असंशयं महाबाहो!

Patanjal Yoga-Sutra : vibhUtipada 

पातञ्जल योग-सूत्र : विभूतिपाद 

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The Reference :

Shrimadbhagvad-gita - Chapter 6,

Stanza 35-36-37-38-39-40-41

श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता - अध्याय ६

श्री भगवानुवाच : --

असंशयं महाबाहो मनो दुर्निग्रहं चलम्।।

अभ्यासेन तु कौन्तेय वैराग्येण च गृह्यते।।३५।।

असंयतात्मना योगो दुष्प्राप इति मे मतिः।।

वश्यात्मना तु यतता शक्योऽवाप्तुमुपायतः।।३६।।

अर्जुन उवाच --

अयतिः श्रद्धयोपेतो योगाच्चलितमानसः।।

अप्राप्य योगसंसिद्धिं कां गतिं कृष्ण गच्छति।।३७।।

कच्चिन्नोभयविभ्रष्टश्छिन्नभ्रमिव नामयति।।

अप्रतिष्ठो महाबाहो विमूढो ब्रह्मणः पथि।।३८।।

एतन्मे संशयं कृष्ण छेत्तुमर्हस्यशेषतः।।

त्वदन्यः संशयस्यास्य छेत्ता न ह्युपपद्यते।।३९।।

श्री भगवानुवाच --

पार्थ नैवेह नामुत्र विनाशस्तस्य न विद्यते।।

न हि कल्याणकृत्कश्चिद्दुर्गतिं तात गच्छति।।४०।।

प्राप्य पुण्यकृतां लोकानुषित्वा शाश्वतीः समाः।।

शुचीनां श्रीमतां गेहे योगभ्रष्टोऽभिजायते।।४१।।

This refers to one who though earnest and devoted to Yoga-practice, drifts away from it, because of certain tendencies that lets him not progress. Such a man could may attain certain occult spiritual powers, may not go further and attain the Ultimate goal, The Realization.

Such a one is said to have attained certain विभूति / vibhUti only. 

विभूतिपाद / vibhUtipada describes about these सिद्धि / siddhi / occult powers and exhorts that such powers are hurdle to मुक्ति / Realization. The simple reason is that they keep the ego intact and so long as the ego persists, there could not be the Realization.

People longing for attaining occult powers often tend to follow Yoga in order to achieve those सिद्धि / siddhi. But before the practicing proper understanding of the method is very important. Even occasionally one may come across such a siddhi it lasts not.

The last Chapter कैवल्यपाद / Kaivalyapad of this text begins with :

जन्मौषधिमन्त्रतपः समाधिजाः सिद्धयः।।

clearly points that such occult powers could be achieved either by any of the means such as by birth, the drug, incantation of mantra, following certain ritual or through samAdhi as is taught in the Yoga-scriptures or by some Guru.

The text of Yoga of Patanjali deals basically with how to attain Realization by means of Yoga. Yoga is only one of attaining samAdhi.  While occult power could be obtained by all these means. 

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To be continued  ...

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