FOUR CLASSES OF DEMONS AND DEVOTEES AS SAID BY KRISHNA!
Actual Question from Satya Prasad:
“In bhagavad gita chapter 7th text 15, 4 types of demons demon are there. Why these 4 types of demons, difference between four classes of demons. Some quotes prabhupada mentioned impersonalism is another way of explaining god as zero they are athiests but same prabhupada says after many births they surrender to krsna. I am confused.”
REPLY:
In this Post let us read about FOUR CLASSES OF DEMONS AND DEVOTEES AS SAID BY KRISHNA in Bhagavad Gita!
(A) FOUR CLASSES OF DEVOTEES
Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita 7.16:
“O best among the Bhāratas, four kinds of pious men begin to render devotional service unto Me – the distressed, the desirer of wealth, the inquisitive, and he who is searching for knowledge of the Absolute.”
Here, Krishna says that the following four classes of people approach him and they are His devotees:
(SYMPTOMS OF PURE AND SURRENDERED DEVOTEES! READ HERE!)
(1) DISTRESSED:
Those who have problems, diseases, failures, etc approach Krishna and show their devotion.
(2) DESIRER OF WEALTH:
There are also many devotees who approach Krishna and show devotion for want of money, wealth and comforts.
(3) INQUISITIVE:
Those having or showing some interest and curiosity in learning about Krishna also come to Krishna with many questions about Him.
(HOW TO READ AND LEARN SRIMAD BHAGAVATHAM IN 7 DAYS? READ HERE!)
(4) SEARCHING FOR KNOWLEDGE OF THE ABSOLUTE:
Those who like to go deep in learning about the Supreme Personality of Godhead Krishna, start to offer devotional service to Him. Thosse who are angaged in reaching the Brahmam or localized Paramathma also lateer start to worship Krishna.
However, all these four classes of devotees expect some fruits as a result of their devotional practices. In case these devotees come with the contact of pure devotees, they also become pure devotees without any expectations from Krishna.
FOUR CLASSES OF DEMONS (DEMONAIC PEOPLE)
Not only the chapter 7, text-15, but also in chapter 16, text-4, Krishna speaks about demonaic nature. The entire chapter 16 speaks about who is a demon and who is divine.
(What is the difference between Karma Yoga, Gnana Yoga and Bakthi Yoga? READ HERE!)
Let us take a single sloka in chapter-16 here:
Bhagavad Gita 16.4 — Pride, arrogance, conceit, anger, harshness and ignorance – these qualities belong to those of demoniac nature, O son of Pṛthā.
In this sloka, Krishna gives the nature of the demons. They have pride and hence they claim their supremacy. They have arrogance and hence they follow no rules and always challenging others. They have conceit, ie, excessive pride and hence they challenge even the rulers of higher planets. They have harshness and hence they always disrespect in their words and approach. They have ignorance and hence they add more and more enemies and finally are killed.
(SIX CHARACTERISTICS OF PURE DEVOTIONAL SERVICE! READ HERE!)
Such demoniac people are classified into four.
Now, let us read about the four classes of demons:
Bhagavad Gita 7.15 says — Those miscreants who are grossly foolish, who are lowest among mankind, whose knowledge is stolen by illusion, and who partake of the atheistic nature of demons do not surrender unto Me.
(1) FOOLISH (MUDHAS):
Srila Prabhupada gives an example of an ass for such foolish people. Asses are just working for getting grass without knowing their master. These demons are working like an ass for just a few material gains that are accompanied by beating pains of life, without realizing that their sole objective of life is to aim for the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
(Why Krishna did not kill Kamsa immediately like Hiranyakasipu? READ HERE!)
(2) LOWEST AND UNCIVILIZED PEOPLE (NARADHAMA):
Out of 84 lakhs of the species of the living beings, 4 lakhs are the humans. Out of them, those who have materially well developed, but, have no religious principles are called NARADHAMAS.
Srila Prabhupada says that 99.9% of the world population is naradhama and compares them with the child inside the womb with much difficulties praying to God for deliverance. However, once he comes out of the womb, he, under the influence of maya, forgets the difficulties inside the womb and also the God. He also gives an example of the Naradhamas Jagai and madhai who were mercifully delivered by Sri Nityanandha Prabhu.
(How to become a pure devotee and attach with Krishna? READ HERE!)
(3) SCHOLARS BUT MISGUIDED BY ILLUSION (MAYAYAPAHRTA-JINNAH):
These people are well learned learned scholars such as great philosophers, poets, literati, scientists, etc. – but the illusory energy misguides them, and therefore they disobey the Supreme Lord. In spite of all the scriptural evidences for the supremacy of Krishna, they equal Krishna with man.
(4) OPEN ATHEISTS (ASURAM BHAVAM ASRITAH):
This class of people do not realize the features, qualities, activities of Krishna and they can’t believe that Krishna can descend to the material planets. They are also envious of Krishna or the supreme. Some other atheists consider Krishna as the subordinate of the impersonal Brahmam.
These four types of people are called demons and they do not surrender to the lotus feet of Krishna.
Hope you are clear about FOUR CLASSES OF DEMONS AND DEVOTEES!
18 TIPS ON HOW TO READ BHAGAVAD GITA! READ HERE!