Patanjaliyoga Siddhi

पतञ्जलियोग सिद्धि
(Achievement of Patanjaliyoga)

Patanjali is well known for his book oon Yoga. These are practices to follow to build up a healthy body to pursue with vigour the search for God. But the method leads one to acquire powers to perforn miracles. Man is likely to be content with a strong body and go out practising his powers and lose sight of moving towards God.

Here we discuss only the miracles aspect for appreciation of what yoga can enable you to do.
Power to perform miracles is called Siddhi. However, both RaamakRuShNa and RamaNa cared a hoot for siddhis. Many miracles are credited to them but they never took any credit for miracles. They just happen, RamaNa would say and pass over.

Now siddhis come after hard work in the yoga method. In case of saints and sages, God grants them siddhis forHis own Plan to proceed unhindered.

Sages lose their power by cursing out of anger. Similarly, egostic use of siddhis causes one to lose the power and the yogi is soon down the pit.

A parable by RamakRuShNa: A person returned home after 30 years of saadhanaa in the Himaalayas. He boased that he can now walk on water. An old man pointed out - Son, you have wasted 30 years. For three paisas, a boat can take you across the river.

A personal experience of RaamakRuShNa: When his nephew pestered him, he went to Mother and prayed for some siddhi. Look that side, Mother said. Ramakrushna looked; saw a man answering call of nature. Do you want that?, Mother asked. Embarrassed and angry, RamakRuShNa ran back and slapped his nephew. "I had to see a dirty scene because of you," he shouted.

There are eight siddhis, called AshTasiddhis:

1. Animaa - Reducing size of the body to that of an atom (Hanumaan adopted this method to get past a demoness on his flight to Lanka).

2. Mahimaa - Assuming gigantic size of body (Hanumaan assumed gigantic form to impress Seetaa, being held captive by RaavaNa. KRuShNa stood tall to ward off Duryodhana who threatened to arrest KRuShNa who had come on a peace mission to avoid war. Vishwaroopa on the battlefield is another great feat).

4. Praapti - Sitting at one place and hooking on to another's senses in a distant place. You can see Himaalaya sitting in Bangalore or enjoy wine in the White House.

5. Prakaasya - Live video show of events at a distant place (like what Vyaasa enabled Sanjaya to see the battle and describe details to the blind king). Vivekaananda has revealed, you can have a video view of past events and future events too. Evidentally this enabled RamaNa to judge a man by a mere look at him as if he was reading an open book.

6. Ishita - Control over Maayaa and making it follow your dictat instead of vice versa, which is the norm.

7. Vashita - Non-attachment to sensual pleasures.

8. Kaamyapraapti - Experiencing pleasures without the use of senses.

There are 15 derivative siddhis.

1. Immunity to hunger, thirst and pain ( LakShmaNa went without food during 14 years in the forest).
2. Hearing voices from anywhere in the universe.
3. Seeing sights even beyond the horizon.
4. Bodily travel at lightning speed (Evidentally, Shankara used this for his three circuits of the land).
5. Assuming the shape of man or animal at will.
6 Leaving One's body and entering another body (Shankara had done it once).
7. IchChaamaraNi - Choosing your time to leave the body. Yama has to wait for your order.(Prahlaada ascended to heaven in a divine chariot. Yama bent low and Prahlaada stepped on his back to get into the chariot!)
8. Participation in heavenly pleasures.
9. Attainment of any desired end.
10. Exercise unquestioned and unobstructed power over anybody.
11. Go invisible and appear anywhere else.
12. Capacity to withstand the world of duality i.e. heat and cold, pleasure and pain, etc.
13. Mind reading.
14. Capacity to control the power of sun, fire, water, wind and other natural forces.
15. Always a winner. Never a loser unless you choose it that way.

Siddhis are stumbling blocks on any path. It is better not to aim for them. Jnaanis use them to glorify God, i.e., to help a devotee in trouble imploring for God to intervene.