ashtama siddhis
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ASHTAMA SIDDHIS.TRANSCRIPT
ASHTAMA SIDDHIS
ABOUT SIDDHI1. The term Siddha is related to the word siddhi, which signifies the
experience of Siva.
2. Siddhisvara (Lord of the Siddhis) is one of the names of Siva. Siddhis indicate that the practitioner of Yoga has attained a stage of inner development that allows him to reach the ultimate goal, namely, liberation.
3. It is wrong to think that the Siddhas are magicians or uncouth ascetics credited with supernatural powers.
4. Nor are they atheists or agnostics, as is commonly believed. They believe in God, but not a God of this or that religion.
5. For most of them there is a God, Siva, without any limitation or attributes.
6. Siva is grammatically and philosophically an impersonal conception.
7. The real name for Siva is "It" (or atu), "Thatness," or "Suchness." A genuine Siddha is beyond atheism and faith (theism) alike.
8. A Siddha is also said to be one who has attained siddhi, a special psychic and supernatural power, which is said to be eightfold in the science of Yoga.
ASHTAMA SIDDHIS
• ANIMA (SHRINKING) — Power of becoming the size of an atom and entering the smallest beings, as described in Srimad Bhagavatam by Lord Krishna)Example: Hanuman had reduced the size of his body while he was searching for Sita in Lanka.
• MAHIMA (ILLIMITABILITY) — Power of becoming mighty and co-extensive with the universe. Example: Hanuman assumed a huge form to burn Lanka, he also assumed big form to fight KumbhaKarna. In Vaamana avatar Lord Vishnu increased his form which was so gigantic that it only took him three steps to cover all three worlds
• LAGIMA (LIGHTNESS) — Capacity to be quite light though big in size. comes from the word laghu, which means small or light. Laghima is the ability to make the body very light ('Becoming lighter than the lightest'). Levitation and flying in the air are its subsidiary powers
• GARIMA (WEIGHT) — Capacity to weigh heavy, though seemingly small size. Example: Lord Hanuman made his tail very heavy that even Bhima couldn't life it (Bhima who was climbing the Gandha Madana mountains to get Saugandhika flowers for Draupadi was stopped by a monkey whose tail was on the way, Bhima orders the monkey to take the tail off the road, monkey being old tells him to move it himself, but Bhima couldn't even lift the monkey's tail)
• PRAPTHI (FULFILLMENT OF DESIRES) — Word praapti means 'to obtain', 'having obtained', 'to have got'. Thus praapti is the ability to acquire anything anywhere. Capacity to enter all the worlds from Brahma Loga to the neither world. It is the power of attaining everything desired.
• PRAKASYSM (IRRESISTIBLE WILL) — The ability to obtain anything desired, ability to have realized the dreams. Power of disembodying and entering into other bodies (metempsychosis) and going to heaven and enjoying what everyone aspires for, simply from where he stays.
• ISITHAVAM (SUPREMACY) — Iṣa=lord; isitva=lordship; The power of absolute lordship over entire creation. Have the creative power of God and control over the Sun, the moon and the elements and entire creation.
• VASITHAVAM (DOMINION OVER THE ELEMENTS) — The ability to have everything under control, especially the physical manifestation made up of 5 elements. Power of control over King and Gods. The power of changing the course of nature and assuming any form.
FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF 23 SIDDHI POWERS: CONSIDERED TO BE THE WARRIOR SIDDHI POWERS
TRIKALAJRIATVAM Knowledge of the past, present and future.
ADVANDVAM To be beyond pleasure-pain, cold-heat, soft-hard. Non-duality
PARACHITTADYABHIJNATA Knowledge of dreams and the mind.
PRATISHTAMBAH Control of effect of fire, wind, water, poisons, weapons, and the sun.
APARAJAYAH Victorious. Not able to be defeated
THE NEXT ARE CONSIDERED ONLY TO OCCUR AS THE HEART BEGINS TO PURIFY AND FLOWER
ANUMIMATTVAMHunger, thirst, grief, sorrow, infatuation, delusion and confusion of the mind,
old age and death do not harm the body.
DOORSHRAVAN To hear, sitting at one place, speech from however distant a place.
DUDARSHAN To see simultaneously events and things in all the realms.
MANOJAVA The body can travel at the speed of thought to any place.
KAAMAROOPA To assume any form. Shape shifting.
PARAKAYAPRAVESH Ability to enter into another's body, whether they are dead or alive.
SWACHCHANDAMRUTYU To die at one's own will, death having no control over one.
SAHAKRIDANUDARSHANAMTo see the sports of gods in heaven and have capacity and prowess to
participate in it.
YATHAASAMKALPA SAMSIDDHI To attain whatever is desired.
AJNAAPRATIHATAAGATIH whereby one's command and movement have no obstruction
THESE ARE CONSIDERED TO BE THE HIGHEST SIDDHI POWERSANIMA The reduction of one's form to one atom. Invisibility
MAHIMA/GARIMA The body can be made to be very heavy.
LAGHIMA The body can be made to be extremely light
PRAPTI Ability to acquire objects of sense pertaining to the respective organs.
PRAKAASHYA To see invisible things in other realms.
ISHITAA To stimulate bodies and creatures Control of forces of nature.
VASHITA To have control or dominion over the senses.
YATKAMASTADAVASYATITo obtain joy by willing it so. The cessation of misery and desire. This is
considered to be the highest state of bliss
YOGA SUTRA CHAPTER 4: VERSE 1 ENGLISH TRANSLATION
Janma auṣadhi mantra tapaḥ samādhijāḥ siddhayaḥBirth, medicine (drugs/ herbs), mantra (incantations), penance
(self-discipline) and Samadhi born are Supernatural powers
WAYS TO ATTAIN SUPERNATURAL POWERS
In Patanjali's Yoga Sutras IV: 1, Patanjali mentions ways to attain supernatural powersAs stated in the verse, here are the ways to attain supernatural powers:By birth: Those born of spiritually advanced parents receive the powers through birth because of the womb they are born in and the genes. (This can also be translated as 'some may have supernatural powers from birth because of their attainments in previous lives')Medicine: Use of special drugs (herbs in particular) help one attain some miraculous powers. (In the story of Rama there is an episode of Sanjeevini herb brought by Hanuman bringing back Laxman to life)Mantra: Incantation of mantras (powerful syllables or words) is said to grant powers to the one chanting them, Early part of Vedas has many of such mantras. It is believed that mantras work in two ways: 1) Because of the power of sounds (word) 2) because of the self-discipline it bringsPenance: Self-disciplining is believed to clarify the cloud of mind so that one is able to control the 5 elements just by the wish, it is possible by unperverted thinking.Samadhi: When one achieves oneness with consciousness it is said to grant one with extra-ordinary powers
