Receive the newsletter. Click here.
How it is being done.
Prabhupada, Philosophy Discussions On Immanuel Kant: There is no such thing as accident. We do not accept anything as accident. There cannot be any accident.Syamasundara: So if you saw something miraculous, it could be explained that Krishna…
Prabhupada: Yes. Miracles means you cannot conceive how it is being done. The same example, as I said, that if you want to paint one rose flower you require so many things, but that also is not real rose flower. But imitation, it may be perfect, but you have to take so much trouble in collecting the paint, the colors, and your energy, then duration of work, and some day it may come out perfect.
But the same energy is working so swiftly that you see automatically a rose flower is coming out. The same example again: just like this airplane, there are thousands of complicated electronic machinery arrangements, but you see that the pilot is simply pushing a button. That’s all. But layman is seeing that “Simply by pushing a button, a miraculous thing is happening.”
But no, with the pushing of the button there are so many complicated machineries, they work one after another, one after another. So similarly, God’s energy is so subtle that simply by His willing, the process takes place, but it takes place so swiftly and quickly, we see it as miracle. So there is no such thing as miracle.
The process is there, but it acts so quickly and nicely, we see it as miracle. Just like a man is very innocent, illiterate, so servant, so I give a chit, “Just give it to Bhavananda,” Bhavananda gives you ten thousand rupees. So he says, “Oh, what is this miracle? He writes some few lines and immediately ten thousand rupees came?” So to him, it is miracle. Isn’t it?
But Bhavananda says “Prabhupada wants ten thousand—I’ll give him,” that’s all. He sees my signature and I want it. But this man does not know. He takes it as miracle: “Oh, a chit of paper brings immediately ten thousand rupees?” Miracles to the rascals, fools!
Syamasundara: So they can exist simultaneously. On one hand, there are very strict laws of nature, which no one can counteract. But on the other hand, we see something like Krishna lifting the Govardhana Hill.
Prabhupada: That is also not miracle. That is not miracle, because in the yoga-siddhi you can make anything lighter than this cotton. So Krishna is Yogesvara. So by His yogic power He made the whole hill as a cotton swab. That is yogic principle. But for a layman, for a human being, he has to practice this yoga for millions of years; then he comes to perfection. But Krishna is Yogesvara. By His will, immediately it is done. It is not a miracle. It is turning the whole thing. Just like Krishna is floating so many big big planets in the air. These modern scientists can say all nonsense, but it is miracle, it is miracle to them. But to Krishna it is not. Krishna has got such a sankarsana. He has got some power, Yogesvara. He can do that.
Syamasundara: What is this yogic power? What does that mean?
Prabhupada: That is called laghima siddhi, anima siddhi, laghima siddhi. Anima, you become the smallest. The yogis, you pack in a box. I’ve seen it. Pack them in a box. One Mr. Cakravarti, he was packed in… I told you, he was packed in a bag, it was sealed then put in a box. The box was locked, it was sealed, and he came out. I have seen it. That is called anima siddhi. Simple: there must be some hole—however tightly you pack it, there is little hole—and the spirit soul is so little, one ten-thousandth part of the tip of the hair, then comes out…
Syamasundara: And then he materializes another body outside.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Syamasundara: And the other yogic powers?
Prabhupada: There are eight kinds: anima, laghima, prapti. Prapti, now you are sitting here, now you have left something in London, you simply…. No telephone call; stretch your hand and get it. Prapti. They can go by the beams of the sun in the sun globe. Prapti. Then mahima, you can become bigger than the biggest.
Syamasundara: How is that?
Prabhupada: How is that? That you have to learn. You practice yoga and you learn. Just like Hanuman, he jumped over the sea. So it is a question of becoming bigger. Just like you can jump over this space, but if you have got bigger body, then you can jump bigger space. That is called mahima-siddhi. So if you increase you body proportionately, then you can cross the sea from here to here. Your legs become bigger and your jumping becomes more bigger. This is the process. It is called mahima-siddhi. Again he carried the hill. Ramacandra asked him, “You bring Me that medicine from there.” He could not find it so he got up the whole hill. So those are yogic siddhis.
Syamasundara: What are the others?
Prabhupada: Anima, laghima, prapti, mahima, prakamya, isita, vasita. You can control anyone. Whatever you say, he will carry out. Any big man, you can put some influence. Vasita. Just like these this rascal Maharishi, he has got little yogic power. So he controls, gives you some mantra you’ll become God and all this nonsense, but he is controlling. Whatever he’ll ask, you will pay. That is control. Actually he is controlling his mind, that whatever he asks, you will do. These are bogus things.
Syamasundara: Like hypnotism.
Prabhupada: By hypnotism, yes. I think I have discussed in The Nectar of Devotion. So this is possible even by ordinary yogis, and what to speak of Krishna, who is known as Yogesvara. He is the master of all mystic power. So one who does not know these things, they say, “Oh, these are all stories.” It is not story. It is no miracle. They are all possible. So there is no such thing as miracle. It is a process of doing. One must know how to do it. There is no miracle. We don’t say anything miracle. But for appreciating, you can say it is. You see Krishna is said as Yogesvara, master of all mystic yoga processes: yatra yogesvara hari. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said. So our yogic power is, our yoga process is to take shelter of Krishna. He’ll act, and you’ll get the credits. Just like our movement: Krishna is doing and I am getting the credit. Yes. Why should we bother about acquiring all this mystic power? Just depend on Krishna. He is Yogesvara. He’ll do everything, and you’ll get the credit. And Krishna wants that. Just like his advice to Arjuna, “This is already planned. You don’t think that if you do not fight they’ll go back. That is not possible. But you simply take the credit, that’s all.”