Sharanagati

Now let’s discuss the siddhis: “Anima – reducing one’s body to the size of an atom, to become small; mahima – magnifying the body to a gigantic size. And three – laghima, extreme lightness of the body – these three pertain to the body.”[1] Small, big and light.

As we practice a different kind of yoga, bhakti-yoga, what is the anima-siddhi of a vaishnava? What is the small body siddhi of a vaishnava person? This is humility – when we put ourselves so small, so insignificant, even smaller than an atom. This is our anima-siddhi. And if you remember this beautiful instruction of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu: “Please, make me a particle of dust at Your lotus feet”[2] – this is the explanation how to achieve that position of humility. And this is, so to say, our final goal – to achieve that position of touching the lotus feet of the Lord. Usually particles of dust are not considered too much precious, but even though they are not precious, by the divine contact they are glorious. In the same way although we create our own universe and circulate around ourselves, nevertheless compared to the gigantic universe this is very, very insignificant. Although for us, for the insignificant jiva, He is most important, or better we say She is most important. So this is our anima-siddhi – the capacity, the mystic power to become insignificant like a particle of dust.

But here is this other siddhi – this is the mahima-siddhi, the greatness, to achieve the gigantic form. How do you do that in bhakti-yoga? By dedication? So you multiply your body to serve better? Well, it is said by those who are experienced in spiritual practice that for example in a really dedicated bhajan or kirtan you can have that experience that your body is growing. When you feel like expanding. So our practices also bring the mystic experience to those who are present, who are active in those practices in a very dedicated mood.

And laghima also, like flying, when you can dedicate some little activities to Krishna and you feel like flying. All these mystic experiences can be perceived by the true practitioner of bhakti.

(to be continued)