VedaVyasa
Praneetha
The Mad Bhagavatam
Chapter 15
Mystical Perfection: the Siddhis
(Lord Kṛṣṇa's Description of Mystic Yoga Perfections)
This chapter describes the eight primary and ten minor mystic perfections. They are developed by fixing one's mind in yoga, but they are ultimately obstructions to achieving the spiritual abode of Lord Viṣṇu.
Being questioned by Uddhava, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa describes the characteristics of the eighteen mystic perfections and the particular kind of meditation by which each is achieved. In conclusion, Kṛṣṇa states that for one who desires to perform pure devotional service to the Personality of Godhead, the achievement of these mystic perfections is a waste of time, because they distract one from proper worship. All these perfections are automatically offered to a pure devotee, but he does not accept them. Unless used in the yoga of devotional service, these perfections are valueless. A devotee simply sees that the Personality of Godhead is always present everywhere, both externally and internally, and depends completely upon Him.
11.15.1
jitendriyasya yuktasya
mayi dhārayataś ceta
(1) The Supreme Lord said: 'When a yogi fixes his attention upon Me and thus being connected has conquered his senses and breathing, he achieves the mystic perfections of yoga.'
There are eight primary mystic perfections, such as aṇimā-siddhi, and ten secondary perfections. In this Fifteenth Chapter Lord Kṛṣṇa will explain that such mystic perfections are actually impediments to the development of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and that therefore one should not desire them.
11.15.2
(2) Uddhava said: 'O You who bring all yogis perfection, kindly tell me which method is required for concentration and how these perfections work. And, Acyuta, how many perfections are there?'
11.15.3
siddhayo 'ṣṭādaśa proktā
(3) The Supreme Lord said: 'The masters of yoga speak of eighteen mystic perfections [siddhis] and meditations [leading to them], with eight of them abiding primary in Me while ten manifest [as secondary] from the quality [of goodness].
11.15.4-5
laghimā prāptir indriyaiḥ
guṇeṣv asańgo vaśitā
etā me siddhayaḥ saumya
aṣṭāv autpattikā matāḥ
(4-5) The ability to get, as for the form, into the smallest [animâ], the biggest [mahimâ] or the lightest [laghimâ relative to garimâ, the heaviest], to acquire whatever material object [prâpti], the ability to enjoy sensually whatever can be seen or heard [prâkâmya], to have the upperhand in employing the forces [îs'itâ or îs'itvâ], to be in control - unobstructed by the modes - by means of magic [vas'itvâ] and to answer to any desire that seeks [His] favor [kâmâvasâyitâ], are the eight mystical perfections, o gentle one. Know them as the ones that originally belong to Me.
Through aṇimā-siddhi one can become so small that one can enter a stone or pass through any obstacle. Through mahimā-siddhi one becomes so great that one covers everything, and through laghimā one becomes so light that one can ride on the sun's rays into the sun planet. Through prāpti-siddhi one can acquire anything from anywhere and can even touch the moon with one's finger. By this mystic perfection one can also enter into the senses of any other living entity through the predominating deities of the particular senses; and by thus utilizing the senses of others, one can acquire anything. Through prākāmya one can experience any enjoyable object, either in this world or the next, and through īśitā, or the controlling potency, one can manipulate the subpotencies of māyā, which are material. In other words, even by acquiring mystic powers one cannot pass beyond the control of illusion; however, one may manipulate the subpotencies of illusion. Through vaśitā, or the power to control, one can bring others under one's dominion or keep oneself beyond the control of the three modes of nature. Ultimately, one acquires through kāmāvasāyitā the maximum powers of control, acquisition and enjoyment. The word autpattikāḥ in this verse indicates being original, natural and unexcelled. These eight mystic potencies originally exist in the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, in the superlative degree. Lord Kṛṣṇa becomes so small that He enters within the atomic particles, and He becomes so large that as Mahā-Viṣṇu He breathes out millions of universes. The Lord can become so light or subtle that even great mystic yogīs cannot perceive Him, and the Lord's acquisitive power is perfect, because He keeps the total existence eternally within His body. The Lord certainly can enjoy whatever He likes, control all energies, dominate all other persons and exhibit complete omnipotency. Therefore it is to be understood that these eight mystic perfections are insignificant expansions of the mystic potency of the Lord, who in Bhagavad-gītā is called Yogeśvara, the Supreme Lord of all mystic potencies. These eight perfections are not artificial, but are natural and unexcelled because they originally exist in the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
11.15.6-7
anūrmimattvaḿ dehe 'smin
svacchanda-mṛtyur devānāḿ
saha-krīḍānudarśanam
ājñāpratihatā gatiḥ
(6-7) In this body not to be plagued by hunger and thirst and such, to hear and see things far away, to be transported with the speed of mind, to assume any form at will, to enter into the bodies of others, to die at will, to witness the sporting [of the heavenly girls] with the gods, to be of perfect accomplishment as one likes, and to have one's commands fulfilled unimpeded [are the ten secondary siddhis].
11.15.8-9
agny-arkāmbu-viṣādīnāḿ
pratiṣṭambho 'parājayaḥ
etāś coddeśataḥ proktā
yayā dhāraṇayā yā syād
(8-9) To know the past, the present and the future, to be free from the dualities, to know the minds of others, to check the potency of fire, the sun, water, poison and so on and not to be conquered by others are the perfections that are described as the result of concentrating in yoga. Please learn now from Me by means of which type of meditation what perfection occurs.
According to the ācāryas these five perfections are considered to be quite inferior to the others already mentioned, since they involve more or less ordinary physical and mental manipulations. According to Śrīla Madhvācārya, in the perfection called agny-arkāmbu-viṣādīnāḿ pratiṣṭambhaḥ, or checking the influence of fire, sun, water, poison, and so on, the term "and so on" refers to one's remaining invulnerable to all types of weapons as well as attacks by nails, teeth, beating, curses and other such sources.
11.15.10
(10) The one who worships Me, I who animates all subtle forms of existence, obtains the perfection of animâ [to enter the smallest] by focussing on the reality of the elements.
Aṇimā refers to the mystic ability to make oneself smaller than the smallest and thus able to enter within anything. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is within the atoms and atomic particles, and one who perfectly fixes his mind in that subtle atomic form of the Lord acquires the mystic potency called aṇimā, by which one can enter within even the most dense matter such as stone.
11.15.11
(11) One achieves the perfection of mahimâ [to enter the greatness] by fixing the mind on the total material energy animated by Me as also on the situation of each of the material elements seperately [to be the great of the sky, the fire, the water, the air and the earth].
There are innumerable verses in Vedic literatures explaining that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is qualitatively not different from His creation and thus a yogī may meditate upon the total material existence as a manifestation of the external potency of the Lord. Once the yogī has established his realization that the material creation is not different from the Lord, he obtains the perfection called mahimā-siddhi. By realizing the Lord's presence in each individual element the yogī also acquires the greatness of each element. However, the pure devotees are not very interested in such perfections because they are surrendered to the Personality of Godhead, who exhibits such perfections to the infinite degree. Being always protected by the Lord, the pure devotees save their precious time to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Thus they achieve for themselves and others saḿsiddhi, or the supreme perfection, pure love of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, by which one expands one's existence beyond the total material creation to the spiritual planets called Vaikuṇṭha.
11.15.12
(12) The yogi may obtain laghimâ [lightness] by conciliating his consciousness in Me as being the subtle substance of the [natural division of] time [as the basis or primal substance] to the material elements that are there in the form of atoms [see also cakra].
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam elaborately explains that kāla, or time, is the transcendental form of the Lord that moves the material world. Since the five gross elements are composed of atoms, the atomic particles are the subtle substance or manifestation of the movements of time. More subtle than time is the Personality of Godhead Himself, who expands His potency as the time factor. By understanding all these things clearly the yogī obtains laghimā-siddhi, or the power to make himself lighter than the lightest.
11.15.13
sarvendriyāṇām ātmatvaḿ
(13) He who with his mind focussed upon Me narrows the mind completely down to the emotionality of the I-principle, obtains the siddhi of prâpti [mystic acquisition] by which he may call himself the proprietor of the senses of all living beings.
It is significant that in order to acquire each mystic perfection one must fix one's mind on the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura states that those who pursue such perfections without fixing the mind in the Supreme Lord acquire a gross and inferior reflection of each mystic potency. Those who are not conscious of the Lord cannot actually synchronize their minds perfectly with the universal functions and therefore cannot elevate their mystic opulences to the universal platform.
11.15.14
(14) In order to obtain from Me whose appearance lies beyond perception, the superexcellent siddhi of prâkâmya [to enjoy whatever or whenever] one should firmly fix one's mental activities in Me, the Supersoul that is the thread running through the greater of matter [see also sûtra].
11.15.15
(15) When one establishes one's consciousness within Vishnu, the Original Controller of the Three [gunas, see also B.G. 7: 13] in the form of Time, one will obtain the siddhi of îs'itvâ [the supremacy] by means of which the conditioned body [the field] and its knower can be controlled [*].
We should remember that mystic perfection never enables a living entity to challenge the supremacy of the Personality of Godhead. In fact, one cannot obtain such perfections without the mercy of the Supreme Lord; thus one's controlling power can never disturb the plan of Lord Kṛṣṇa. One is allowed to exhibit mystic control only within the confines of the law of God, and even a great yogī who transgresses the law of God by his so-called mystic opulences will be severely punished, as revealed in the story of Durvāsā Muni cursing Ambarīṣa Mahārāja.
11.15.16
nārāyaṇe turīyākhye
bhagavac-chabda-śabdite
(16) The yogi who establishes his mind in Me, Nârâyana as denoted by the word Fortunate [bhagavat] and known as the fourth [beyond the three planes **], may, being endowed with My nature, obtain the mystic potency of vas'itvâ [to subdue by magic].
"Deluded by the three modes [goodness, passion and ignorance], the whole world does not know Me, who am above the modes and inexhaustible." Thus the Lord is called turīya, or the fourth factor beyond the three modes of nature. According to Śrīla Vīrarāghava Ācārya, turīya also indicates that the Lord is beyond the three ordinary phases of consciousness, namely wakefulness, dreaming and dreamless sleep. Bhaga-vac-chabda-śabdite indicates that the Lord is known as Bhagavān, or the possessor of unlimited opulences, principally beauty, fame, wealth, knowledge, renunciation and intelligence.
11.15.17
paramānandam āpnoti
yatra kāmo 'vasīyate
(17) With the mind that is pure in Me focussing on the impersonal [brahman] that is free from material qualities [transcendental], one obtains the supreme of happiness wherein desire finds complete fulfillment [kâmâvasâyitâ].
Paramānanda, or "the greatest happiness," here indicates the greatest material happiness, since it is clearly stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that a devotee has no personal desire, or kāma. One who has personal desire is certainly within the material world, and on the material platform the greatest happiness is kāmāvasāyitā-siddhi, or the perfection of completely obtaining anything that one desires.
11.15.18
(18) Concentrating on Me, the Lord of S'vetadvîpa, the personification of goodness, the sum total of dharma, a person obtains freedom from the six waves [anûrmi-mattvam, see also shath-ûrmi].
The Lord now begins to explain the processes for obtaining the ten secondary mystic perfections derived from the modes of nature. Within the material world Lord Viṣṇu, addressed here as śvetadvīpa-pati, the Lord of Śvetadvīpa, governs the material mode of goodness and is thus called śuddha and dharma-maya, or the personification of purity and piety. By worshiping Lord Viṣṇu as the personification of material goodness one obtains the material benediction of freedom from bodily disturbance.
11.15.19
mayy ākāśātmani prāṇe
tatropalabdhā bhūtānāḿ
(19) Established in Me, the personification of the sky, concentrating on the transcendental sound present in the prâna [see 11.14: 35], the Swan is perceived [Lord Hamsa or the saintly person, see 11.13: 19] and one hears the words spoken by all living beings [dûra-s'ravana, see also divyam s'rotam].
11.15.20
cakṣus tvaṣṭari saḿyojya
(20) Merging one's eyes with the sun and the sun with one's eyes [thus doing so transcendentally and not staring physically] one is able, with one's mind in meditation, to see anything that is far away [dûra-dars'ana, see also 2.1: 30].
11.15.21
mad-dhāraṇānubhāvena
(21) Completely absorbing the mind in Me one can with the wind [the breath, the subtle air], that follows the mind to have the body focussed on Me, by the power of that meditation find the [physical] self to be going wherever the mind goes [manojava].
Tad-anuvāyunā indicates the particular subtle air that follows the mind. When the yogī merges this air together with the body and mind in Kṛṣṇa by the potency of meditation on the Lord, his gross material body, like the subtle air, can follow the mind anywhere. This perfection is called mano-javaḥ.
11.15.22
(22) When the mind embraces whatever form one desires to assume, may, by the shelter of the potency of My yoga [to assume any form], that very form appear that one had in mind [kâmarûpa].
This perfection is called kāma-rūpa, or the ability to assume any form that one desires, even the form of a demigod. The pure devotees absorb their minds in a particular type of service to Lord Kṛṣṇa and thus gradually assume a spiritual body for an eternal life of bliss and knowledge. Thus anyone who takes to the process of chanting the holy names of Kṛṣṇa and follows the regulative principles of human life can acquire the ultimate perfection of kāma-rūpa, assuming an eternal, spiritual body in the kingdom of God.
11.15.23
(23) As a siddha desiring to enter the body of another person one must, giving up one's own gross body, project oneself into that body by, just like the wind, entering through the vital breath, just like a bee that switches flowers [para-kâya-praves'anam].
As air is inhaled into the body through the nostrils and mouth, similarly, the life air of the yogī's subtle body travels through the pathways of external air and easily enters into the body of another person, just as the bee easily flies from flower to flower. One may admire a heroic man or beautiful woman and desire to experience life within their extraordinary material body. Such opportunities are available through the mystic perfection called para-kāya-praveśanam. Pure devotees, being absorbed in meditation upon the spiritual form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, are not actually attracted to any material body. Thus the devotees remain transcendental and satisfied on the platform of eternal life.
11.15.24
(24) With one's heel blocking the anus and carrying the vital air from the heart up to the chest and then from the throat going to the head, one should positioned at the top of the skull [the brahma-randhrena], [in order to die] give up the material body and direct oneself to the spiritual world [svacchandu-mrityu, see also 2.2: 19-21].
This mystic opulence of svacchandu-mṛtyu, or dying at will, was wonderfully exhibited by Bhīṣmadeva at the end of the Battle of Kurukṣetra. According to Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī, the term brahma, as used in this verse, is an example of upalakṣaṇa, or the use of a general term to indicate various concepts. Brahma here indicates the particular destination selected by the yogī, namely the spiritual sky, the impersonal brahmajyoti or any other destination that has attracted the yogī's mind.
11.15.25
vihariṣyan surākrīḍe
vimānenopatiṣṭhanti
(25) When one desires to enjoy the heavenly places of the godly one should, situated in Me, meditate upon the mode of goodness so that one sees arrive the in goodness steeped women of the demigods in their vimânas [devânâm saha-krîdânudars'anam].
11.15.26
(26) When someone has full faith in Me and knows that he in Me will find his fulfillment, I who appear for the sake of the truth, he will consequently obtain what he had in mind [yathâ-sankalpa-samsiddhi].
11.15.27
(27) The person who came to the realization of My nature, supremacy and dominion, is someone who by no means can be frustrated because his order and command is as good as Mine [âjñâpratihatâ gatih, see also B.G. 9: 31].
11.15.28
janma-mṛtyūpabṛḿhitā
(28) A yogi pure of character who by his devotion for Me knows to concentrate [dhâranâ], acquires insight into the three phases of time [past, present and future], including knowledge about matters of birth and death [see tri-kâlika].
After having explained the eight primary and ten secondary mystic perfections of yoga, the Lord now explains the five inferior potencies.
11.15.29
(29) Of a sage versed in yoga whose consciousness is pacified by means of My yoga the body cannot be injured by fire and such elements, just as aquatics cannot be harmed by the water in which they live [see also 7.5: 33-50].
The creatures dwelling in the ocean are never injured by water; rather, they enjoy life within the watery medium. Similarly, for one skilled in the techniques of yoga, fending off attacks by weapons, fire, poison, and so on, is a recreational activity. Prahlāda Mahārāja was attacked by his father in all these ways, but because of his perfect Kṛṣṇa consciousness he was not injured. The pure devotees of the Lord depend fully on the mercy of Lord Kṛṣṇa, who possesses mystic opulences to an infinite degree and is therefore known as Yogeśvara, the master of all mystic power. Because devotees are always connected to Lord Kṛṣṇa, they do not feel any need to separately develop powers already possessed unlimitedly by their Lord, master and protector.
If a human being falls into the middle of the ocean he quickly drowns, whereas the fish enjoy happiness sporting in the same waves. Similarly, the conditioned souls have fallen into the ocean of material existence and are drowning in the reactions to their sinful activities, whereas the devotees recognize this world to be the potency of the Lord and enjoy pleasurable pastimes within it by fully engaging in the loving service of Lord Kṛṣṇa.
11.15.30
mad-vibhūtīr abhidhyāyan
śrīvatsāstra-vibhūṣitāḥ
dhvajātapatra-vyajanaiḥ
sa bhaved aparājitaḥ
(30) He [my devotee] becomes unconquerable when he meditates upon My expansions that are decorated with the S'rîvatsa and weapons, flags, ceremonial umbrellas and different fans [see also B.G. 11: 32].
The imperial paraphernalia of the Lord's opulent incarnations indicates His omnipotency, and the devotees become unconquerable by meditating on the Lord's powerful, royally equipped incarnations. As stated by Bilvamańgala Ṭhākura in Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta, verse 107,
bhaktis tvayi sthiratarā bhagavan yadi syād
"My dear Lord, if we develop unflinching devotional service unto You, then automatically Your transcendental, youthful form is revealed to us. Thus liberation herself waits with folded hands to serve us, and the ultimate goals of religiosity, economic development and sense gratification patiently wait to render service to us."
11.15.31
siddhayaḥ pūrva-kathitā
upatiṣṭhanty aśeṣataḥ
(31) The man of wisdom who worships Me thus by the process of concentrating in yoga will reach the mystic perfections as described, in every respect [according to the nature of his practice].
The word yoga-dhāraṇayā indicates that each devotee obtains the particular perfection for which he has qualified himself. The Lord thus concludes His discussion of yoga-siddhis.
11.15.32
jitendriyasya dāntasya
(32) What perfection would be difficult to achieve for a sage who in Me bent on meditation got a grip in conquering his senses, his breathing and his mind?
11.15.33
(33) One says that they [siddhis], for the one who practices the highest form of yoga by means of which one obtains directly from Me all perfection in life, constitute limitations that are a waste of time.
11.15.34
janmauṣadhi-tapo-mantrair
yāvatīr iha siddhayaḥ
(34) The many perfections one in this world has by birth, by herbs, austerities and by mantras are all obtained by yoga; by no other method will one achieve the actual perfection of yoga [***].
By taking birth as a demigod one is automatically endowed with many mystic perfections. Simply by birth on Siddhaloka one automatically acquires all of the eight principal perfections of yoga. Similarly, by birth as a fish one becomes invulnerable to water, by birth as a bird one gets the mystic perfection of flying, and by birth as a ghost one gets the mystic perfection of disappearing and entering into the bodies of others. Patañjali Muni states that the mystic perfections of yoga can be achieved by birth, herbs, austerities and mantras. The Lord states, however, that such perfections are ultimately a waste of time and an impediment to achieving the actual perfection of yoga, Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Those who give up the process of bhakti-yoga and shop around for other objects of meditation besides Kṛṣṇa are certainly not very intelligent. Those who claim to be yogīs but pursue the satisfaction of their own senses are certainly kuyogīs, or bhogi-yogīs. Such kuyogīs cannot understand that just as they have tiny senses, the Absolute Truth has absolute senses, nor can they understand that yoga is actually meant to satisfy the absolute senses of the Lord. Therefore, persons who give up the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa in order to pursue so-called happiness in mystic perfection will undoubtedly be frustrated in their attempt. By meditating exclusively on the Supreme Personality of Godhead one can achieve yoga-gati, the ultimate goal of yoga, which means living on Lord Kṛṣṇa's planet and there enjoying spiritual opulences.
11.15.35
(35) Of all the perfections am I indeed the cause and the protector. I am the Lord of Yoga [the final union], the Lord of the analysis, the dharma and of the community of vedic teachers.
11.15.36
aham ātmāntaro bāhyo
(36) The same way as the material elements exist inside and outside of the living beings, I Myself, the Soul, who cannot be covered [by something bigger], exist within and without all the embodied beings [see also B.G. 2: 29-30].'
Lord Kṛṣṇa is the entire basis of meditation for all yogīs and philosophers, and here the Lord clarifies His absolute position. Since the Lord is within everything, one might think that the Lord is divided into pieces. However, the word anāvṛta, or "completely uncovered," indicates that nothing can interrupt, disturb or in any way infringe upon the supreme existence of the Absolute Truth, the Personality of Godhead. There is no actual separation between the internal and external existence of the material elements, which continuously exist everywhere. Similarly, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is all-pervading and is the ultimate perfection of everything.
Thus end of the Eleventh Canto, Fifteenth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled "Lord Kṛṣṇa's Description of Mystic Yoga Perfections."
Footnotes:
*: Verse 15 refers to attainment of spiritual perfection by meditation on the personal, transcendental, aspect of time of Vishnu as its essential cohering substance, as opposed to meditating time as mentioned in verse 12, relating more to the impersonal aspect of the natural order belonging to the elements, of the cakra that is Vishnu's weapon.
**: Apart from the three gunas to Lord Nârâyana, there is also mention of the three planes of existence of the physical gross of the greater universe consisting of the five elements; the astral, subtle, plane of the ten senses of action and perception and their objects, the mind and intelligence, and the causal plane of the consciousness and the knower; in short: the world, the sensual body and the individual knower to which there is the Original Person of God as the fourth [see also B.G. 13: 19].
***: The actual perfection of yoga is, following verse 35 coming next, named Krishna consciousness by the Vaishnavas who defend the Bhâgavatam in the West.
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