Thread by @Kal_Chiron

Devatā are those beings who exist in adhidaivik plane (of mind : manaa) who can exert certain control over some forces of prakriti.

Upāsanā of that devatā can help us unlock the features of that aspect.

For example - Surya is considered Ishwara (one of the five). Same as brahmadeva. Arghya to surya (or savitā) has multiple effects on the “creative” aspect or function of prakriti.

Surya/brahmadeva/hiraNyagarbha : srijan

Vishnu - sustenance

Shiva - vilaya

Devi : māyā

Ganapati : anugraha

These are five primary functions of these five dèvatā.

On absolute level - as per vèdānta - all is Brahman. But on laukik or pāralaukik level, they have their functions.

From sānkhyayoga point of view - they are purush-prakriti couples like us (but without physical body) who have a predominance of certain guNa (satva for vishNu, rajas for brahmadeva so on and so forth). Upāsanā of these devatā can help us deal with those guNas within our prakriti

The dèvatā too do karma by helping or cursing us. So they too have to face those consequences.

Why do we do upāsanā of devatā? We worship devatā for sukha (favourable surroundings within and without).

Su+kha = favourable surrounding.

The chances of our attaining higher states of samadhi are high when we are in favourable conditions. That is about it.

What intentions of devatā are - one doesn’t know. Also that makes no diff to our journey.

Whether they are our co-travellers or they are special duty officers appointed by some higher force or they in themselves are highest force - is immaterial from our journey’s point of view