in Chaitanya Charita Amruta that even kings who were otherwise demoniac, because they had the position of the king, Sanatana Goswami would respect them when they came, Nawab Swamiji came.
The Goswamis respected them. So, even in the material political arrangement, if somebody gets a position, we see that there is some opulence of Krishna which is manifested through them and that’s why they are having that position now. But beyond that, we also understand that we have to look at their own individual disposition.
We appreciate that they have a particular position and in that position, they are to be acknowledged and respected, but just because they have that position doesn’t mean they automatically have pure devotion. They have some devotion and because that’s a very very powerful position that has been accorded to them by the arrangement of the Lord, so they are to be respected. Thank you.