Supernatural powers are real, but not the highest.
Elevated beings have mystic powers
Those who are spiritually advanced by yogic mystic power, they can move anywhere they like. Anima, laghima siddhi. There are still yogis in India who early in the morning take bath in four dhamas: Hardwar, Jagannatha Puri, Rameshvaram, and Dvaraka(sarva-gatah. They’ll sit down in one place and by yogic process within a few minutes will get up and dip in here, in this water. (Lecture on Bhagavad-gita (2.1), 6 December 1972, Ahmedabad)
The inhabitants of higher 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 (anima-siddhi), or lighter than a soft feather (laghima-siddhi). They do not have to get anything and everything from anywhere and everywhere (prapti-siddhi), to become heavier than the heaviest (mahima-siddhi), to act freely even to create something wonderful or to annihilate anything at will (isitva-siddhi), to control all material elements (vasitva-siddhi), to possess such power as will never be frustrated in any desire (prakamya-siddhi), or to assume any shape or form one may even whimsically desire (kamavasayita-siddhi). (Srimad-Bhagavatam (2.2.22), purport)
Worthless Mysticism
Bhakta Gene: I think that so many people have been playing with the term mysticism, particularly here in the United States.
Prabhupada: So many people, we have nothing to do with these people. If you are actually servant of God, so God is there, you are servant. So your transaction is there. Just to carry out the orders of God, that’s all. Why do you want mysticism? Just to show some jugglery to the people? You serve God. That’s all. And it is a very simple thing what God orders. Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. Where is the question of mysticism? There is no question of mysticism. God says, “Just always think of Me. Offer your obeisances and worship Me.” That’s all. Where is the need of mysticism? It is all jugglery.
The problem is that we are suffering in this material world life after life, and our aim is how to again go back to home, back to Godhead. That they do not know. They are showing some mysticism. Stop death. Then I shall see your mysticism. What is this nonsense mysticism? Can you stop death? Is it possible? Then what is the meaning of this mysticism? All bogus. (Morning Walk, 17 June 1976, Toronto)
A yogi indulging in sex and intoxication is a mockery. Even those yogis who are attracted by the siddhis in the process of yoga are not perfectly situated. If yogis are attracted by the by-products of yoga, then they cannot attain the stage of perfection, as is stated in this verse. Persons, therefore, indulging in the make-show practice of gymnastic feats or siddhis should know that the aim of yoga is lot in that way. (Bhagavad-gita (6.20-23), purport)
Mystic Yogis Are Not God
After mystic power, a yogi also wants to show magic: “I shall make like this and gold will be there. People will worship me as I am God.” People do that. If you play something wonderful they will accept you: “Oh, you are God.” But he does not know that he cannot become God.
The modern fashion is that they want to become God by meditation, by advancement of mystic power. But Krishna is not that kind of God. Krishna does not become God; He’s God always. Others, they try to become God by mystic power. We have heard so many so-called Gods, that “He attained such perfection of mystic power. Now he has become God.” That is also another maya. Nobody can become God. (Lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.34), November 13, 1972, Vrindavana)
Supreme Mystic Power
We must see the inconceivable mystic power. Just like Krishna, as a child, lifted a hill. This is inconceivable mystic power. Ramachandra, He constructed a bridge of stone without pillars. The stone began to float. So that is an inconceivable power. And because you cannot adjust this inconceivable power, when they are described, you say, “Oh, these are all stories, mythology. . .” There was forest fire. All the friends and cowherd boys, they became disturbed. They began to look towards Krishna: “Krishna, what to do?” “All right.” He simply swallowed up the whole fire. This is inconceivable mystic power. That is God. (Morning Walk at Cheviot Hills Golf Course, May 17, 1973, Los Angeles)
In Bhagavad-gita (18.78) it is said wherever there is the master of all mystic powers (yatra yogesvarah Krishnah), victory, fortune and all other opulences are present. Devotional service is so powerful. When a devotee achieves what he wants to accomplish, it is not by his own mystic power but by the grace of the master of mystic power. Lord Krishna: by His grace, a devotee can accomplish wonderful things unimaginable even to the most powerful scientist. (Srimad-Bhagavatam (5.1.30)
Just as the living body of a man produces many chemicals, the supreme life (the Supreme Lord) is producing all the chemicals found in the atmosphere, in the water, in humans, in animals and in the earth. And that is called mystic power. Unless the mystic power of the Lord is accepted, there is no solution to the problem of the origin of life. (Science of Self-realization)
In the Bhagavad-gita (10.8) Krishna says, aham sarvasya prabhavo mattah sarvam pravartate: “I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me.” Unless we accept this statement from God, there is no conclusive explanation to the origin of material nature. God cannot be understood without accepting the existence of mystic power, but if you understand God scientifically, then you will understand everything. (Life Comes from Life)
How Devotees Regard Mystic Powers
That is the proof of a Krishna conscious man-one who has lost all inclinations for material sense gratification, although the desires are present. Because he remains satisfied in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, he can remain steady, like the ocean, and therefore enjoy full peace. Others, however, who want to fulfill desires even up to the limit of liberation, what to speak of material success, never attain peace. The fruitive workers, the salvationists, and also the yogis who are after mystic powers are all unhappy because of unfulfilled desires. But the person in Krishna consciousness is happy in the service of the Lord, and he has no desires to be fulfilled. In fact, he does not even desire liberation from the so-called material bondage. The devotees of Krishna have no material desires, and therefore they are in perfect peace. (Bhagavad-gita (2.70), purport)
Vaisnavas do not care for all these yogic powers. They depend on Krishna. . . Krishna is yogesvara . . . Yatra yogesvarah Krishnah [Bg. 18.78]. So if one takes shelter of the Yogesvara, the master of all mystic power, why he should bother about this yogic power? (Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam (1.5.23), August 4, 1974, Vrindavana)
A pure devotee is more interested in serving the Lord than in showing an exhibition of the mystic powers dormant in him. Sri Narada has explained all these from his personal experience, and one can obtain all the facilities which Sri Narada obtained by perfecting the chanting process of the sound representation of the Lord. (Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.5.39), purport)
Those who have reached the highest perfectional stage of mystic power and can see everything in the past, present, and future are called tri-kala-jnas. Similarly, the devotees of the Lord can see everything clearly that is in the revealed scriptures. The devotees of Lord Sri Krishna can very easily understand the science of Krishna, as well as the situation of the material and spiritual creations, without difficulty. Devotees do not have to endeavor for any yoga-siddhi, or perfection in mystic powers. They are competent to understand everything by the grace of the Lord, who is sitting in everyone’s heart. (Srimad-Bhagavatam (3.11.17), purport)
If some yogi shows some mystic power, and if he can manufacture little gold, we accept him as God. But we forget the real yogi who has created millions of gold mines, floating in the air. So we Krishna conscious persons, we are not so foolish that we shall accept this kind of yogi as Bhagavan. We want the foremost yogi. Varimnah sarva-yoginam. That Krishna, Yogesvara. (Lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam (3.25.2), November 2, 1974, Bombay)