Power that Impede Progress

However, gaining such varied powers is not the end point of Yoga Sadhana. On the contrary, it is said that such attractive and wonderful powers distract the mind of the sadhaka, weakenes his/her sadhana, impeding the progress and tempting and engulfing the sadhaka to use such powers for material gains and to increase his/her personal importance and prestige in the society. Such a boastful and selfish sadhaka always thinks about his/her miraculous extra-ordinary powers. His/her ‘I’ ness and egoism overpower his/her mind and, in the process, he/she deceives himself/herself. These undesirable changes in his/her behaviour push him/her down to the lower levels of spirituality. Hence, many a times, siddhies are considered as obstacles in the path of progress in spirituality. The real spiritual aspirant is always advised to keep himself/herself aloof from the greed of siddhies which divert the sadhaka’s mind from the genuine goal of Yoga Sadhana.

The story of a Siddha who met Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa sheds light on the worthlessness and contemptibility of such siddhies in the spiritual field as well as the materialistic world as they veer the sadhaka from the right path and waste his/her energies and time for the least worthy gains.

One honest and sincere spiritual aspirant got some powers because of his long practice of Yoga Sadhana. In the beginning, he was astonished to experience the rare and uncommon powers. When the ordinary people witnessed his powers, they started praising and adoring him as an accomplished Yogi. Thousands of people became his devotees. They constructed a Palatial Ashrama (hermitage) for him. He was able to walk on the flowing river as if he was walking on the road. He became very famous in the vicinity. He started visiting towns after towns to show his Yogic feat. Within no time he became a well-known spiritual master.

Once he happened to be in the same town where Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa was staying. He came to see Sri Ramakrishna. As a gentleman, Sri Ramakrishna received him with respect and honour.

The boastful Yogi asked Sri Ramakrishna, “Since how many years are you worshipping Kali Ma?’’

“Since childhood – I have not counted the years’’, answered Sri Ramakrishna.

“What powers have you obtained?’’: Yogi.

“I don’t need any powers because I experience myself Kalimata, the Almighty, when I worship her’’, Sri Ramakrishna said, “I am already blessed by the highest blessings’’.

“These are all excuses as you have not achieved any siddhies. See my achievement – I can very easily walk on the water’’, the Yogi said and actually walked quickly on the flowing water of the Ganges and very proudly returned and stood boastfully before Sri Ramakrishna.

Sri Ramakrishna smiled and appreciated his power and asked him, “How many years did you spend for obtaining this power?’’

“More than twelve years I did penance very rigidly. I observed all the Yamas and Niyamas (rules of conduct) very strictly during that period’’: Yogi.

“My friend, you have wasted your golden years of life in achieving a worthless power, spiritually and materially’’.

“How’’?

“After obtaining the power, you have became egoistic and a showman and have lost the spiritual sense and progress. Materially, your power is worth only two paise because that is the fare the ferry boat charges for crossing the river, for which you strived very hard for twelve years!’’ replied Sri Ramakrishna.