Chapter 15

OM! Salutations to Lord Shri Ganesha!

OM! Salutations to Lord Shri Krishna!

(1) Om, I bow to Shri Janardana You are the resort of all occult powers, the highest place of all
divine powers, which are your auspicious feet!

(2) People put ointment in their eyes to enable them see the hidden treasure, but the ointment being
black, they could not see anything!

(3) Your feet are not like that. When I bow to your feet they immediately discard all the darkness
and you show the highest treasure!

(4) When we see the treasure by using ointment, there arises some danger and we can take the
treasure by appeasing the protecting ghost, but alas! The treasure itself is not much durable!

(5) Your feet are not like that. When we bow to them, they bestow upon us the highest and eternal
treasure of Atman, which is not perishable!

(6) The sages like Sanaka were fortunate in having this very treasure and Narada’s fame about his
generosity is because of this treasure of Atman!

(7) Pralhad got an armour of Brahman to protect him because he had this merit of the name of God
with him. Shuka, Wamandeva and others are considered great because of this Devotion.

(8) Vyas and Walmiki and others did so many great deeds, on the path of liberation, because they
had this “stored stock” of Atman with them. Not only were they worshipped but also, by reading
the Puranas and epics written by them, others have also reached coveted high position, by wiping
out their misfortune and misery.

(9) The sacred feet of Shri Guru are the treasure of all treasures and the greatest possession which
Eknath has is that he has surrendered himself to Shri Guru.

(10) Because of that Treasure, at present the Bhagawata Mahapurana is being taught. In this, the
Lord is telling to Uddhava the secret of the self-knowledge.

(11) Actually their dialogue was very secret, only between both of them, but it has become
available to ordinary people which is really a great obligation by Parikshiti on all of us.

(12) Pulled by his faith, the sage Shuka hastened to meet him and He made this knowledge
 available to all which I have put in the form of Marathi poetry.

(13) Great is the obligation of Shri Shuka on us. Instead of telling the secret privately to Parikshiti,
He told everything by hearing which all the bondage of worldly life was removed and
Parikshiti became fearless and free.

(14) He so explained the secret of devotion that only really unfortunate would not utter the name of
Hari and only the greatest sinner would put cotton buds in his ears!

(15) If at all somebody tells the story of the Lord, the essence of that story is spilled out of his ears;
and the meaning does not enter. He, therefore, continues to run after worldly objects.

(16) This is the case of the listener, but the story of the speaker is not different. He is also empty.
He tells the story, but the good advice contained in it does not enter his heart.

(17) The sugarcane-crusher does not take a drop of the juice, though it does all the work noisily.
Similar is the mouth of the speaker, which makes so much noise.

(18) Who else except the Satguru would give us the real taste of the nectar-like thoughts in the
story? So, I have taken resort at the feet of Guru Janardana, who has given me experience of
the sweetness of the story of Hari.

(19) The strange thing is that Satguru becomes Himself the sweetness of the story, and then he
introduces it to the disciple.

(20) For example, if a fruit is given to a child, it does not know its taste nor how to eat it. So, his
father demonstrates by actually putting a little amount of juice in its mouth.

(21) When the child knows the sweetness of the fruit, it sits enjoying it continuously and similarly,
our Guru has given us the taste of Shri Bhagawata.

(22) I have found that taste so surprising that though I have stopped occasionally the interest does
not leave me.

(23) That sweetness has actually devoured me, and so, I have merged my ego in that taste. It has
filled my being so much that there is no space remaining empty.

(24) This story is a grand fruit from the mouth of Shuka (parrot) and except the skin and seed; it is
so full of sweetness that one may say that all the sweetness in the world has gathered in it.

(25) The interest in Bhagawata, is ‘devotion’, and the Lord Shri Krishna has made me taste it
through Uddhava very promptly and continuously.

(26) The Lord has told Uddhava all that is to be done from the beginning of worship through
concentration on his image up to the attainment of trance.

(27) Uddhava was very pleased to receive all that knowledge in the words of the Lord, and felt that
 all he wanted for the whole life was received by him. (This is described in the fourteenth
chapter earlier)

(28) He felt – I am able to continuously meditate upon the image of the Lord very easily, and thus I
get satisfaction of the trance. So, why should I question further?

(29) Sensing that this is the condition of the mind of Uddhava, the Lord volunteered to give him
some further knowledge.

(30) He said – “When a man begins to faithfully worship me, and meditate, the occult powers begin
to bring trouble to him”.

(31) Eknath says – “In this 15th chapter, the Lord is telling to avoid the powers, because they spell
danger to the seeker”.

शीभगवनुवाच - िजतेि दय य यु य िजत ास य योिगन:

मिय धारयत े त उपित ि त िस य:
Meaning of the Verse:

The Lord said – “When the man begins to control his sense organs, and his breath and by practising
Yoga, when he tries to concentrate his mind on me, occult powers definitely become manifest
near him. (1)

The Lord said –

(32) When the seeker is successful in control of breath, and control of sense-organs and when he is
keen on my worship and surrenders his mind to me.

(33) O Uddhava, occult powers appear in him and whatever wish he has, is fulfilled immediately.

(34) When Uddhava heard this, he was surprised and thought it right to ask the Lord everything
about the occult powers.

उ व उवाच - कया धारणया काि वत् कथंि वत् िसि र युत

कित वा िस यो बिू ह योिगनां िसि दो भवान्
Meaning of the Verse:

O Achyut, you are the God who gives occult powers to yogis. Please tell how and by what penance,
the occult powers are gained and how many such occult powers there are! (2)

(35) Uddhava asked – What power is gained by what kind of penance? Please tell me also the
 method of Sadhana, How many occult powers are there?

(36) You are the only one knowing everything about these powers, and you are the bestower of
these powers to yogis.

शीभगवानुवाच - िस योऽ ादश पो ा धारणायोगपारगै:

तासाम ौ म पधाना दशैव गण
ु हे तव:
Meaning of the Verse:

The Lord said – By the experts in yoga, eighteen occult powers are mentioned, out of which eight
are related to my grace and the remaining ten are belonging to the three Gunas, Sattwa etc. (3)

(37) The greatest Master of Yoga, the Lord Shri Krishna said – There are eighteen occult powers,
having different characteristics.

(38) Through all these are called Siddhis (occult powers) eight of them are higher Siddhis and only
those devotees whose mind is united and merged into Me, get then only by my grace.

(39) The devotee who is united with Me by mind, speech and the body, forgets the attachment to the
body and becomes the very image of spiritual wisdom by merging himself into Me –

(40) - Will experience that these powers are standing before him with folded hands, but he is so
desireless that he does not even take cognizance of those powers.

(41) As regards the other ten powers, they are belonging to Sattwa Guna, and when the seekers
become purely Sattwik these make their appearance.

(42) But about those eight greater powers that are part of my own consciousness, I am going to tell
you some details.

अिणमा मिहमा मत
ू लिघमा पाि रि दयै: पाका यं शुत ेषु शि पेरणमीिशता
ु ै वस गो विशता य काम तदव यित
गण एता मे िस य: सौ य अ ावौ पि का
मता:
Meaning of the Verse:

Anima (reducing one’s body to the size of atom) Mahima – (magnifying it to a gigantic size) and
Laghima (extreme lightness of body) – these three pertain to the body; Prapti consists in
establishing contact with the senses of the entire Creation in form of the deities presiding over
the senses, Praakaamya means capacity to enjoy pleasures heard of and capable of being seen,
while Ishita consists in the capacity to impel Maya and other subordinate powers to function
according to one’s will. (4)
Vashista means absence of attachment to the pleasures of senses while the eighth Siddhi is
Kamvasayita (capacity to enjoy highest pleasure which one desires. These eight Siddhis, O
gentle one! are considered as natural to Me. (5)

(43) The three powers namely Anima, Mahima and Laghima are belonging to the physical body.
The fourth is called Prapti, which denotes pleasure, enjoyed through the sense-organs.

(44) The power by which one can get knowledge about invisible things in the other world is called
Prakashya*, or seeing what was earlier heard about. Ishita is the power which infuses strength
to control things created in the world; this is the sixth greater power. *(The actual word is
Prakamya.)

(45) Vashita is the power which is vested in Me and is available to the Yogi through devotion and
Yoga. This is the seventh power.

(46) By the eighth power, one gets the highest enjoyments in all the three worlds

(47) only by wishing! This is called Kama-vasa-yita, by which one enjoys all pleasures at one and
the same time.

(48) These eight greater powers are naturally belonging to Me. When the Yogi gets tired by hard
penance, he may rarely get one of these powers.

(49) So, these are the eight greater powers. There are other occult powers also. O, Uddhava, I am
going to tell you their details.

व छ दम ृ युदवानां सहकीडानुदशनम् यथास क पसंिसि रा ापितहतागित:

Meaning of the Verse:

Other ten Siddhis are (1) – absence of hunger, thirst, old age etc., in this body; (2 and 3) capacity to
see and hear from for distance, (4) – high speed in travel according to one’s will, (5) taking
any form at will. (6) entering any other body; (7) – giving up the body at will, (8) –
participation in the plays of Gods with the celestial nymphs; (9) attainment of one’s desired
ends and (10) – exercising authority throughout all the three worlds. (7)

(50) Anoormi power is that capacity by which the six modifications of the body viz hunger; thirst,
sorrow, allurement, old-age and death do not trouble the yogi. The second is Clair–audience
by which a yogi can listen to anything happening in very far away places.

(51) Clair-voyance is the third Siddhi by which a man can see things which are invisible to the
normal sight and also from very far off places.

(52) Another power is Manojava by which the body of the yogi can travel anywhere by the speed of
mind at will.
(53) Another power is called Kamaroopa by which a Yogi can assume any form at will.

(54) The power which is called Parakaya-Pravesh is capacity to leave one’s body intact and enter
into another body, either physical or belonging to invisible worlds.

(55) To be able to die at will is the seventh occult power.

(56) To be able to see and to take part in the pleasures and pastimes of Gods and Apsaras is the 8 th
power.

(57) The ninth power enables the Yogi to get any desire fulfilled without impediment.

(58) When a Yogi is so powerful that his orders are obeyed even by kings and he can travel without
prevention anywhere, it is called the 10th power.

(59) These powers are belonging to the Gunas and the desires of the Yogi about which I have given
you the details so far. Now please listen to the minor Siddhis.

ितकाल वम ं प रिच ा िभ ता अ यका बुिवषादीनां पित भोऽपराजय:

Meaning of the Verse:

The minor Siddhis are – to know things related to the past, present and future; to remain unaffected
by pairs of opposites (like heat and cold, joy and sorrow, likes and dislikes etc); to read
other’s mind etc, to neutralize the power of the fire, the Sun, water and poison etc and to suffer
no defeat. (8)

(60) The Lord said – the minor powers are as follows. They are five. The first is to know the things
in the past, present and future.

(61) Then the second power is to sustain the experience of pain and pleasure, heat and cold, soft
and hard etc.

(62) The third power is to read the mind of other person and to tell his dreams.

(63) The fourth power is to be unaffected by the five elements like fire, poison, weapons etc.

(64) The fifth power is not to be defeated by anybody or by any situation and to gain victory on
one’s own strength.

एता ो े शत: पो ा योगधारणिस य: यया धारणया या याद् यथा वा याि नबोध

मे
Meaning of the Verse:

These are the powers told to you in details. Now please listen to the action or penance by which
 these powers can be attained. (9)

(65) Thus I have told the occult powers used with intention to achieve something. Now know from
me how these powers are gained and by what efforts.

(66) Now the Lord began to tell how the eighth higher powers, the purpose of the ten minor powers
and the five lowest types of powers are attained.

भत
ू सू मा मिन मिय त मातं धारये मन: अिणमानमवा नोित त मातोपासको मम
Meaning of the Verse:

He who focuses his mind identified with the subtle elements on Me as ensouling the subtle elements
and worships Me in that form alone acquires my power of assuming an atomic size (and thus
attaining the capacity to enter even a slab of stone). (10)

(67) The Lord here tells – The eight great powers which are naturally in Me are difficult for
ordinary seeker to achieve, but I shall tell you the effort by which these can be attained.

(68) I am more subtle than the nucleus of the atom. I reside in the heart of everybody. One who
makes his mind as tiny as me, and steadies it in me.

(69) And always meditates on that micro-image of mine, finds that his body has also become very
minute, and attains the capacity to become very small.

(70) He can go through any material which is not porous. He can reside in the eye of any man but he
does not disturb anything. This is called ANIMA POWER.

मह या म मिय परे यथासं थं मनो दधत् मिहमानवा नोित भत

ू ानां च पथ
ृ क् पथ
ृ क्
Meaning of the Verse:

He, who fixes his mind in Me in My greatest form as I am, becomes as big as Me and can be as big
as any Being. (11)

(71) My body is vaster even than the Mahat principle and I am the God governing that Mahat
principle.

(72) He, who desires to assume such a vast form, has to concentrate on My vast form, so that he
also becomes so magnified. This is one of the greater occult powers.

(73) We see the minute fibres of cotton, but any size of cloth can be woven out of such threads.
Similarly, the vaster one imagines Me to be, the larger body he himself assumes! He becomes
like me by concentration.

(74) Nothing can be compared with him nor even the earth, in heaviness or in expansion. By this
 power he becomes so big!

परमाणुमये िच ं भत
ू ानां मिय र जयन् कालसू माथतां योगी लिघमानमवा नुयात्
Meaning of the Verse:

Similarly when a Yogi concentrates his mind on Me as the subtlest Atman in all the Beings, he gets
the capacity to assume such a minute form that it is as infinitesimal as the thinnest period of
Time. (12)

(75) There are subtle elements like air etc by which men can measure the minutest Time. I am thus
like that atom. He who concentrates with faith on such subtle form of mine,

(76) becomes very light. He may ride upon a mosquito or a fly and travel in the sky!

(77) The three Siddhis Anima, Mahima and Laghima belong to physical body and they give these
qualities to the body.

(78) I shall also tell you the kind of meditative effort one has to make in order to attain the
remaining five higher occult powers (out of 10)

धारयन् म यहं त वे मनो वैका रकेऽिखलम् सव ि दयाणामा म वं पाि ं पा नोित

म मना:
Meaning of the Verse:

Prapti is the name of that occult power which can be attained by concentrating on Ego as my form,
which is limited by Maya, and also conceiving the nature of every organ to be essentially as
Atman. (13)

(79) The Ego-sense is itself pure but I as the God create activity in it through the organs and

(80) If the mind is concentrated on Me, there is inspiration to the deities of various organs, by way
of unity with me.

(81) So, He is Himself witnessing all the activities of the organs in the world and taking part also.
The man concerned enjoys this glory of attainment of desired things.

(82) So, all the activities done by the organs of every Being, are actually being performed by him
and when this is being experienced by him, it is an occult power called Indriya-prapti.

मह या मिन य: सत ू े धारये मिय मानसम् पाका यं पारमे यं मे

िव दतेऽ य ज मन:
Meaning of the Verse:
One who concentrates his mind on Me as ensouling the Mahat-tattwa attains the power known as
Prakamya (easy access to all sorts of enjoyments which one seeks, the highest Siddhi,
possessed by Me as presiding over the Sutra, which is born out of the Unmanifest. (14)

(83) Please understand that this Mahat-tattwa is the first urge towards creation, being born in the
Maya and this activity is called Sutra-Pradhana, i.e. depending on the Sutra called Mahat!

(84) Though I am having no birth, I am residing in that Sutra as the “Sutratma” and he who
concentrates on that, with an alert mind.

(85) Then he controls the very quality of Light by which the universe and the 'Hiranyagarbha' also
become illuninated and with this constant meditation and aspiration, he oversees the
'Sootratma.'

(86) He can by constant exercise of his will, then create millions of Universes. This is Prakasha-
Siddhi and the seeker, the Yogi can attain it only through my blessing!

िव णौ यधी रे िच ं धारये त् कालिवगहे स ईिश वमवा नोित ेत ेत चोदनाम्

Meaning of the Verse:

He who focuses his mind on Me as the all-pervading witness, the ruler of Maya, consisting of three
Gunas, attains the Siddhi known as Ishitwa viz control over all bodies and conscious selves.
(15)

(87) I am Vishnu, who controls the Maya and the three Gunas, who controls and dominates the
Death, and who creates, maintains and destroys every thing and I reside in the consciousness
of everybody.

(88) He, who concentrates his mind on such nature of Mine, attains the Siddhi called Ishitwa, a
power of seeing everything which is not visible to the physical sight of ordinary man.

(89) The player of chess, very well known how the king, the minister etc walk. Similarly He knows
the births of Jeevas and their departures.

(90) He can provoke Jeevas in all the bodies. When one meditates on Narayana in the manner just
explained, he gets such Siddhi.

(91) He can by his own power cause the mountain Meru to be shattered by the strength of a
mosquito or a housefly, or cause Indra’s death by an ordinary rat!

(92) In this way he can cause death or rejuvenate a dead person, and cause “immovable” to move!
This kind of Power is Ishitwa, which is the nature of this Siddhi.

नारायणे तुरीया ये भगव छ दशि दते मनो म यादधद् योगी म मा विशतािमयात्

Meaning of the Verse:

The Yogi who concentrates his mind on Me as the Lord Narayana, spoken as the fourth
transcendental principle, (beyond, 1. Virat, cosmic person; presiding over the physical plane,
2. Hirayagarbha, presiding over the astral plane and 3. Causal principle presiding over the
causal plane) and called by the name of Bhagawan – acquires My virtues and attains the
Siddhi of Vashitwa (non-attachment to all material objects) (16)

(93) There is the fourth state beyond the Jeeva, Shiva and the nature, the creation, which is called
Narayana, by persons of Knowledge.

(94) Similarly Narayana is the name used to denote the fourth state of consciousness beyond waking
state, dream state and sleep.

(95) Again the fourth principle which is beyond the three factors, viz the thing observed, the
observer and the act of observation, is called Narayana by men of knowledge, through their
experience.

(96) I am the well-known Narayana which is within the trinity of observer etc and still different
from that trinity and also not attached to it.

(97) I am the Lord Narayana in whom the six virtues and glories of Fame, Riches, Desirelessness,
Wisdom, Glory and Generosity are fully and permanently active.

(98) When the seeker concentrates on Me as this Narayana he attains the Siddhi by name “Vashita’.
He is unattached though busy in all activities and non- enjoyer though be enjoys all objects of
pleasure.

िनगणे
ु ब िण मिय धारयन् िवशदं मन: परमान दमा नोित यत कामोऽवसीयते
Meaning of the Verse:

Focusing his pure mind on Me as the Brahma, one attains supreme bliss (which is the Siddhi
called Kamavasayita), in which all desire ceases for good. (17)

(99) Sattwa is the deity presiding on Chitta, Rajas controls the sense organs and the objects of the
sense organs are under the influence of Tamas and these three enshroud the highest bliss.

(100) On the highest bliss these three qualities are being impediments and one who discards these
Gunas and meditates on Me who am total Brahman beyond all qualities,

(101) Attains that highest bliss in which all desires definitely leave him and are dissolved which
is possible for him in that state of meditation.

(102) Just as at the Sunrise the Moon and the stars fade away, so all the desires disintegrate when
the man enters into the highest bliss.
(103) When heaps of desires are gone in that divine bliss, the objects which give pleasures to the
sense organs are also dissolved.

(104) O Uddhava, please listen. The desire is never destroyed by any efforts if the highest bliss is
not attained.

(105) I have just told you the process of gaining the 8 greater occult powers which are not
possibly gained independently by Gods, human beings and others, (without my grace).

(106) Now I am going to tell you how to attain the other powers in which the virtues, the Gunas
and the intention of the seeker are necessary factors. Please listen with attention.

ेत ीपपतौ िच ं शु े धममये मिय धार वेततां याित षडूिमरिहतो नर:

Meaning of the Verse:

When a man concentrates his mind upon Me as the chief of the white island with his pure mind, he
becomes free from the six disturbances and becomes as pure and fair as I am. (18)

(107) Sweeping aside the Rajas and Tamas with their effects, a man must all the time concentrate
his mind on Me, the Lord Shri Hari, the image of Sattwa Quality.

(108) Then he who becomes as Sattwik as I am and is free from the six disturbances or the urges
viz, sorrow, allurement, old age, death, hunger and thirst which will not affect him at all.

म याकाशा मिन पा◌्रणे मनसा घोषमु हन् ततोपल धा भत

ू ानां हं सो वाच:
शण
ृ ो यसौ
Meaning of the Verse:

When the human concentrates upon Me as the sky, and by mind, directs his Pranas up in the
cerebrum, he can listen to the sound Hansah, of the creatures which is hidden in them. (19)

(109) All the glory of sound with the word must come to the sky (space) to rest. I am the Atman of
the sky and I am also within it.

(110) O Uddhava, know me as the breath of the vital breath, speech of all the four types of
speeches and the very title of the goddess Saraswati.

(111) He who firmly holds me like this in his heart will listen while he is living, to all the kinds of
speeches.

(112) When a man meditates on me in his heart, accompanying sound, he can listen to secret
discussions going on in the world, which is the power known as Clairaudience.
च ु व र संयो य व ारमिप च ुिष मां तत मनसा यायन् िव ं प यित
सू म क्
Meaning of the Verse:

By imposing one’s sight on the creator and the creator on the eye, if a man meditates on Me there,
he can see the whole world by microscopic vision. (20)

(113) He who concentrates his mind on Savita (the Sun), the creator, as Me, in his eyes becomes
himself the Sun.

(114) Thus, the eye, the Sun and Me become ONE and he becomes Clairvoyant and sees the entire
world.

(115) He can at a time see all the fourteen worlds. This is called the occult power of
ClairVoyance.

मनो मिय सुसंयो य देहं तदनु वायुना म ारणानुभावेन तया मा यत वै मन:

Meaning of the Verse:

When the mind is tied up with Me and the body also controlled by breath, the mind becomes
concentrated in Me and so also the Atman by realization of unity with me. (21)

(116) The speed of mind is very great. Please remember that I am the mind of that mind. The
seeker has to unite that mind together with breath-control, with me in the meditation.

(117) Then the seeker can travel by his body anywhere according to his will.

(118) The body goes where the mind goes. This is the power known as travelling by the speed of
mind.

यदा मन उपादाय यद् यद् पं बुभषू ित त द् भवे मनो पं म ोगबलमाशय:

Meaning of the Verse:

When the mind wants to take any form of any Being it can do so by the power of my own Unity.
(22)

(119) First the attention should be riveted to the way in which the mind travels, and then mind
itself should be directed to me. In that concentration there is power beyond imagination. He
who conceives to hold that power also in himself,

(120) Contains within himself wholly that power of mine by which I hold and also dissolve all
sorts of bodies and forms.
(121) Thus, he attains my power by concentrating his body and mind in me and then he can assume
any form he desires.

(122) He can take any form immediately either of deities, men or serpents as he wills. This is my
power of taking any form at will. (Kamaroopasiddhi)

परकायं िवशन् िस आ मानं तत भावये त् िप डं िह वा िवशेत् पाणो वायुभत

ू :
षडि घवत्
Meaning of the Verse:

Seeking to enter another body, the yogi who has controlled his breath as well as his organs and
mind should conceive himself as present in that another body. Then his vital air in his astral
body leaves his own physical body and being united with the cosmic force enters in the other
body in a manner similar to a black bee, passing from one flower to another. (23)

(123) While entering another man’s body the Yogi should concentrate all his vital forces and
project himself as dwelling in other man’s body.

(124) At that time in his astral body the Jeeva and the vital breath become united and the will
power to go and enter the other body mixes up with the cosmic air.

(125) That unit of Jeeva and Prana drops the identification with the former body and entering the
other wields the sense of I in that body.

(126) Just as a black bee leaves one lotus and flies to the other lotus, the Jeeva leaves one body
and enters and occupies the other.

(127) The Lord said – “Thus I have explained to you the process of trans-migration of soul
(Jeeva). Now please listen to the process of how to meditate on my real existence.

(128) If the seeker concentrates on Me as well as pervading God, he is able to enter his
consciousness into another body without leaving his own physical body, because he is
aware that he is himself present in all the bodies at one and the same time.

(129) Eknath says – In the next verse the Lord Narayana is explaining how to leave one’s body at
will and to have the Siddhi to surrender one’s life at one’s own volition.

पा याऽऽपी य गद
ु ं पाणं दुर:क ठमध
ू सु आरो य ब र धे ण ब ृ े नुम्
नी वो सज

Meaning of the Verse:

Having blocked his rectum with his heel and having pushed up the vital air successfully to his
heart, chest, throat, and crown of head and mentally forcing it upwards through the aperture
 (known as Brahmarandra) to Brahma, the Yogi should shed his body whenever he likes. (24)

(130) The willful shedding of one’s own body consists of using yoga process to hold together all
the vital forces and take them up to the aperture called Brahmarandhra (door to the abode of
Absolute Reality) Please listen to the details.

(131) The left heel should be pressed firmly on the rectum so that the downward flow of Apana
will be closed.

(132) In the heart there is Prana which has a tendency to rise upwards. It should be controlled and
directed downwards.

(133) Thus Apana, being stopped from going down turns upwards upto the Swadhisthana Chakra
while the Prana turned downwards will also go up the same Chakra.

(134) Both the vital forces are untied in that Chakra and then further movement of these takes place
in their unified state.

(135) Thus Apana stops going downwards, Prana stops going up from heart towards throat and
both open the entrance to the channel of energy called Sushumna and entering it start going
straight up towards the crown.

(136) Thus when the Sushumna is conquered they enter by proper sequence all the six Chakras
enroute and developing them fully they break upon the door called Kakimukha and reach
upto the Brahmarandhra.

(137) When they are neatly established there the Yogi can at his own will, leave his body and go
into another body or any place or state whatever he likes.

(138) He can reach, conquer and enjoy the stay in the glorious Vaikuntha ,Kailasa or Amaravati or
enjoy the great sovereign power of a king in his empire, as soon as he so desires.

(139) If he wants to remain in the Absolute Reality (Brahman) he will leave the identification with
his body and become Brahman.

(140) Thus the man who collects all his vital forces and leaves his body at his will, is called to
have the power of willful death. The God of death obeys him.

िवह र यन् सुराकीडे म थं स वं िवभावये त् िवमाने नोपित ि त स वव ृ ी:

सुरि तय:
Meaning of the Verse:

Seeking to sport on the sport-ground of the Gods in Heaven, one should contemplate on pure
Sattwa constituting my personality. Then the heavenly Apsaras representing so many rays of
Sattwa wait on him with aerial cars ready to take him to Heaven. (25)
(141) If the Yogi is interested in the pleasures which the Gods enjoy in Heaven, he should
concentrate upon the Sattwa quality inherent in Me.

(142) By that Sattwa I have established Gods in the Heaven and it is proper that the Yogi becomes
totally Sattwik.

(143) If he wants to have the pleasures in the company of the heavenly damsels he will have the
body of Gods and can enjoy their company in the heavenly chariots.

यथा स क पये त् बु या यदा वा म पर: पुमान् मिय स ये मनो यु जं तथा तत्

समुपा ुते
Meaning of the Verse:

Devoted to Me and focusing his mind on Me, true of resolve as I am, the Yogi duly attains that
very object which he deserves whenever and in whatever way he wants it. (26)

(144) I am God with my Sattwik power of thought and I perform all my

(145) actions with right resolve and the Yogi concentrates his mind on this aspect of mine and as a
result of this he attains everything whenever and whatever he desires in any situation and in
any undertaking.

(146) In short he who holds Me, as God of the right resolve in his heart, naturally whatever
desires he has in his mind are fulfilled through that quality of his mind.

यो वै म ावमाप न ईिशतुविशतु: पुमान् कुति न िवह ये त त य चा ा यथा मम

Meaning of the Verse:

The command of a man who has attained My disposition is not flouted anywhere anymore than
Mine who am the ruler of all and completely self-dependent. (27)

(147) If the Yogi concentrates on Me as the ruler of all and completely self dependent God he also
becomes equally powerful.

(148) Nobody, even the Gods in the heaven and the beasts and birds, flout or disregard the orders
of such a Yogi who becomes united in meditation with me as the Almighty God.

(149) As the whole world obeys Me everybody obeys Him also. This is called Adnyasiddhi.

(150) The Lord said – “Thus I have explained to you the nature of the ten occult powers which are
related to the Gunas and the intention of the Yogi and also told you about the way of
meditation, required for their attainment. Now I will tell you the minor powers.
म या शु स व य योिगनो धारणािवद: त य तैकािलक बुि ज मम ृ यपू बंिृ हता

Meaning of the Verse:

Direct knowledge of the past, present and future and also of birth and death and direct
understanding of other’s minds etc comes to that Yogi whose mind is purified through
devotion to me as the knower of three times – the past, present and future. (28)

(151) I am the controller of the creation, the maintenance and the dissolution of the whole world
and if the Yogi meditates on this quality of mine, his mind becomes very pure.

(152) And in that mind the knowledge of the past, present and the future as well as the creation, the
life and death of the entire world and all the beings arises.

अ यािदिभन ह ये त मुनेय गमयं वपु: म ोगशा तिच य यादसामुदकं यथा

Meaning of the Verse:

The Yogi, by concentration on my personality which is indestructible, becomes also undamageable

by fire or other elements just as fish in water cannot be hurt by water itself. (29)

(153) By great efforts, it is possible to concentrate the mind on me, and as a result of that Unity, the
body also becomes obedient to the will of the Atman and it becomes impervious to all the
opposites in nature such as hot and cold.

(154) It is not affected by cold season or summer or soft and hard and even fire cannot burn it.

(155) Just as aquatic animals live happily in water, he also remains happy surrounded by fire. This
is a Siddhi called freedom from opposites.

(156) In the wake of this Siddhi, another power called Pratishtambha comes into being, which has
the quality of freeing the person from all affections and troubles. Please listen to its signs.

(157) The man is never affected by the outer wind and he also keeps under control the internal
vital factors such as Pranas.

(158) He can sleep on burning coals as if he is comfortably reclining on a bed of flowers with all
stems removed.

(159) Even in the cold water of winter, if he is merged, he does not try to come out because he
enjoys the water as the fish, and happily remains in it.

(160) In the scorching heat of the summer Sun, he does not feel harassed and as if a lotus flower
blooms in sun-rays, he becomes fresher in it.
(161) Thus he does not get affected by the heat of sun-rays and similarly, no weapon can hurt him.

(162) If one hits the sky with a sharp sword, the sky cannot be hurt. Similarly, the Yogi having this
Siddhi is not hurt by any weapon.

(163) If he is given a poison, he does not die, but as certain worms thrive in dirty water, he lives
on, even if he takes poison.

(164) Just as the shadow of a mountain, which is below it, is not pricking it, so this Siddha happily
remains unaffected by the fire, the Sun, the poison, water or wind.

(165) O Uddhava, please mind well that though it is very interesting to listen to the description of
these powers, they are great impediments in the way of reaching me.

(166) Siddhis do not belong to the spiritual path, because I am the purest of the pure and human
desire to have powers is detrimental to the smooth progress on that path,

(167) I have told you earlier about the power of reading other’s mind by implication. Please listen
to its nature also.

(168) I have told you that when a man concentrates on me as the controller

(169) of everything in the world, he also gets my power to know everything including the
movement of all minds.

(170) When he is witnessing the dream state of the Jeeva, he knows immediately whatever thought
arises in the mind of that Jeeva.

(171) He can know the most secret thoughts of that person. Such is the nature of that Siddhi.

मि भत
ू ीरिभ यायन् शीव सा तिवभिू षता: वजातपत यजनै: स भवेदपरािजत:
Meaning of the Verse:

When he meditates on my physical body which is decorated with Shreewatsa and various weapons
as also with fans, my flag and umbrella etc he becomes undefeatable. (30)

(172) If a man wants to be unconquerable he should meditate on my image which is famous to give
victory by uttering my name and meditating on it, even to Gods.

(173) The image should be having four arms wielding conch, discus the mace and the lotus, having
an umbrella, the fans of feathers, totem in front of it and the picture of eagle on the flag.

(174) There should be a best fan being moved by a bejeweled handle, there should be noisy
anklets around the ankles and Gods should be visualized as surrendering themselves at the
feet of the image.
(175) The man who always meditates on my image of this description with all the attention without
mistake will not be defeated anywhere and always be successful and victorious in his life.

(176) It is to be noted that by meditation on me he becomes victorious alone without anybody’s

help. This is the Siddhi attained by loyalty in meditation.

(177) He who holds me as Ajita in his heart is thus unconquerable everywhere. Saying all this the
Lord ended his description about all occult powers.

उपासक य मामेवं योगधारणया मुने: िस य: पवू किथता उपित यशेषत:

Meaning of the Verse:

The aforesaid Siddhis without any exception wait upon the sage who worships me through Yogic
concentration as detailed in the description given so far. (31)

(178) He who will meditate upon me having the various powers and qualities in me will get all the
occult powers accordingly.

(179) Or, O Uddhava, he may concentrate on any of my innumerable images usually held dear in
the heart; he will definitely attain various powers.

(180) But without going through all the various types of meditation the seeker may have totally all
my occult powers by only one method of meditation, of which I am going to tell you the
details just now.

िजतेि दय य दा त य िजत ासा मनो मुने: म ारणां धारयत: का सा िसि :

सुदुलभा
Meaning of the Verse:

No Siddhi is impossible to be attained for the sage who has conquered his senses, tamed his mind
and controlled his breath and body and practises concentration on Me. (32)

(181) There are five organs of action and senses. They are to be controlled by physical effort and
mental effort and breath control is also to be successfully achieved. The man must be totally
desireless,

(182) He should be very alert using the power of discrimination and by discarding everything
temporary and unimportant he should meditate continuously and conquer his mind by his own
mind only.

(183) With all this preparation of purity of mind the person should hold me in his heart with
undivided devotion and love. Then all these powers are simply his maid servants.

(184) What wants are there for a man who leaves aside everything and with complete one-
 pointedness loves me, and why should any Siddhi not be available to him?

(185) Eknath says – The Lord Shri Krishna here warns the seeker that though Siddhis are available
as a rule he should not utilize them.

अ तरायान् वद ये ता यु जतो योगमु मम् मया स प मान य काल ेपणहे तव:

Meaning of the Verse:

When a man practises Yoga these occult powers are called impediments in the attainment of Me,
simply wasting the time of the devotee. (33)

(186) If my devotee is having no selfish purpose, he definitely becomes one with me but if he turns
towards enjoying the occult powers it is sure that he is not able to reach me.

(187) Only the man who is interested in worldly pleasures enjoyable through physical body gets
ensnared by Siddhis but he who is really interested in Me, never bothers about the
entanglement with occult powers.

(188) Suppose a man sets out to attain public applause, it is possible that he will take all the
trouble to gain these occult powers! But a man who really loves me unselfishly will never
turn his attention to these occult powers.

(189) A man going to Varanasi on a pilgrimage happens to stay in his journey at the house of a
prostitute and being attracted to her he spends his money for her.

(190) He decides never to leave her and resides with her for many days.

(191) So long as he has money, that prostitute entertains him and when all his money is spent and
he becomes penniless, she turns him out of her house!

(192) If he does not leave her house physically and continues to live there becoming a slave to his
desire, that prostitute herself leaves that house and leaves him alone and penniless! This is
also the case of the greater occult powers!

(193) In this case the original intention of the man to complete the pilgrimage to Varanasi and by
observering all the necessary rites, to release his forefathers from the hell etc, has been
abandoned, and he was relieved of all his belongings by that prostitute because he was mad
for her!

(194) Siddhis or occult powers are like this! They are impediments and by diverting my devotee
away from meditation and knowledge and the state of complete freedom from desire, they
destroy him completely.

(195) The work of deception by the occult powers is conspicuous exactly when the seeker is about
to realize Unity with me. These powers present a sweet enticement to the seeker, of varieties
 of pleasures and if the seeker turns his attention to them it is imperative that this Unity is
delayed.

(196) O Uddhava, in Me there is no duality and so whatever ideas of pleasure are presented by the
seeker are nothing but an illusion caused by Maya, my inscrutable power.

(197) I have explained to you all the details about all the occult powers with the intention that you
must know how these powers spell danger and destruction.

(198) Again I will say that if the seeker falls into the net of obvious gain of pleasures inherent in
these powers while he is concentrating on Me, it is a fact that these powers destroy the
seeker.

ज मौषिधतपोम तैयावती रह िस य: योगेना नोित ता: सवा ना यैय गगितं वजेत्

Meaning of the Verse:

One attains here through concentration all those occult powers that follow from birth, or drugs or
austerity and the repetition of Mantras. One cannot however obtain the Supreme reward of
residing in Vaikuntha. (34)

(199) By birth or by taking particular drugs or by repetition of certain peculiar Mantras (spells)
and by hard penance occult powers can be possessed or they are secondary happenings on
the path way of Yoga practice through proper breath control.

(200) Many persons are having some powers as a gift by God, some get these by taking certain
potions derived from herbs, some undergo prolonged and hard penance to possess them
while some are able to use occult powers by successful repetition of Mantras.

(201) In nature certain creatures have certain powers such as serpents live on air for many days
without food, the fish can live in water and the birds can fly in the sky. These are Siddhis
only, which are naturally available to them.

(202) It is said that swan can separate milk from water, we hear the sweet notes of kokil bird
which is natural for it and it is also the gifted power of Chakora that enjoys the rays of moon
and becomes satisfied.

(203) Thus I have told you the Siddhis available to certain creatures naturally from their birth.
Now I will tell you about the powers which are attained by taking certain medicines.

(204) Eknath says - If a man worships the God Ganesh at the roots of white Mandar tree and
observes Angaraki Charturthi, (the fourth day of the dark phase of the Shaka month which
falls on Tuesday is called by this name), he gets knowledge of all the sciences and become
rich.

(205) Ajana tree has got a peculiar quality; the fruits of this tree are like the mouth of a dog. If a
 man can get milky juice of this tree to drink he defeats the death and old age.

(206) If regularly a man takes juice of Neem tree he does not suffer from any disease and poison.
There is a plant by name Pataka-Garudi. If the bud of this plant is eaten the body becomes
impervious to any ailment.

(207) Another tree is by name Pootika the root of which gives a man power and chance to enjoy
pleasures with divine Apsaras.

(208) There are so many such herbs and medicines and it is no doubt difficult to obtain benefit
from them and the resultant powers. O Uddhava, the wise one! Now I will tell you the
powers gained by various penances. Please listen.

(209) There are certain types of intentional hardships undergone by prospective seekers who are
observing fast for three days, observing fast alternate day, sitting in heavy rainfall, standing
in cold water continuously for certain period or to take in only smoke of certain herbs etc.
Whatever aim is intended to be achieved, men observe certain vows related to that penance.

(210) Now listen to the Siddhi gained by Mantras. If a man sits one dead body continuously for
one night and repeats a Mantra and worships, the deity presiding over the dead body
becomes pleased and gives certain powers to the man.

(211) By that he is able to know the happenings in the past, in the present as well as in the future. If
the Mantra of the Sun is repeated according to a certain method man becomes Clair -voyant.

(212) The type of the occult power depends upon the type of the Mantra, and the desire of the
seeker but all these depend on the yogic concentration.

(213) When the man sits firmly in the yogic posture and unifies the Prana and Apana and
concentrates his mind he can attain all such powers.

(214) Thus I have told you that through unification of Prana and Apana and concentration of mind
occult powers become manifest.

(215) However, if the man holds Me alone in his heart with love, these powers come to him
without breath control or yogic methods.

(216) All the four types of liberations are maid servants of that Yogi if he only meditates on Me.

(217) If one tries to tackle each and every occult power, even the liberations of the level of
Samipata, Salokata etc cannot be achieved. Then why talk about Sayujyata?

(218) Even my real pure hearted devotees set aside freedom and are satisfied in my devotion only
and they are respected by me.

(219) I am the Supreme God controlling all the occult powers, but I begin to worship these
devotees as the result of which all the occult powers run away from him.
(220) The Lord Shri Krishna further goes on to tell Uddhava that He keeps the company of his
devotees out of love for them and naturally all his powers are also with him.

सवासामिप िस ीनां हे तु: पितरहं पभ:ु अहं योग य सां य य धम य ब वािदनाम्

Meaning of the Verse:

I am the presiding God as the aim of all the occult powers and the Lord of the Yoga, the Sankhya
and the Experts in the knowledge of Brahman. (35)

(221) The Lord said, “I am the beginning of all the occult powers, I am their glory and their end.
Thus I am their owner.

(222) I am the Lord of Unity of the Jeeva and the Atman and I am also the Lord of that knowledge
in which the status of the separate Jeeva is proved unreal.

(223) It is also well-known that I am the guiding principle of the sages who teach self wisdom and
the men of knowledge understand the problems only because of my blessings.

(224) I am the God of Vedas which give knowledge through Upanishads and without my will not a
single word of the Vedas can be uttered.

(225) Please remember that I am the Ruler of Dharma which is an instrument for Self-knowledge
and I am the omnipresent Atman of the Nature of knowledge who am inside and outside of
every object.

(226) I am Sarvatman occupying everything. O, Uddhava, I am totally and completely existing

everywhere all the time. Please listen how this is true.

अहमा माऽऽ तरो बा ोऽनावतृ : सवदेिहनाम् यथा भत ू ेषु बिहर त: वयं तथा
ू ािन भत

Meaning of the Verse:

I am the Self of all embodied souls, being their inner controller, as well as covering them from
without though, I am Myself not covered just as elements both permeate and enclose the
bodies of living beings. (36)

(227) I reside in the Jeevas and Jeevas reside in me. My dear, I am immeasurable and quite
beyond the Gunas and Maya.

(228) Just as a pot is in the space and the space is both inside and outside of that pot, similarly I
am fully occupying the inner and the outer aspect of everything.

(229) Just as the five elements are occupying in inner and outer aspect of every physical object, so
I am occupying the whole world inside and outside.
(230) Just as water is in the wave and sweetness in the Jaggery, so I completely exist alone in all
the billions of Universes.

(231) When time is ripe for being united with me, the various occult powers entice the seeker in
pleasures and prosperity and eventually destroy him.

(232) For example, a man who is in the good books of a king is having opportunities to have
illegal gratification, but generally his end is also in the same process. Similarly, these
powers though attractive are dangerous for the seeker.

(233) The intention behind all my arguments in this subject is to show that the Siddhis are
completely destructive on the path of attainment of unity with me.

(234) When there is immediate possibility of the seeker being united with me through one-pointed
devotion these Siddhis appear, attract the seeker to sensual pleasures and denude him.

(235) These Siddhis offer attractive pleasure only to the fools who do not know the bliss inherent
in the Atman, due to their acute desires.

(236) The glory of these Siddhis is similar to the advances of a prostitute. Eknath says the Lord
had described all this to convince the seeker that he must discard everything related to occult
powers.

(237) The Lord said – “Only those who are happy in Me find these occult powers as useless as a
dry blade of grass. They are not confronted by birth and death and their heart is full of joy in
meditation.

(238) Then who will care for these petty powers. The devotees of Hari know this very well.

(239) When they surrender their ego to the devotion of Lord Hari and their pride is destroyed in
the devotional process, not even the idea of enjoying anything in the world touches their
mind.

(240) Happiness, Freedom, Riches and Powers are all residents near the feet of the Satguru. Only
those who are dull-witted make efforts for extra occult powers.

(241) Please remember well that not to expect anything is as well as gaining all the powers
because in the courtyard of a man who has no expectation at all, the occult powers are
serving as labourers.

(242) The strange thing is that those powers never turn a glance towards those who are desiring
them and they touch by their head the dust of the feet of that man who has no desires at all.

(243) Non-expectation is greater than mere knowledge of asceticism and devotion. Once a man
becomes devoid of any expectation the highest liberation of Sayujjyata serves the feet of that
person.
(244) All occult powers are with the non-expectation. All rituals are implied in non expectations
and prosperity is saluting the non-expectations day and night.

(245) When there is lack of expectation God looks after the devotee and where there is no
expectation there is only pure goodness and Oh! Please know how God himself is present
personally near the non-expectation.

(246) Vedanta is friend of non-expectation. Yoga embraces it and it is itself the enjoyment of Self-
bliss. Not only this, the man who does not expect, meets the Lord Shri Krishna.

(247) Eknath surrendered himself to Janardana which resulted in the development of the quality of
non-expectation in his nature and therefore, he is always full of ecstasy.

(248) It is only the benediction of the feet of Satguru that I gained Self-Knowledge which is full of
joy because at the feet of the Master there is the playful divine joy and the seed of happiness.

(249) If the man is devoted at the feet of his Guru all four types of liberation are gained by him,
and therefore desirelessness itself serves a man with all the depth of Atmic power.

(250) Eknath surrenders himself to Guru Janardana; and by his grace this fifteenth chapter of the
eleventh Skandha of Shrimad Bhagawata has been completed.

Here ends the Marathi commentary by Saint Eknath on the

15th Chapter of the eleventh Skandha of Bhagawata Mahapurana.

Dedicated to the Lord Shri Krishna.

***