152
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 7, Ch. 3]
Me.” For example, when a man pours water on the leaves and branches of a tree without pouring water on the root, he does so without sufficient knowledge or without observing regulative principles. The process of watering a tree is to pour water on the root. Similarly, the process of rendering service to different parts of the body is to supply food to the stomach. The demigods are, so to speak, different officers and directors in the government of the Supreme Lord. One has to follow the laws made by the government, not by the officers or directors. Similarly, everyone is to offer his worship to the Supreme Lord only. That will automatically satisfy the different officers and directors of the Lord. The officers and directors are engaged as representatives of the government, and to offer some bribe to the officers and directors is illegal. This is stated in  Bhagavad-gītā  as  avidhi-pūrvakam . In other words, Kṛṣṇa does not approve the unnecessary worship of the demigods.
In  Bhagavad-gītā  it is clearly stated that there are many types of  yajña  performances recommended in the Vedic literatures, but actually all of them are meant for satisfying the Supreme Lord.  Yajña  means  Viṣṇu . In the Third Chapter of  Bhagavad-gītā  it is clearly stated that one should work only for satisfying  Yajña , or  Viṣṇu . The perfectional form of human civilization, known as  varṇāśrama-dharma , is specifically meant for satisfying  Viṣṇu . Therefore, Kṛṣṇa says, “I am the enjoyer of all sacrifices because I am the supreme master.” However, less intelligent persons, without knowing this fact, worship demigods for temporary benefit. Therefore they fall down to material existence and do not achieve the desired goal of life. If, however, anyone has any material desire to be fulfilled, he had better pray for it to the Supreme Lord (although that is not pure devotion), and he will thus achieve the desired result.
Although  Hiraṇyakaśipu  offered his obeisances unto Lord Brahmā, he was strongly inimical toward Lord  Viṣṇu . This is the symptom of an  asura .  Asuras  worship the demigods as being separate from the Lord, not knowing that all the demigods are powerful because of being servants of the Lord. If the Supreme Lord were to withdraw the powers of the demigods, the demigods would no longer be able to offer benedictions to their worshipers. The difference between a devotee and a nondevotee, or  asura , is that a devotee knows that Lord  Viṣṇu  is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and that everyone derives power from Him. Without