222
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 6, Ch. 18]
TRANSLATION
The forty-nine Marut demigods were also born from the womb of Diti. None of them had sons. Although they were born of Diti, King Indra gave them a position as demigods.
PURPORT
Apparently even demons can be elevated to positions as demigods when their atheistic character is reformed. There are two kinds of men throughout the universe. Those who are devotees of Lord Viṣṇu are called demigods, and those who are just the opposite are called demons. Even the demons can be transformed into demigods, as the statement of this verse proves.
TEXT 20
श्रीराजोवाच
कथं त आसुरं भावमपोद्यौत्पत्तिकं गुरो ।
इन्द्रेण प्रापिताः सात्म्यं किं तत्साधु कृतं हि तैः ॥२०॥
śrī-rājovāca
katham ta āsuram bhāvam
apohyautpattikam guro
indreṇa prāpitāḥ sātmyam
kim tat sādhu kṛtam hi taiḥ
śrī-rājā uvāca—King Parikṣit said; katham—why; te—they; āsuram—demoniac; bhāvam—mentality; apohya—giving up; autpattikam—due to birth; guro—my dear lord; indreṇa—by Indra; prāpitāḥ—were converted; sa-ātmyam—to demigods; kim—whether; tat—therefore; sādhu—pious activities; kṛtam—performed; hi—indeed; taiḥ—by them.
TRANSLATION
King Parikṣit inquired: My dear lord, due to their birth, the forty-nine Maruts must have been obsessed with a demoniac mentality. Why did Indra, the King of heaven, convert them into demigods? Did they perform any rituals or pious activities?