The Deception by Devatās and it's Cure

atha yo'nyāṃ devatāmupāste, anyo'sāvanyo'hamasmīti, na sa veda, yathā paśurevam sa devānām | yathā ha vai bahavaḥ paśavo manuṣyam bhuñjyuḥ, evamekaikaḥ puruṣo devān bhunakti; ekasminneva paśāvādīyamāne'priyam bhavati, kiṃu bahuṣu? tasmādeṣām tanna priyam yadetanmanuṣyāvidyuḥ [Bṛ.U 1.4.10]

Translation

“Now whoever worships the Devatā as separate, regarding ‘He is separate, I am separate,’ He doesnt know the Truth:   

[He is bewildered by Avidyā and thinks the Devatās (Demigods) and himself to be seperate in essence while in true terms, Both are spiritual sparks of Kṛṣṇa; The Ṭathasta śakti of Kṛṣṇa. As it is explained in the Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad

yathāgneḥ kṣudrā visphuliogā vyuccarantyevam evāsmādātmanaḥ 
sarve prāṇāḥ sarve lokāḥ sarve devāḥ sarvāṇi bhūtāni vyuccaranti

As innumerable sparks emanate from a fire, so all the jīvas with their particular characteristics emanate from the Paramātma, along with the Devas, planets, animate and inanimate beings.]

As a a cow (is to us), so is he(Who doesnt know) to Devas. Just as many cows feed milk to one man, so every one man feeds all Devas. When one cow alone is taken away, it is unpleasant; how much more so if many are taken away! Therefore Devas do not like that men should know their qualitative one-ness.” 

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Thus it is said in order know the Truth Self one must approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead. By Service unto him everything about oneself is naturally manifested. 

As in the Bhāgavatam:

rājya-kāmo manūn devān nirṛtiṁ tv abhicaran yajet 
kāma-kāmo yajet somam akāmaḥ puruṣaṁ param

One who desires domination over a kingdom or an empire should worship the Manus. One who desires victory over an enemy should worship the demons, and one who desires sense gratification should worship the moon. But one who desires nothing of material enjoyment should worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

What does one get by Worshipping Puruṣaṁ param ?

jñānaṁ yad āpratinivṛtta-guṇormi-cakram  ātma-prasāda uta yatra guṇeṣv asaṅgaḥ 
kaivalya-sammata-pathas tv atha bhakti-yogaḥ  ko nirvṛto hari-kathāsu ratiṁ na kuryāt

Transcendental knowledge in relation with the Supreme Lord Hari is knowledge resulting in the complete suspension of the waves and whirlpools of the material modes. Such knowledge is self-satisfying due to its being free from material attachment, and being transcendental it is approved by authorities. Who could fail to be attracted?

What is this knowledge ?

jīvera ‘svarūpa’ haya — kṛṣṇera ‘nitya-dāsa’ 
kṛṣṇera ‘taṭasthā-śakti’ ‘bhedābheda-prakāśa’[CC 20.108]

“It is the living entity’s constitutional position to be an eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa because he is the marginal energy of Kṛṣṇa and a manifestation simultaneously one with and different from the Lord.

How can this devotion unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead be attained ?

etāvān eva yajatām iha niḥśreyasodayaḥ 
bhagavaty acalo bhāvo yad bhāgavata-saṅgataḥ

All the different kinds of worshipers of multidemigods can attain the highest perfectional benediction, which is spontaneous attraction unflinchingly fixed upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead, only by the association of the pure devotee of the Lord.

Thus it is instructed By Śrīla Nārada Muni in his Bhakti Sutra:

tad eva sādhyatāṁ tad eva sādhyatām

Strive, strive only for the association of pure devotees.

Once when these Devatās are properly approached they themselves will give us the knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.  As in the case of Śrī Kuvera and Śrī Dhruva—

 

dhanada uvāca 

bhoḥ bhoḥ kṣatriya-dāyāda parituṣṭo ’smi te ’nagha 
yat tvaṁ pitāmahādeśād vairaṁ dustyajam atyajaḥ 

The master of the treasury, Kuvera, said: O sinless son of a kṣatriya, I am very glad to know that under the instruction of your grandfather you have given up your enmity, although it is very difficult to avoid. I am very pleased with you. 

na bhavān avadhīd yakṣān na yakṣā bhrātaraṁ tava 
kāla eva hi bhūtānāṁ prabhur apyaya-bhāvayoḥ 

Actually, you have not killed the Yakṣas, nor have they killed your brother, for the ultimate cause of generation and annihilation is the eternal time feature of the Supreme Lord. 

ahaṁ tvam ity apārthā dhīr ajñānāt puruṣasya hi 
svāpnīvābhāty atad-dhyānād yayā bandha-viparyayau 

Misidentification of oneself and others as “I” and “you” on the basis of the bodily concept of life is a product of ignorance. This bodily concept is the cause of repeated birth and death, and it makes us go on continuously in material existence. 

 

tad gaccha dhruva bhadraṁ te bhagavantam adhokṣajam 
sarva-bhūtātma-bhāvena sarva-bhūtātma-vigraham 

 My dear Dhruva, come forward. May the Lord always grace you with good fortune. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is beyond our sensory perception, is the Supersoul of all living entities, and thus all entities are one, without distinction. Therefore begin rendering service unto the transcendental form of the Lord, who is the ultimate shelter of all living entities. 

bhajasva bhajanīyāṅghrim abhavāya bhava-cchidam 
yuktaṁ virahitaṁ śaktyā guṇa-mayyātma-māyayā 

Engage yourself fully, therefore, in the devotional service of the Lord, for only He can deliver us from this entanglement of materialistic existence. Although the Lord is attached to His material potency, He is aloof from her activities. Everything in this material world is happening by the inconceivable potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. 

vṛṇīhi kāmaṁ nṛpa yan mano-gataṁ mattas tvam auttānapade ’viśaṅkitaḥ 
varaṁ varārho ’mbuja-nābha-pādayor anantaraṁ tvāṁ vayam aṅga śuśruma 

My dear Dhruva Mahārāja, son of Mahārāja Uttānapāda, we have heard that you are constantly engaged in transcendental loving service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is known for His lotus navel. You are therefore worthy to take all benedictions from us. Please, therefore, ask without hesitation whatever benediction you want from me. 

maitreya uvāca 

sa rāja-rājena varāya codito dhruvo mahā-bhāgavato mahā-matiḥ 
harau sa vavre ’calitāṁ smṛtiṁ yayā taraty ayatnena duratyayaṁ tamaḥ 

The great sage Maitreya continued: My dear Vidura, when thus asked to accept a benediction from Kuvera the Yakṣarāja [King of the Yakṣas], Dhruva Mahārāja, that most elevated pure devotee, who was an intelligent and thoughtful king, begged that he might have unflinching faith in and remembrance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for thus a person can cross over the ocean of nescience very easily, although it is very difficult for others to cross.  

tasya prītena manasā tāṁ dattvaiḍaviḍas tataḥ 
paśyato ’ntardadhe so ’pisva-puraṁ pratyapadyata 

The son of Iḍaviḍā, Lord Kuvera, was very pleased, and happily he gave Dhruva Mahārāja the benediction he wanted. Thereafter he disappeared from Dhruva’s presence, and Dhruva Mahārāja returned to his capital city.