Previous Verse
Next Verse

Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 8

Yoga-siddhi — The Mystic Perfections and Their Origin in Meditation on the Lord

त्रिकालज्ञत्वमद्वन्द्वं परचित्ताद्यभिज्ञता । अग्‍न्यर्काम्बुविषादीनां प्रतिष्टम्भोऽपराजय: ॥ ८ ॥ एताश्चोद्देशत: प्रोक्ता योगधारणसिद्धय: । यया धारणया या स्याद् यथा वा स्यान्निबोध मे ॥ ९ ॥

tri-kāla-jñatvam advandvaṁ para-cittādy-abhijñatā agny-arkāmbu-viṣādīnāṁ pratiṣṭambho ’parājayaḥ

Die Kraft, Vergangenheit, Gegenwart und Zukunft zu erkennen; Gleichmut gegenüber Hitze, Kälte und anderen Dualitäten; Kenntnis des Geistes anderer; das Aufhalten der Wirkung von Feuer, Sonne, Wasser, Gift und dergleichen; und Unbesiegbarkeit—dies sind fünf Vollkommenheiten des Yoga von Konzentration und Meditation. Ich habe sie nur nach Namen und Merkmalen aufgezählt; lerne nun von Mir, welche Versenkung welche Siddhi hervorbringt und auf welche Weise.

tri-kāla-jñatvamknowledge of past, present, and future
tri-kāla-jñatvam:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Roottri (प्रातिपदिक) + kāla (प्रातिपदिक) + jñatva (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: trikālasya jñatvam (‘knowledge of the three times’)
advandvamfreedom from dualities
advandvam:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Roota-dvandva (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); privative a-
para-citta-ādi-abhijñatāknowing others’ minds and so on
para-citta-ādi-abhijñatā:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootpara (प्रातिपदिक) + citta (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक) + abhijñatā (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: parasya cittasya ādeḥ ca abhijñatā (‘knowledge of others’ minds etc.’)
agni-arka-ambu-viṣa-ādīnāmof fire, sun, water, poison, etc.
agni-arka-ambu-viṣa-ādīnām:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootagni (प्रातिपदिक) + arka (प्रातिपदिक) + ambu (प्रातिपदिक) + viṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Plural (बहुवचन); द्वन्द्व (itaretara) list-compound ‘fire, sun, water, poison, etc.’ + ādi; governs pratiṣṭambhaḥ
pratiṣṭambhaḥchecking/warding off (paralysis, stoppage)
pratiṣṭambhaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootpratiṣṭambha (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)
aparājayaḥinvincibility (non-defeat)
aparājayaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Roota-parājaya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); privative a-
etāḥthese
etāḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootetad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन); refers to siddhis
caand
ca:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
FormConjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)
uddeśataḥbriefly, by indication
uddeśataḥ:
Hetu/Prakāra (हेतु/प्रकार)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootuddeśa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormAblatival adverb (तसिल्-प्रत्ययार्थ/अव्ययीभावार्थ), ‘in brief/according to enumeration’
proktāḥ(have been) declared
proktāḥ:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeVerb
Root√vac (धातु) + prokta (कृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्यय, PPP)
FormPast passive participle (कर्मणि क्त), Feminine Nominative Plural agreeing with etāḥ; finite sense ‘have been stated’
yoga-dhāraṇa-siddhayaḥthe perfections of yogic concentration
yoga-dhāraṇa-siddhayaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootyoga (प्रातिपदिक) + dhāraṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + siddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: yogasya dhāraṇāyāḥ siddhayaḥ (‘siddhis of yogic concentration’)
yayāby which
yayā:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootyad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन)
dhāraṇayāby (that) concentration
dhāraṇayā:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootdhāraṇā (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन); apposition to yayā
which (siddhi)
:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootyad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)
syātwould be / may occur
syāt:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√as (धातु)
FormOptative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada
yathāhow, in what manner
yathā:
Prakāra (प्रकार)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootyathā (अव्यय)
FormAdverb (प्रकारवाचक अव्यय)
or
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootvā (अव्यय)
FormParticle (विकल्पार्थक अव्यय)
syātwould be / may occur
syāt:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√as (धातु)
FormOptative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)
nibodhaunderstand, learn
nibodha:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√budh (धातु)
FormImperative (लोट्), 2nd Person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada
mefrom me / for me
me:
Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
TypeNoun
Rootmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormGenitive/Dative enclitic (षष्ठी/6 or चतुर्थी/4), Singular (एकवचन); here dative sense ‘from me’/‘for me’ in address-context

According to the ācāryas these five perfections are considered to be quite inferior to the others already mentioned, since they involve more or less ordinary physical and mental manipulations. According to Śrīla Madhvācārya, in the perfection called agny-arkāmbu-viṣādīnāṁ pratiṣṭambhaḥ, or checking the influence of fire, sun, water, poison, and so on, the term “and so on” refers to one’s remaining invulnerable to all types of weapons as well as attacks by nails, teeth, beating, curses and other such sources.

K
Kṛṣṇa
U
Uddhava

FAQs

In Canto 11, Chapter 15, Kṛṣṇa explains that powers such as trikāla-jñatva (knowing the three times) arise as perfections of yoga through focused concentration (dhāraṇā).

Kṛṣṇa instructs Uddhava on yoga and its results—both to describe the capacities that can arise from dhāraṇā and to guide a sincere seeker to understand such powers within the broader aim of spiritual realization.

Practicing steadiness amid praise and blame, comfort and discomfort, and success and failure reflects advandva—cultivating inner balance while remaining devoted to the Supreme.