Are devatas God?
Absolutely not!
God is divine and the Supreme ruler. He is not bound by any material rules.
Devatas are material beings and material mode of goodness (sattvik guna) is predominant in them. They live in higher realms (Urdhva Lok ) and have radiant bodies made of tej. There are 330 million devi-devata in total.
God gives some of them special powers and duties. For example:
- Indra is the god of thunder and rain.
- Kuber is the god of wealth.
- Varun is the god of water.
Any living being (jiva) who perfectly follows the duties of Varnashram Dharma can reach the celestial realms. For instance, to become the King of Svarg, one must flawlessly perform 100 Ashvamedha Yajnas (sacrificial rituals).
Once the jiva enjoys the rewards of their good deeds (punya), they return to Earth and may even be forced to be born in lower life forms e.g. dog, cat etc. They also unwillingly and involuntarily go thru the cycle of birth and death.
Vedas refer to God with the same names like these devi-devata.
Still, please don't let the names confuse you. God and God-realized saints are both beyond Maya. They do not need to go through the cycle of birth and death. They are beyond all afflictions and vices of Maya e.g. panchaklesh, tritap, tri rin etc.
Whereas, these devi-devata are under the control of Maya. They suffer from mental afflictions (like anger, passion, lust) just like living beings on Earth suffer. That is why Indra gets attracted to