Mystic power is very attractive. In fact, many feel that in order for someone to be a spiri tual leader, that person should possess mystic power. No wonder that fake spiritualists use a little bit of mystic power to fool gullible masses. srila Prabhupada was once asked whether he possessed mystic power which could ‘shock’ someone. He humorously replied to the man, “Why don’t you put your finger in an electric socket and start the electricity flow. That should serve the purpose.”
Mystic power ‘does’ exist. It is of eight varieties Lord Krsna describes them to Uddhava (srimad Bhagavatam 11.15.4-5):
1. anima – Becoming smaller than the smallest
2. mahima – becoming greater than the greatest
3. laghima – becoming lighter than the lightest
4. prapti – one acquires whatever one desires
5. prakamya – one experiences any enjoyable object, either in this world or the next
6. isitva – one can manipulate the subpotencies of maya
7. vasitva – one is unimpeded by the three modes of nature
8. kamavasayita – one can obtain anything from anywhere, to the highest possible limit.
Through anima-siddhi one can become so small that one can enter a stone or pass through any obstacle. Through mahima-siddhi one becomes so great that one covers everything, and through laghima one becomes so light that one can ride on the sun’s rays into the sun planet. Through prapti-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 prakamya one can experience any enjoyable object, either in this world or the next, and through isitva, or the controlling potency, one can manipulate the subpotencies of maya, 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 vasitva, 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 kamavasayita the maximum powers of control, acquisition and enjoyment.
Therefore it is clear that what so-called miracle men, babas, mantriks, and tantriks peddle before us is a very poor excuse for miracles. Contemporary miracle men are like the dullards belonging to a miracle academy classroom of the previous ages.
After the advent of Lord Krsna, when He was just a tiny baby, a demon named Trnavarta was sent by Kaàsa. Kaàsa wanted his servants to kill Krsna so that he could rule without opposition. Of course, Lord Krsna knew that this demon had entered Gokula, therefore He became so heavy that His mother was forced to put Him down. She felt Him to be heavy like the planet earth! Why did Krsna do that? He did not want the demon to kidnap Him from His mother’s arms, therefore He became heavy.
As soon as the demon saw that the baby was alone, he assumed the form of a dusty whirlwind. All Gokula was reduced to darkness, which was so acute that people could not see even each other. The demon lifted baby Krsna and soared up high in the skies. He was about to throw Him down to His death, when Krsna grabbed his neck.
Here was the competition between a demon who had mastered the laghima siddhi (being lighter)and the original master of ‘all’ siddhis Lord Yogesvara. Previously when mother Yasoda had lifted her baby boy His weight was normal, then suddenly He became heavy, and again when the demon had lifted the boy he too felt Him to be normal, and yet again now the baby was heavier than a mountain.
As Lord Krsna increased His weight, the demon found it impossible to go any further. His flight was arrested. With Krsna grasping him by the throat, Trnavarta choked, unable to make even a sound or even to move his hands and legs. His eyes popping out, the demon lost his life and fell, along with the little boy, down to the ground of Vraja. He fell on a slab of stone and his limbs were dislocated.
Thus ends the story of a miracle-performer who tried to use his siddhis in competition with Lord Krsna. –
(Syamananda Dasa)