Demigods and demons

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SB.6.7.40 Purport

 

The distinction between the demigods (devas) and demons (asuras) is

that the demigods are all devotees of Lord ViŠu whereas the demons

are devotees of demigods like Lord ®iva, Goddess K€l… and Goddess

Durg€. Sometimes the demons are also devotees of Lord Brahm€. For

example, HiraŠyakaipu was a devotee of Lord Brahm€, R€vaŠa was a

devotee of Lord ®iva, and Mahi€sura was a devotee of Goddess Durg€.

The demigods are devotees of Lord ViŠu (viŠu-bhaktaƒ smto daiva),

whereas the demons (€suras tad-viparyayaƒ) are always against the

viŠu-bhaktas, or VaiŠavas. To oppose the VaiŠavas, the demons

become devotees of Lord ®iva, Lord Brahm€, K€l…, Durg€, and so on. In

the days of yore, many long years ago, there was animosity between the

devas and the asuras, and the same spirit still continues, for the

devotees of Lord ®iva and Goddess Durg€ are always envious of

VaiŠavas, who are devotees of Lord ViŠu. This strain between the

devotees of Lord ®iva and Lord ViŠu has always existed. In the higher

planetary systems, fights between the demons and the demigods continue

for a long, long time.

Herein we see that Vivar™pa made for the demigods a protective

covering, saturated with a ViŠu mantra. Sometimes the ViŠu mantra is

called ViŠu-jvara, and the ®iva mantra is called ®iva-jvara. We find

in the €stras that sometimes the ®iva-jvara and ViŠu-jvara are

employed in the fights between the demons and the demigods.

The word sura-dvi€m, which in this verse means “of the enemies of the

demigods,” also refers to the atheists. ®r…mad-Bh€gavatam elsewhere

says that Lord Buddha appeared for the purpose of bewildering the

demons or atheists. The Supreme Personality of Godhead always awards

His benediction to devotees. The Lord Himself confirms this in

Bhagavad-g…t€ (9.31):

kaunteya pratij€n…hi

na me bhaktaƒ praŠayati

“O son of Kunt…, declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes.”