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
Knowledge of past, present, and future; equanimity amid heat, cold, and other dualities; insight into others’ minds; checking the effects of fire, sun, water, poison, and the like; and remaining unconquered—these are five perfections of yogic concentration and meditation. I have merely listed them by name and traits; now learn from Me which contemplation yields which siddhi, and by what process.
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.
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.