Devadeva

Expressions researched:
"Devadeva" |"deva-deva"

BG Chapters 7 - 12

Kṛṣṇa is addressed herein as Devadeva, the worshipful God of all demigods.

BG 10.15, Purport:

Sometimes the impersonalists accept Kṛṣṇa as Bhagavān, or they accept His authority. Yet many liberated persons cannot understand Kṛṣṇa as Puruṣottama, the Supreme Person. Therefore Arjuna addresses Him as Puruṣottama. Yet one still may not understand that Kṛṣṇa is the father of all living entities. Therefore Arjuna addresses Him as Bhūta-bhāvana. And if one comes to know Him as the father of all the living entities, still one may not know Him as the supreme controller; therefore He is addressed here as Bhūteśa, the supreme controller of everyone. And even if one knows Kṛṣṇa as the supreme controller of all living entities, still one may not know that He is the origin of all the demigods; therefore He is addressed herein as Devadeva, the worshipful God of all demigods. And even if one knows Him as the worshipful God of all demigods, one may not know that He is the supreme proprietor of everything; therefore He is addressed as Jagatpati. Thus the truth about Kṛṣṇa is established in this verse by the realization of Arjuna, and we should follow in the footsteps of Arjuna to understand Kṛṣṇa as He is.

SB Canto 8

Lord Viṣṇu is deva-deva, the chief of all the demigods.

SB 8.12.4, Purport:

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu, resides within the material world as the sattva-guṇa-avatāra. Lord Śiva is the tamo-guṇa-avatāra, and Lord Brahmā is the rajo-guṇa-avatāra, but although Lord Viṣṇu is among them, He is not in the same category. Lord Viṣṇu is deva-deva, the chief of all the demigods.

SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13

Viṣṇu is a plenary expansion of Lord Kṛṣṇa, and all the viṣṇu-tattvas are parameśvara, deva-deva.

SB 10.1.20, Purport:

No one is equal to or greater than the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and therefore He is described here by many words: jagannātha, deva-deva, vṛṣākapi and puruṣa. The supremacy of Lord Viṣṇu is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (BG 10.12) in this statement by Arjuna:

paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma

pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān

puruṣaṁ śāśvataṁ divyam

ādi-devam ajaṁ vibhum

"You are the Supreme Brahman, the ultimate, the supreme abode and purifier, the Absolute Truth and the eternal divine person. You are the primal God, transcendental and original, and You are the unborn and all-pervading beauty." Kṛṣṇa is ādi-puruṣa, the original Personality of Godhead (govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi). Viṣṇu is a plenary expansion of Lord Kṛṣṇa, and all the viṣṇu-tattvas are parameśvara, deva-deva.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Arjuna is asking from Him: "My dear Kṛṣṇa, wherefrom this temperature is coming?" Deva-deva. Why he's asking to Kṛṣṇa? Because Kṛṣṇa is the deva-deva.

Lecture on SB 1.7.26 -- Vrndavana, September 2, 1976:

This brahmāstra is not gross. This is also material, but it is made of subtle things: mind, intelligence, and ego. Therefore Arjuna is asking Kṛṣṇa, "I do not know wherefrom it is coming, wherefrom this such high temperature is coming." It is stated here, tejaḥ parama-dāruṇam. The temperature is so high, intolerable. So we should ask the authority. Kṛṣṇa is the best authority. So Arjuna is asking from Him, kim idaṁ svit kuto veti: "My dear Kṛṣṇa, wherefrom this temperature is coming?" Kim idam. Deva-deva. Why he's asking to Kṛṣṇa? Because Kṛṣṇa is the deva-deva.

For our education Arjuna is asking Kṛṣṇa that "Wherefrom this high temperature is coming?" Kim idaṁ svit kuto veti deva-deva na vedmi. We cannot understand.

Lecture on SB 1.7.26 -- Vrndavana, September 2, 1976:

Arjuna knows, but for our education he's asking Kṛṣṇa that "Wherefrom this high temperature is coming?" Kim idaṁ svit kuto veti deva-deva na vedmi. We cannot understand. It is not possible. So many things are there even in this material world we cannot understand. We cannot get full information. But if we take Kṛṣṇa's instruction... He's giving personally the instruction in the Bhagavad-gītā. If we take care of them, then we can understand everything very easily.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Prabhupāda: Ah. "You are the supreme of all of them, deva-deva. You are worshiped by the devas."

Morning Walk -- April 3, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: So foolish people cannot understand what is the Personality of Kṛṣṇa. Yes.

Dr. Patel:

svayam evātmanātmānaṁ

vettha tvaṁ puruṣottama

bhūta-bhāvana bhūteśa

deva-deva jagat-pate

(BG 10.15)

Prabhupāda: Yes. Therefore to understand You is to take information from You, not from others. What Kṛṣṇa says...

Dr. Patel: Svayam evātmanātmānam.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Because you know yourself, what you are. Nobody knows. Therefore to understand Kṛṣṇa, or God, is to accept whatever is spoken in the Bhagavad-gītā. That is real understanding.

Dr. Patel: Bhūta-bhāvana bhūteṣa deva-deva jagat-pate.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Dr. Patel: Vaktum arhasy aśeṣeṇa divyā hy ātma-vibhūtayaḥ.

Prabhupāda: Deva-deva. "There are many demigods, but You are also..."

Dr. Patel: Deva of the devas.

Prabhupāda: Ah. "You are the supreme of all of them, deva-deva. You are worshiped by the devas."