Devotion of Demons
Justice (Pravrutti) and devotion to God (Nivrutti) are the two subsequent steps. The poorvamimamsa (justice) of Jaimini and the Uttaramimamsa (devotion) of Vyasa are the two subsequent parts of the same spiritual path. Dharma or justice is the atmosphere into which the God descends down. You must serve the devotees first and please the God. This will create an atmosphere for the God to visit you one day or other. A selfish demon does not create this atmosphere and wants to sacrifice anything for God suddenly. He likes a jump to the second step suddenly. The reason for this is that he is selfish and wants to get maximum benefit from the Lord by such sudden excessive devotion. Such devotion may be excessive but not true. It is like the sudden excessive love of a prostitute. Ravana insulted Nandi, who is a devotee of Lord Shiva. But he sacrificed himself by cutting his head for the sake of Lord Shiva. He has no devotion for the devotees of Shiva. But he has spontaneous and infinite devotion for Shiva. His devotion for Shiva is also not true. His devotion for Shiva was only to get boons. The parents of Shiriyala were real devotees of Shiva who were not aspiring for any boon from Shiva.
They were worshipping the devotee of Shiva as Shiva. Shiva came in the form of a devotee and asked for the sacrifice of their son. They killed their son and offered to the devotee of Shiva. When Shiva appeared, they did not ask for any boon. Therefore for Nivrutti, the Pravrutti stands as a back ground. Meera was worshipping the devotees of Krishna and finally Krishna came to her. Shiva did not come in the form of a devotee to Ravana to test his devotion because Shiva knows that the devotion of Ravana was only for boons. For such artificial intensive devotion of Ravana, boons were given, but Ravana was destroyed soon. The devotion of those parents was tested and permanent salvation was given to them. Ravana neglected the devotee of Shiva because the devotee is not useful in any way except sharing the divine experiences which are not required for Ravana. The divine experience is desired only when true love exists on Lord. Ravana liked Lord Shiva because of the utility. Therefore people with the mind of utility like to jump directly in to Nivrutti because the selfishness is hidden in them at least in their subconscious state.
