Understanding the yoga-siddhis (the eight primary, ten secondary and five minor mystic perfections)

There are a number of mystic perfections that can be achieved by successful yogis. Although they were far more common in previous ages, some can still be achieved even in Kali-yuga. Which are then?

There are a number of mystic perfections that can be achieved by successful yogis. Although they were far more common in previous ages, some can still be achieved even in Kali-yuga. In essence, all these mystical perfections come into contact with the Supreme Lord in some of His forms or features, therefore devotees can also often achieve these powers, although they will be reluctant to use them.

Krsna is the source of all mystic powers, therefore, one who is strongly connected with Krsna in any of His aspects may start exhibiting such powers, just like a bar of metal in contact with fire becomes hot and acquires the potency of burning. The point is that supernatural powers like this can easily make one proud, and thus make him fall. Yogis are generally conditioned souls, and thus they are anxious to prove themselves, but devotees are the opposite.

In the nectar of devotion, Srila Prabhupada explains that the primary mystic perfections achieved by greatly successful yogīs are eight in number. They are called aṇimā, laghimā, mahimā, prākāmya, prāpti, īśitva, vaśitva and kāmāvasāyitā.

The first one, Aṇimā-siddhi, allows one to become very small and thus enter into hidden or closed places. Just like Paramamtma can enter everywhere, a yogi in possession of this power can also enter everywhere, even inside a stone.

Using laghimā, one can become very light, and thus fly to distant places without difficulty. The highest perfection for this siddhi, however, is to be able to fly in space using the rays of the sun, which work like cosmic roads connecting all different parts of the universe. By this process a yogi can go from his planet to the sun, and from there reach any other part of the universe.

Another perfection, mahimā allows the yogi to increase his size and physical power. This mystic perfection is often used by demons while fighting their opponents. Hiranyaksa, for example, was so powerful that could assume a form that was many times bigger than our planet to fight Lord Varahadeva.

By the siddhi called prāpti (acquisition) a yogi can bend space and reach any distant object. Using this power, a yogi can touch or grab objects from distant places (or even distant planets) by bending space and then reaching them by just extending his hand. He can grab a fruit from a tree thousands of kilometers away, or even touch the moon with his finger. By using this perfection one can also enter into the senses of others through the predominating deities of the senses, and thus enjoy anything they enjoy.

By the siddhi called īśitva, a yogi can manipulate the sub-potencies of māyā, and thus create any kind of wonderful material object. Kardama Muni, for example, used this mystical perfection to create a flying castle for Devahuti, which was able to reach the celestial planets. At the highest level, this perfection can be used to even create planets, or annihilate them at will. Krsna is the Supreme Controller, and by mastering his yogic perfection one becomes a smaller controller inside this universe.

By using vaśitva, one can interfere with other's free will and thus bring others under his control. Just like Maya can seduce almost everyone inside this material world, by using this siddhi a yogi can do similarly. Prabhupada explains that vaśitva works like a type of hypnotism that is almost irresistible. Sometimes, people who achieve a small degree of such power become fashionable gurus or speakers who can bring masses of people under their control, and thus exploit them for their purposes. This however doesn't have any purpose in spreading Krsna Consciousness, because devotional service implies one deciding to serve Krsna under his own free will. By using vaśitva one can also, conversely, keep himself above the control of the three modes of nature.

Another perfection is prākāmya, by which one can satisfy any desire he or she has under the scope of the laws of nature. He can enjoy any kind of material object, acquire any kind of material knowledge, and so on. This power of achieving desirable things reaches its highest level in the siddhi called kāmāvasāyitā.

The difference is that prākāmya allows one to obtain things that are within the scope of the physical laws, while kāmāvasāyitā allows one to contradict nature and do things that are ordinarily impossible. Saubhari Muni, for example, was able to change the shape of his body, becoming a young and handsome man, and then expand himself into eight forms to simultaneously marry all the eight daughters of King Māndhātā. Another yogi used this siddhi to create a tree that produced men instead of coconuts.

As you can imagine, one can use these mystical perfections to achieve wonderful things in this material world and to enjoy his senses to the highest degree. However, these mystical perfections don't help one to become free from Maya, and thus devotees are usually not interested in them. On the opposite, these siddhis are more like a test, a temptation that can make one fall and become a separate enjoyer of this material world instead of becoming free from it.

As Srila Prabhupada mentions in the first chapter of the Nectar of Devotion:

"Actually, a pure devotee does not aspire after any of these perfections, because the happiness derived from devotional service in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so transcendental and so unlimited that no other happiness can compare to it. It is said that even one drop of happiness in Kṛṣṇa consciousness stands beyond comparison with an ocean of happiness derived from any other activity. Thus, any person who has developed even a little quantity of pure devotional service can very easily kick out all the other kinds of happiness derived from religiousness, economic development, sense gratification and liberation.

There was a great devotee of Lord Caitanya known as Kholāvecā Śrīdhara, who was a very poor man. He was doing a small business selling cups made from the leaves of plantain trees, and his income was almost nothing. Still, he was spending fifty percent of his small income on the worship of the Ganges, and with the other fifty percent he was somehow living. Lord Caitanya once revealed Himself to this confidential devotee, Kholāvecā Śrīdhara, and offered him any opulence he liked. But Śrīdhara informed the Lord that he did not want any material opulence. He was quite happy in his present position and wanted only to gain unflinching faith and devotion unto the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya. That is the position of pure devotees. If they can be engaged twenty-four hours each day in devotional service they do not want anything else, not even the happiness of liberation or of becoming one with the Supreme.

In the Nārada Pañcarātra it is also said that any person who has developed even a small amount of devotional service doesn’t care a fig for any kind of happiness derived from religiousness, economic development, sense gratification or the five kinds of liberation. Any kind of happiness derived from religiousness, economic development, liberation or sense gratification cannot even dare to enter into the heart of a pure devotee. It is stated that as the personal attendants and maidservants of a queen follow the queen with all respect and obeisances, similarly the joys of religiousness, economic development, sense gratification and liberation follow the devotional service of the Lord. In other words, a pure devotee does not lack any kind of happiness derived from any source. He does not want anything but service to Kṛṣṇa, but even if he should have another desire, the Lord fulfills this without the devotee’s asking."

Apart from the eight primary mystic perfections (aṇimā, laghimā, mahimā, prākāmya, prāpti, īśitva, vaśitva, and kāmāvasāyitā), which are usually only achieved by great yogis and pure devotees, there are ten secondary mystic perfections that are more common. These ten perfections can be gradually acquired starting from a relatively beginning level of spiritual practice and are thus quite common, even in our day and age. Different from the eight main perfections, which are truly supernatural, these ten additional perfections are more about becoming free from the limitations of body and senses and thus expanding one's awareness. Also different from the first eight, these ten perfections are sometimes used by devotees.

They are explained by Krsna to Uddhava in the 11th canto of Srimad Bhagavatam (11.15.6-7).

The first is the ability to free himself from hunger thirst and other bodily disturbances. This means that one can fully control his senses and become indifferent to the needs of the body. By this perfection, one becomes undisturbed and can focus on his spiritual practice or any other beneficial activities.

Just like Krsna is omniscient, all souls in their liberated state have a level of awareness that goes much beyond what we can consider possible. Narada Muni, for example, knows what is happening all over the cosmos and can thus be present in so many important events. Similarly, the Vishnudutas know what is happening in many different universes and can swiftly appear to help any devotee who is in need. What prevents us from displaying a similar level of awareness in our conditioned state is our identification with the material body and the dull material senses we currently have. As this identification with the body slackens, one becomes less conditioned by the limitations of the senses and can start to hear and see things that are far away. It appears first as a kind of intuition, and later by directly experiencing it.

As this process of dis-identifying with the material body progresses, one's powers for acting beyond the limitations of the body increase and one gains the power of moving at the speed of the mind, reaching distant places in a fraction of a second. He becomes thus capable of not only experiencing things that are happening far away but being directly present.

Another power that may be gained at an advanced stage is the capacity to enter into the bodies of others, assuming any form one desires. By this power, one can experience what others are experiencing and see and hear what they see and hear. At a higher level, one can even use this power to witness the activities of the demigods (including their pastimes with the apsaras), which is considered a separate perfection.

More advanced however is the perfection of being able to die when one desires, abandoning his mortal body at will. In his biography, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura describes how his uncle left by just sitting in meditation and leaving through the top of the skull at the time he chose.

Normally, people are under their karma, and thus what they can do or not do is severely limited. People thus have many desires and work to satisfy their different ambitions, but more often than not their plans are frustrated. As one progresses, however, he becomes gradually free from such bondage and gradually becomes free in his ability to act inside the material world. One gains thus the ability to fulfill whatever goals he sets, performing amazing activities.

Just like Krsna can do anything just by His will, giving orders that can't be contradicted, one who achieves an advanced level of perfection also gains the power of giving orders that can't be contradicted. If one blesses or curses anyone, there is no way it can be stopped. There are many examples of this in the scriptures.

Five other secondary perfections are narrated by Krsna in the next verse. These five perfections are considered minor when compared with the first ten ones.

The first is the power to know past, present, and future. We can see that great sages and acaryas frequently speak about things that happened very long ago, or even events that are still going to be unfolded. This ability however can start to be acquired even at a relatively low level of realization. Just like the ability to see and hear from afar, it starts with a kind of intuition and progresses into achieving a direct perception of events.

The second is to be able to tolerate heat, cold, and other material dualities by controlling his senses. Just like becoming able to tolerate hunger and thirst, it can help one to become more stable in his spiritual practice and other activities one is performing.

Another perfection is to become able to check the influence of fire, the sun, water poison, and so on. While the first perfection consists in just tolerating these difficulties, the second allows one to effectively nullify their influence over one's body. One can even become invulnerable to the influence of weapons as well as other types of attacks and curses. Interestingly enough, the more one understands the illusory nature of this material world, the less he becomes susceptible to all of the duality of it.

The fourth perfection is to know the minds of others, or in other words, understand what others are thinking. When one achieves this perfection, everything becomes an open book. His awareness becomes so high that no one can cheat him.

The last of the five perfections is the ability to remain unconquered by others or, in other words, to be able to conduct one's activities without ever being defeated in one's intent, achieving thus many wonderful things. We can see this perfection at work in the lives of or acaryas, as well as other great personalities.