God is accepted as the original father. The Christian, they go to the original father: "O Father, O God, give us our daily bread." So we also accept. That is the godly conception. That is the beginning of religious conception. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). What is dharma, religion? It is the codes given by God. That is dharma. Just like the state, the government, gives law: "You have to do like this. Keep to the right," you have to keep your car to the right. This is law. You cannot say, "Why not to the left?" You cannot say. Then you are criminal. Similarly, there are codes and description in the śāstra what God wants. Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā God says that bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasām (BG 5.29): "I am the enjoyer of all sacrifices, all tapasya." You are engaged in some research work, tapasya, for what purpose? Now, finding out some deadly bomb. A very big scholar, very big research student . . . so that is called asura. He has got some scientific knowledge, but he's busy to find out a nuclear weapon, how to kill other enemies. This is the research work. No. That is demonic.
The same knowledge can be utilized for finding out God. That is mahātmā. This is the difference. You may have some particular knowledge. Suppose you are expert singer. Very good. But if you earn your money for fulfilling your sense desires, that is demonic. But you know the art, how to sing. If you very melodiously sing Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, then you are demigod. The same thing can be utilized both ways. Anything. Therefore śāstra says, idaṁ hi puṁsas tapasaḥ śrutasya vā (SB 1.5.22). People are advancing by research and by education. Śrutasya. Śrutasya means education, and tapasaḥ, and . . . to become very learned scholar, scientist, it requires tapasya, austerities, penance. It is not that all of a sudden one becomes very great scientist.