Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 3
Yoga-siddhi — The Mystic Perfections and Their Origin in Meditation on the Lord
श्रीभगवानुवाच सिद्धयोऽष्टादश प्रोक्ता धारणा योगपारगै: । तासामष्टौ मत्प्रधाना दशैव गुणहेतव: ॥ ३ ॥
śrī-bhagavān uvāca siddhayo ’ṣṭādaśa proktā dhāraṇā yoga-pāra-gaiḥ tāsām aṣṭau mat-pradhānā daśaiva guṇa-hetavaḥ
至上主说道：精通瑜伽之师宣说，神通成就与持念共有十八类。其中八种为主要，依止于我；另十种为次要，由物质的善性（sattva）而显现。
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura explains the word mat pradhānāḥ as follows. Lord Kṛṣṇa is naturally the shelter of the eight primary mystic potencies and meditations because such perfections emanate from the Lord’s personal potency, and thus they are fully developed only within the Lord Himself and the Lord’s personal associates. When materialistic persons mechanically acquire such potencies, the perfections awarded are of an inferior degree and are considered to be manifestations of māyā, illusion. A pure devotee of the Lord automatically receives from the Lord wonderful potencies to execute his devotional service. If for sense gratification one mechanically endeavors to acquire mystic perfections, then these perfections are certainly considered to be inferior expansions of the Lord’s external potency.
FAQs
In this verse, Lord Kṛṣṇa states that yogic authorities describe eighteen mystic perfections (siddhis).
Kṛṣṇa clarifies that some perfections are granted by divine sanction (dependent on Him), while others are products of material nature’s modes, helping the listener discern spiritual gifts from material accomplishments.
Treat extraordinary abilities or achievements with humility and discrimination—seek devotion to Kṛṣṇa rather than becoming distracted by powers that can arise from material conditioning.