Maharishi, in later life, tried to clarify what he means by devas (Hindu gods and goddesses).
A claim that he was lying because he attempted to use less confusing/procative terms when dealing with Westerners (e.g. devas are "fundamental impulses/vibrations of pure consciousness") is unwarranted. The term "deva" literally translates as "shining one" from Sansrkit, and in the context of dhyan and the Yoga Sutras, where it says that any attractive object of attention can be used as an "ishtadeva" [cherished shining one], to say that TM mantras are sounds chosen for their attractive effect during meditation captures the intent of the Yoga Sutras better in a modern context than saying that mantras "fetch us the grace of personal gods." Otherwise, you're insisting that using the word "booyah" or some random visual image as your ishtadeva during meditation is to make "booyah" or the random visual image a sacred deity because that is literally what the Yoga Sutra says if you insist that "deva" is a deity in all contexts. L
