Divine and Demoniac

“Although Hiranyakasipu was a demon, he had Vedic knowledge and understanding. Thus the advice given to his family members - his sister-in-law, mother and nephews - was quite sound. The demons are considered highly elevated in knowledge, but because they do not use their good intelligence for the service of the Lord, they are called demons. The demigods, however, act very intelligently to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead... To become a demigod or to become godly, whatever one’s occupation, one must satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” (SB 7.2.21)

There is a perpetual struggle in the universe between demigods and demons. and Krishna periodically descends to resolve the situation. As time progresses, the delineation between divine and demoniac becomes more and more vague. Previously, divine and demoniac lived on different planets. Later, however, they lived on the same planet but existed in different families. With the progression of time, they inhabited the same families, but were distinct individuals. Now we have reached the summit of degradation, where divine and demoniac exists within the same individual. Living entities exhibit traits of both, perpetually struggling between the higher and lower nature.

A demon then, is not necessarily a ghastly one-eyed creature with ferocious teeth and fiery weapons. They may well be walking among us, unassuming and unidentifiable, rooted in a way of living which distances them and others from spiritual progression towards the Supreme Person. In Chapter Sixteen of the Bhagavad-gita, Krishna clearly outlines the philosophy, mentality, activity and destiny of the demons.