In relation to Tvaṣṭā and his descendants, there is a description of the dynasty of the Ādityas (sons of Aditi) and other demigods. Pṛśni, the wife of Aditi's fifth son named Savitā, had three daughters-Sāvitrī, Vyāhṛti and Trayī-and very exalted sons named Agnihotra, Paśu, Soma, Cāturmāsya and the five Mahāyajñas. Siddhi, the wife of Bhaga, had three sons, named Mahimā, Vibhu and Prabhu, and she also had one daughter, whose name was Āśī. Dhātā had four wives-Kuhū, Sinīvālī, Rākā and Anumati-who had four sons, named Sāyam, Darśa, Prātaḥ and Pūrṇamāsa respectively. Kriyā, the wife of Vidhātā, gave birth to the five Purīṣyas, who are representatives of five kinds of fire-gods. Bhṛgu, the mind-born son of Brahmā, took his birth again from Carṣaṇī, the wife of Varuṇa, and the great sage Vālmīki appeared from Varuṇa's semen. Agastya and Vasiṣṭha were two sons of Varuṇa and Mitra. Upon seeing the beauty of Urvaśī, Mitra and Varuṇa discharged semen, which they kept in an earthen pot. From that pot, Agastya and Vasiṣṭha appeared. Mitra had a wife named Revatī, who gave birth to three sons-Utsarga, Ariṣṭa and Pippala. Aditi had twelve sons, of whom Indra was the eleventh. Indra's wife was named Paulomī (Śacīdevī). She gave birth to three sons-Jayanta, Ṛṣabha and Mīḍhuṣa. By His own powers, the Supreme Personality of Godhead appeared as Vāmanadeva. From His wife, whose name was Kīrti, appeared a son named Bṛhatśloka. Bṛhatśloka's first son was known as Saubhaga. This is a description of the sons of Aditi. A description of Āditya Urukrama, who is an incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, will be offered in the Eighth Canto.
Mahima-siddhi
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 2
The topmost planetary systems consist of planets like Brahmaloka and Dhruvaloka (the polestar), and all of them are situated beyond Maharloka. The inhabitants of those planets are empowered with eightfold achievements of mystic perfection. They do not have to learn and practice the mystic processes of yoga perfection and achieve the power of becoming small like a particle (aṇimā-siddhi), or lighter than a soft feather (laghimā-siddhi). They do not have to get anything and everything from anywhere and everywhere (prāpti-siddhi), to become heavier than the heaviest (mahimā-siddhi), to act freely even to create something wonderful or to annihilate anything at will (īśitva-siddhi), to control all material elements (vaśitva-siddhi), to possess such power as will never be frustrated in any desire (prākāmya-siddhi), or to assume any shape or form one may even whimsically desire (kāmāvasāyitā-siddhi). All these expediencies are as common as natural gifts for the inhabitants of those higher planets. They do not require any mechanical help to travel in outer space, and they can move and travel at will from one planet to any other planet within no time. The inhabitants of the earth cannot move even to the nearest planet except by mechanical vehicles like spacecraft, but the highly talented inhabitants of such higher planets can do everything very easily.
SB Canto 5
Generally yogīs desire the yogic perfections of aṇimā, laghimā, mahimā, prākāmya, prāpti, īśitva, vaśitva and kāmāvasāyitā. Lord Ṛṣabhadeva, however, never aspired for all these material things. Such siddhis (perfections) are presented by the illusory energy of the Lord. The real purpose of the yoga system is to achieve the favor and shelter of the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but this purpose is covered by the illusory energy of yogamāyā. So-called yogīs are therefore allured by the superficial material perfections of aṇimā, laghimā, prāpti and so forth. Consequently ordinary yogīs cannot compare to Lord Ṛṣabhadeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
SB Canto 6
O King, Siddhi, who was the wife of Bhaga, the sixth son of Aditi, bore three sons, named Mahimā, Vibhu and Prabhu, and one extremely beautiful daughter, whose name was Āśī.
SB Canto 7
There are different types of material opulence, known technically as bhukti, mukti and siddhi. Bhukti refers to being situated in a very good position, like a position with the demigods in the higher planetary systems, where one can enjoy material sense gratification to the greatest extent. Mukti refers to being disgusted with material advancement and thus desiring to become one with the Supreme. Siddhi refers to executing a severe type of meditation, like that of the yogīs, to attain eight kinds of perfection (aṇimā, laghimā, mahimā, etc.). All who desire some material advancement through bhukti, mukti or siddhi are punishable in due course of time, and they return to material activities. Prahlāda Mahārāja rejected them all; he simply wanted to engage as an apprentice under the guidance of a pure devotee.
SB Canto 8
In Bhagavad-gītā (7.3) it is stated, manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye: out of many millions of people, one may attempt to achieve success in life. This success is explained here. Rāddham indra-padaṁ hitvā tataḥ siddhim avāpsyati. Siddhi consists of achieving the favor of Lord Viṣṇu, not the yoga-siddhis. The yoga-siddhis-aṇimā, laghimā, mahimā, prāpti, prākāmya, īśitva, vaśitva and kāmāvasāyitā—are temporary. The ultimate siddhi is to achieve the favor of Lord Viṣṇu.
SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13
Here is a competition in yogic power between Kṛṣṇa and Tṛṇāvartāsura. By practicing mystic yoga, asuras generally attain some perfection in the eight siddhis, or perfections, namely aṇimā, laghimā, mahimā, prāpti, prākāmya, īśitva, vaśitva and kāmāvasāyitā. But although a demon may acquire such powers to a very limited extent, he cannot compete with the mystic power of Kṛṣṇa, for Kṛṣṇa is Yogeśvara, the source of all mystic power (yatra yogeśvaro hariḥ (BG 18.78)). No one can compete with Kṛṣṇa. Sometimes, of course, having acquired a fragmental portion of Kṛṣṇa's mystic power, asuras demonstrate their power to the foolish public and assert themselves to be God, not knowing that God is the supreme Yogeśvara. Here also we see that Tṛṇāvarta assumed the mahimā-siddhi and took Kṛṣṇa away as if Kṛṣṇa were an ordinary child. But Kṛṣṇa also became a mystic mahimā-siddha. When mother Yaśodā was carrying Him, He became so heavy that His mother, who was usually accustomed to carrying Him, could not bear Him and had to place Him down on the ground. Thus Tṛṇāvarta had been able to take Kṛṣṇa away in the presence of mother Yaśodā. But when Kṛṣṇa, high in the sky, assumed the mahimā-siddhi, the demon, unable to go further, was obliged to stop his force and come down according to Kṛṣṇa's desire. One should not, therefore, compete with Kṛṣṇa's mystic power.
All the viṣṇu-mūrtis were surrounded by the opulences, headed by aṇimā-siddhi; by the mystic potencies, headed by Ajā; and by the twenty-four elements for the creation of the material world, headed by the mahat-tattva.
In this verse the word mahimabhiḥ means aiśvarya, or opulence. The Supreme Personality of Godhead can do whatever He likes. That is His aiśvarya. No one can command Him, but He can command everyone. Sad-aiśvarya-pūrṇam. The Lord is full in six opulences. The yoga-siddhis, the perfections of yoga, such as the ability to become smaller than the smallest (aṇimā-siddhi) or bigger than the biggest (mahimā-siddhi), are present in Lord Viṣṇu. Sad-aiśvaryaiḥ pūrṇo ya iha bhagavān (CC Adi 1.3). The word ajā means māyā, or mystic power. Everything mysterious is in full existence in Viṣṇu.
SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)
Among the eight primary mystic perfections, the three by which one transforms one's own body are aṇimā, becoming smaller than the smallest; mahimā, becoming greater than the greatest; and laghimā, becoming lighter than the lightest. Through the perfection of prāpti one acquires whatever one desires, and through prākāmya-siddhi one experiences any enjoyable object, either in this world or the next. Through iśitā-siddhi one can manipulate the subpotencies of māyā, and through the controlling potency called vaśitā-siddhi one is unimpeded by the three modes of nature. One who has acquired kāmāvasāyitā-siddhi can obtain anything from anywhere, to the highest possible limit. My dear gentle Uddhava, these eight mystic perfections are considered to be naturally existing and unexcelled within this world.
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead
Aghāsura, thus deciding to kill all the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana, expanded himself by the yogic siddhi called mahimā. The demons are generally expert in achieving almost all kinds of mystic powers. In the yoga system, by the perfection called mahimā-siddhi, one can expand himself as he desires. The demon Aghāsura expanded himself up to eight miles and assumed the shape of a very fat serpent. Having attained this wonderful body, he stretched his mouth open just like a mountain cave. Desiring to swallow all the boys at once, including Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, he sat on the path.
Although Kṛṣṇa was a great-grandfather when He appeared on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, He did not appear like an old man. Kṛṣṇa cannot be polluted by any sinful activity, Kṛṣṇa never dies, Kṛṣṇa never becomes old, Kṛṣṇa is never subject to lamentation, Kṛṣṇa is never hungry, and He is never thirsty. Whatever He desires is perfectly lawful, and whatever He decides cannot be changed by anyone. These are the eight transcendental qualities of Kṛṣṇa. Besides that, Kṛṣṇa is known as Yogeśvara. He has all the opulences or facilities of mystic powers, such as aṇimā-siddhi, the power to become smaller than the smallest. It is stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā that Kṛṣṇa has entered even within the atom (aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham (Bs. 5.35)). Similarly, Kṛṣṇa, as Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, is within the gigantic universe, and He is lying in the Causal Ocean as Mahā-Viṣṇu, in a body so gigantic that when He exhales, millions and trillions of universes emanate from His body. This is called mahimā-siddhi. Kṛṣṇa also has the perfection of laghimā: He can become the lightest. It is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā that it is because Kṛṣṇa enters within this universe and within the atoms that all the planets are floating in the air. That is the explanation of weightlessness. Kṛṣṇa also has the perfection of prāpti: He can get whatever He likes. Similarly, He has the facility of īśitā, controlling power. He is called the supreme controller, Parameśvara. In addition, Kṛṣṇa can bring anyone under His influence. This is called vaśitā.
Lectures
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
He says that "Anyone who is always thinking of Me within his heart, he is first-class yogi." So the yoga system is very popular in your country, but this is the example of becoming first-class yogi. And you haven't got to take so much trouble by pressing your nose or dipping your head or this... Simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. And you become first-class yogi. And as soon as you become first-class yogi, all power is within you. Perhaps you do not know the yogic perfection, eight kinds of power. Simply gymnastic practice is not yoga. You must attain the power. The power is aṇimā, laghimā, mahimā, prāpti-siddhi, vaśitā, īśitā, like that. Aṇimā means you can become smaller than the smallest. One who has attained yogic perfection, he can become... You lock up anywhere, and he will come out. This is yoga-siddhi, not that a yogi is locked up and he cannot come out. That is simply gymnastic. So yoga-siddhi. The yoga-siddhi you can get when you become perfect yogi. Mahimā also. You can float in the air. That is called laghimā. Now the aeroplane is going in the air very good speed, but when you get yoga-siddhi your speed becomes... You become very light. You can go anywhere in a moment. It is speedier than the mind. Just like mind—you are sitting here, and your paternal home may be ten thousand miles away, but by mind you can go immediately. This is mental speed. You cannot take your body immediately there, but you can take your mind there immediately. So why it is possible? Because mind is finer than this gross body. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, indriyāṇi parāṇy āhur indriyebhyaḥ paraṁ manaḥ, manasas tu parā buddhiḥ (BG 3.42). The finer, finer, finer. Just like this gross body. This gross body means senses. The finer than this is the mind.
So bhukti, mukti, that is also desire. Bhukti, mukti and siddhi. Siddhi-kāmī, yogis, aṣṭāṅga-yoga, and aṣṭa-siddhi: aṇimā, laghimā, prāpti-siddhi, īśitā, vaśitā like that. Aṇimā, aṇu, you can become very small. Not these yogis. Actually those who are in perfectional yoga, they can become like that, smaller than the smallest. So aṇimā, laghimā, you can become lighter than the lightest. You can fly in the air. They go, by touching the beam of sun, moon, they can go. They are trying to go to the moon planet by artificial, material weapons, material means, but those who are yogis, they can catch up the beam of the moon and go. This is called... Mahimā. You can become very big, heavy. Mahimā. Just like Hanumān, he jumped over this ocean. That he, means, he assumed a big body so, so that one leg here, one leg there. He can jump. That is called mahimā-siddhi. Prāpti: you can get anything you like at any time. Prāpti-siddhi. So many things. Sometimes they do not like the devotees because the devotees, they cannot show this magic. They do not like that within four years, five years, the whole world should be chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. That is not magic. But if he can jump over a river, that is the magic. That is magic. The other side of the magic they have no eyes to see.
Therefore Kṛṣṇa is not an ordinary living being. Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality. That is described here. What is Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇa is Yogeśvara. Yogeśvara means... Yoga, mystic power... There are so many yogis, they can exhibit yogic power—aṇimā, laghimā, prāpti-siddhi. So, so many—aṣṭa-siddhi-yoga—not these ordinary yogis, simply practicing some āsana, but real yoga means to get this perfection, aṇimā, aṇu, to become very, very... We are very small. So the yogic power... They can give up this material body, and in their spiritual body they can enter anywhere, through a hole. That is called aṇimā-siddhi. Similarly, laghimā-siddhi: they can become very light, walking on the water. That is called laghimā-siddhi. Mahimā-siddhi: to becoming, become very big also. There are so many siddhis. So we are not very much interested with these siddhis. Kṛṣṇa-bhakta... Because... Just like a rich man's son, He does not bother about earning money because he knows that "My father is very rich. So if I need money, my father will supply." Similarly, we take shelter of the Yogeśvara, the master of all mystic power. So if you want to see some aṣṭa-siddhi-yoga, we take shelter of Kṛṣṇa and He'll show. Why shall I take so much trouble? Why? So people say that in the Western world, I have played wonderful things. But I did not know any siddhi. It is Kṛṣṇa's desire. He has shown. Kṛṣṇa is pleased that "For Me, this person has come to serve Me. Now see how wonderful it is." Therefore Yogeśvara. Instead of becoming a yogi, you take shelter of Yogeśvara. Then all yogic power will be within your control.
Everyone in this material world trying to mitigate or trying to become free from the distress. Duḥkhasya. Ātyantika-duḥkha-nivṛtti. Ātyantika means supreme. The struggle for existence in this material world is everyone is trying to get some happiness and minimize the quantity of distress. This is called struggle for existence. Generally, yoga practice is executed for getting some material profit: aṇimā laghimā prāpti īśitā vaśitā mahimā. Aṇimā... The yogis, they have aṣṭa-siddhi-yoga, eight kinds of perfection. One can become smaller than the smallest or lighter than the lightest, bigger than the biggest, whatever he likes, he can get immediately, vaśita, he can control over, he can create a planet even. These are some of the yoga-siddhis. But here it is said that the supreme yoga system is not to aspire for material happiness, neither to become distressed by the material inconvenience.
So therefore a devotee is not aspiring of any so-called material opulence, even aṣṭāṅga-siddhi. Here it is said, aiśvaryam aṣṭāṅgam anupravṛttam. Aṣṭāṅga-siddhi. The yogis, those who are actually yogi, they get aṣṭāṅga-siddhi, not these cheap yogis, gymnastic. No. The āsana, gymnastic, that is all right. That is the process only to go to the yogic platform. But when one is actually on the yogic platform, he gets siddhis. Siddhis means perfection: aṇimā, laghimā, mahimā, prāpti, īśitā, vaśitā, like that. He can become smaller than the smallest. That is aṇimā-siddhi. Some of the yogis, they can... You keep him within the room, locked up, and he'll come out. Because as soon as there is little let out, he'll come out. That is called aṇimā-siddhi. Laghimā-siddhi. You can walk... By achieving this la..., you can walk on the water. You become... You can fly in the air. You can go from one planet to another by flying. You can go to the moon planet or sun planet by capturing the beams. That is called mahimā-siddhi. There are so many siddhis. You can create even one universe. Not this magic, little gold, but you can create not universe, one planet. These are said. But a devotee is not anxious to do these things, this jugglery and magic. He wants the one juggler, Kṛṣṇa. That's all. Because he know that "If I gain Kṛṣṇa, I can achieve the favor of Kṛṣṇa, then all juggleries and magic are under my control. He will do that. Why shall I use?" Just like a rich man's son. He does not endeavor to get money. He knows, "My father is so rich, I can spend it as I like. If I am good son, father will give me money." This is the position of devotee. Therefore he is not after any vibhūti, nor even he is aspiring going back to home, back to Godhead. That is also aspiration. A devotee does not... Because his home is... He can create Vaikuṇṭha here.
And the jñānīs, they are hankering after to become one with the Supreme. They have experienced that even the standard of material happiness available in the heavenly planets, that also did not give them complete satisfaction. So they aspire to become one with the Supreme, that "That will give me happiness. I become one with..." Monist. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi: "I am one with Brahman." So that is also hankering. Mukti. Mukti means liberation from this material unhappiness and come to the spiritual happiness, "I am Brahman. I am the same Supreme," thinking, concoction, like that. So there is also hankering. And siddhi, yogis, they want many perfection: aṇimā, laghimā, mahimā, prāpti-siddhi, prākāmya, īśitā, vaśitā. There are eight kinds of yogic siddhi. You can become smaller than the smallest, you can become bigger than the biggest, you can become lighter than the lightest, you can get anything you like immediately. These are some of the yoga-siddhis. But this is also hankering. This is also hankering, not śānta. Either karmī... What to speak of ordinary being? They are simply hankering. Even the so-called perfect karmīs, jñānīs, yogis, they are also not śānta. They are hankering.
So there are so many description of different types of living entities within this material world. But these so-called scientists, on account of their being mūḍha or rascals, they are studying that "Except in this planet, everywhere there is dust and rocks." This is their foolishness. No. Here it is stated that siddha Tato manuṣyāḥ pramathās tato 'pi gandharva-siddhā. So see development. Siddha. Siddha means those who have got yogic mystic power, siddhi, aṣṭa-siddhi. Aṇimā, laghimā, mahimā, prāpti, īśitva, vaśitva, these are called siddhis. Nowadays so-called yogis, they show some gymnastic. That is not siddhi. Siddhi is different thing. One can become smaller than the smallest. That is called aṇimā. One can become bigger than the biggest, just like Hanumānji. He jumped over the sea. Jumped over sea... This is mahimā-siddhi. One can become as big as required. Just like there is water. A grown-up man can cross water by jumping, but a small child cannot do. So proportionately, if you increase your body by the mahimā-siddhi, you can jump over the sea. That is possible. So these are called siddhas. We have got description in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam about the Siddhaloka. There the people can go from one planet to another in this body. That is called siddhi. Here we are trying to go to other planet with the machine, and still, we are failure. But in the Siddhaloka they can go very easily from one planet to another with this body. They are siddhas.
Kecit means "somebody, "very rarely." "Somebody" means "very rarely." It is not so easy thing to become vāsudeva-parāyaṇāḥ. Yesterday I explained that Bhagavān, Kṛṣṇa, says that yatatām api siddhānāṁ kaścid vetti māṁ tattvataḥ, manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye (BG 7.3). Siddhi means perfection of life. Generally they take it aṣṭa-siddhi of yoga practice—aṇimā, laghimā, mahimā, prāpti, siddhi, īśitva, vaśitva, prākāmya. So these are called siddhis, yoga-siddi. Yoga-siddhi means you can become smaller than the smallest. Our actually magnitude is very, very small. So by yoga-siddi, in spite of having this material body, one yogi can come to the smallest size, and anywhere you keep him packed, he will come out. That is called aṇimā-siddhi. Similarly, there is mahimā-siddhi, laghimā-siddhi. He can become lighter than the swab of cotton. The yogis, they become so light. Still there are yogis in India. Of course, in our childhood we saw some yogi, he used to come to my father. So he said that he could go anywhere within very few seconds. And sometimes they go early in the morning to Jagannātha Purī, to Rāmeśvaram, to Haridwar, and take their bathing in different Ganges water and others. That is called laghimā-siddhi. He became very light. He used to say that "We are sitting with our guru and just touching. We are sitting here, and after few seconds we see in a different place." This is called laghimā-siddhi.
So our business is how to become yogi, bhakta-yogi. That is the mission of life. Unfortunately, we are not given the opportunity. It is the duty of the guardians, family, natural guardian, father and mother, and political guardian, the government, the teacher, the guru; it is the duty to give facility, facility for achievement of the highest goal of life. Unfortunately, it is always... But at the present moment, on account of Kali-yuga, they do not know what is the aim of life, how the dependents should be trained up. It is the duty of the king to train up the citizens. This is... Everything is explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And the first business is how to lead men to the highest perfection of life. That is called siddhi. Siddhi means highest perfection of life. Saṁsiddhiṁ paramaṁ gataḥ. There are different kinds of siddhis. (noise in background) (aside:) What is that? Saṁsiddhiṁ paramaṁ gataḥ. There are different kinds of siddhis. The yogis, the mystic yogis, they also try to possess some siddhi-animā, laghimā, mahimā, prāpti, īśitā, vaśitā. Eight kinds of siddhis. But such siddhis, all material.
So before that, we have already described, even Lakṣmījī, he (she) could not go forward. Although she had daily affairs with Nārāyaṇa, she could not dare to go forward. Brahmā, Lord Brahmā offered their prayers, other, Lord Śiva offered their prayers, but nobody could pacify him. Therefore he is in doubt that "I am born in the family of demons," ugra-karma, ugra-jāti. "If Brahmā failed, Lakṣmījī failed, Lord Śiva failed to pacify Him, how it is possible by me to pacify the Lord?" That he's doubting. Brahmādayaḥ sura-gaṇā-munayo 'tha siddhāḥ. "All they are exalted persons and siddha." There is a Siddhaloka. In the higher planetary system there is a planet known as Siddhaloka. If there is opportunity, as we are contemplating, we shall show here in Caitanya-candra, er, Māyāpura-candrodaya temple. That is our plan, to make a very big temple and to show all the planetary system within that from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. It will not be an ordinary temple, so that people from the whole world, they'll come. This is our contemplation. There is a Siddhaloka. We shall show how this planet works, Siddhaloka. From the Siddhaloka the persons who came there, they are called siddhya, siddhya. And in the, on the heavenly planet they are called demigods, devatā. Similarly, Siddhaloka... The description of the Siddhaloka is there in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Those who have read, they know. The Siddhaloka person, they can go from one planet to another without any machine, aeroplane, Siddhaloka. They can go from one planet to another. This is described. They don't require any machines. Still, like the yogis, those who are perfect yogis, they can go from one place to another without any vehicle. There are many yogis still existing. They take bathing in four dhāmas. In Hardwar, in Jagannātha Purī, in Rāmeśvaram and similarly... Yogis can do that. Yogis, they attain asta-siddhi, eight kinds of perfection: animā, laghimā, mahimā, prāpti, like that, īśitā, vaśitā, like that. So the Siddhaloka means they are born siddhas. They haven't got to practice this mystic yoga system. Just like a small sparrow: it can fly automatically. Why a small sparrow? Even a small insect. But if you want to fly, you have to create so many big machineries. So in that case, in the matter of flying, the small insect or the small sparrow is siddha. You are trying to fly in the sky with so many jets and 747 Jumbo. But a small fly, it can fly immediately, I mean, two miles within some seconds. So they are siddhas. What you cannot do, if other can do, that is called siddhi. So there is no question of disbelieving. We can see so many small insects, birds. They can fly from one tree to another. You cannot do that. If you have to go from one tree to another, you have to take so many trouble . So it is not to be rejected, "Ah, there cannot be any... This is unbelievable." But we have got this information from the śāstras. We are staunch believer: "Yes, there are siddhas." We are believers. That is called theism: one who believes in the statements of śāstra.
Philosophy Discussions
Prabhupāda: There are eight kinds: aṇimā, laghimā, prāpti. Prāpti, now you are sitting here, now you have left something in London, you simply... (laughter). No telephone call; stretch your hand and get it. Prāpti. They can go by the beams of the sun in the sun globe. Prāpti. Then mahimā, you can become bigger than the biggest.
Śyāmasundara: How is that?
Prabhupāda: How is that? That you have to learn. (laughter) You practice yoga and you learn. Just like Hanumān, he jumped over the sea. So it is a question of becoming bigger. Just like you can jump over this space, but if you have got bigger body, then you can jump bigger space. That is called mahimā-siddhi. So if you increase you body proportionately, then you can cross the sea from here to here. Your legs become bigger and your jumping becomes more bigger. This is the process. It is called mahimā-siddhi. Again he carried the hill. Rāmacandra asked him, "You bring Me that medicine from there." He could not find it so he got up the whole hill. So those are yogic siddhis.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Material power.
Hṛdayānanda: And a devotee has no material desires. (He wants) to serve Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: Yes. And unless one is factually desireless, he cannot be happy. The karmī, jñānī, yogi, they are all full of desires. Therefore they are unhappy. Karmīs are the lowest of the unhappies, jñānīs are little advanced, yogis are little more advanced, and the perfection is the bhakta, devotees. Na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ kavitāṁ vā jagad-īśa kāmaye (Cc. Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4). This is bhakta. (break) ...siddhi-kāmī sakali aśānta. Bhukti means karmī, and mukti means jñānī. And siddhi, aṣṭa-siddhi, magic power, mystic power. That is called siddhi. Those who are practicing yoga, if they are actually yogis, they can have aṣṭa-siddhi. Aṇimā, laghimā. They can become smaller than the smallest, heavier than the heaviest. Mahimā, prāpti. They can get anything they like. A yogi can get... Suppose if you want a pomegranate from Kabul, he will get immediately. Yes. That is yogi. As if he is snatching from the tree, yes. Prāpti-siddhi, īśitā. They can force their influence upon anyone. Īśitā, vaśitā. Yogis can hypnotize you. As he will say, you will act. As he will say, you will act. These yogis do that. They take something nonsense, "Now take gold," and you will think it is gold. Just like magician do.
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Mahāṁsa: This śloka is... Where is that śloka, Prabhupāda?
Prabhupāda: It is in the Tenth Canto. Bhavāmbudhir vatsa-padam. Just like this ocean, if it becomes a small pit, then don't require a big ship to cross over. You just... Like this. It can be reduced. By Kṛṣṇa's desire, it can be done so. Just like at the present moment... Formerly, people used to go to London from India, from Bombay, at least, in fifteen days. Now it doesn't take even fifteen hours. It takes only nine hours. How it has been reduced? Because there is a process to reduce. Similarly, the supreme spiritual process is like that. It can be reduced to any quantity. Aṇi... This is called aṇimā-siddhi. It can be expanded also, to the greatest length. Mahimā-śakti. All-powerful means not that "I cannot do, I cannot, I can do this only." No, anything He can do. That is all powerful. Aṇimā, laghimā, mahimā. Just like all these big, big planets, they are floating in the sky. This is called laghimā, weightless, no weight. Those who are going to the moon planet, they are finding out weightlessness. How it has become weightless? Such a big, huge... Just this planet. With so many seas and mountains and cities and buildings. But it is floating. That's a fact. It is floating like a swab. How it is floating? You can say something nonsense, but the actual fact is this.
Mahāṁsa: You give the example in Nectar of Devotion...
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Prabhupāda: Yes. (break) We also say that "You take advantage of this, and also produce sufficient food grains so that people may not starve." Parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ. Annād bhavanti bhūtāni (BG 3.14). Unless there is sufficient grain... People are giving more stress how to produce machine, but they are not giving any stress how to produce foodstuff. So many land are lying vacant. You go in India. So many lands. Not only in India. In other countries also. In England also we have seen. They are not taking care. Because it is very troublesome to put... "Better start a factory and get money easily."
Indian man (1): They are now thinking about it. "Green revolution."
Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. (break) So much land is lying vacant. They could utilize for food grains. No. They do not do it. (break) ...they have been withdrawn from the villages to work in the city, in the factories, and the lands are lying vacant. (break) Mahimā siddhi, to become heavier. Animā, laghimā, mahimā, prāpti, siddhi. There are eight kinds of yoga-siddhis. So those who are yoga siddha... Kṛṣṇa is Yogeśvara. He became so heavy. (break) Hare Kṛṣṇa. Thank you very much. (break) ...aeroplane, it comes gradually, there is no crashing, but if it drops all of a sudden, then it is crashed. So this Tṛṇāvartāsura could not do that. He felt so heavy, fell down.
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Indian man (2): Kṛṣṇa's law.
Prabhupāda: No, even these yogis, they can do that. Aṇimā, laghimā, mahimā, prāpti-siddhi. Aṣṭa-siddhi-yoga. By yogic process you can become so stout and strong that you can take a hill on your... Mahimā.
Indian man (2): I may come tomorrow.
Prabhupāda: Ācchā.
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Yogi Amrit Desai: You consider that as a material. Only bhakti-yoga is more... That's true.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Karma... What is the difference between the karmīs and yogis? Yogis want some siddhis, and karmīs want some material profit. Both of them are in want. They are not free from want. Is it not?
Yogi Amrit Desai: No, it depends on the yogi. My guru is a yogi, but he never demonstrated any power ever.
Prabhupāda: No, no... Yogi, he wants siddhi. Yogis... Of course, nowadays yogis, they have no siddhis.
Yogi Amrit Desai: (laughs) That's right. Even they don't have that.
Prabhupāda: They simply say, "yogi." But the real yogi means they have got siddhis, aṣṭa-siddhi: aṇimā, laghimā, mahimā, prāpti, īśitā, vaśitā. These are siddhis. Yogis, if they are real yogi, then I can put you into the room, lock it, and you can come out. That is yogi, not by simply showing some posture.
Yogi Amrit Desai: That's right. They're the real siddhis.
Prabhupāda: That is another thing to control the senses. But real yogis mean the first siddhi is aṇimā. Yogi...
Yogi Amrit Desai: They can become smaller than the smallest.
Prabhupāda: Smaller than the smallest. If there is little hole in the room he'll come out. Yes. Who is that yogi? That is yogi.
| Page Title: | Mahima-siddhi |
| Compiler: | Sahadeva, Serene |
| Created: | 22 of May, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=9, CC=0, OB=2, Lec=11, Con=6, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 28 |