SIDDHIS ACHIEVED THROUGH JAPA

In the Pancatantra, a siddhi may be the term for any unusual skill or faculty or capability WHICH CAN BE ACHIEVED THROUGH JAPA. This should however not be the aim however,just a barometer for your practice.

Eight primary siddhis

In Hinduism eight siddhis (Ashta Siddhi) are known:

• Aṇimā: reducing one's body even to the size of an atom
• Mahima: expanding one's body to an infinitely large size
• Garima: becoming infinitely heavy
• Laghima: becoming almost weightless
• Prāpti: having unrestricted access to all places
• Prākāmya: realizing whatever one desires
• Iṣṭva: possessing absolute lordship
• Vaśtva: the power to subjugate all

Bhagavata Purana

Five siddhis of yoga and meditation

In the Bhagavata Purana, the five siddhis of yoga and meditation are:

1. tri-kāla-jñatvam: knowing the past, present and future
2. advandvam: tolerance of heat, cold and other dualities
3. para citta ādi abhijñatā: knowing the minds of others and so on
4. agni arka ambu viṣa ādīnām pratiṣṭambhaḥ: checking the influence of fire, sun, water, poison, and so on
5. aparājayah: remaining unconquered by others

Ten secondary siddhis

In the Bhagavata Purana, Lord Krishna describes the ten secondary siddhis as:

• anūrmi-mattvam: Being undisturbed by hunger, thirst, and other bodily appetites
• dūra-śravaṇa: Hearing things far away
• dūra-darśanam: Seeing things far away
• manaḥ-javah: Moving the body wherever thought goes (teleportation/astral projection)
• kāma-rūpam: Assuming any form desired
• para-kāya praveśanam: Entering the bodies of others
• sva-chanda mṛtyuh: Dying when one desires
• devānām saha krīḍā anudarśanam: Witnessing and participating in the pastimes of the gods
• yathā sańkalpa saḿsiddhiḥ: Perfect accomplishment of one's determination
• ājñā apratihatā gatiḥ: Orders or commands being unimpeded ^[14]

Samkhya

In the Samkhya Karika and Tattva Samasa there are references to the attainment of eight siddhis by which one becomes free of the pain of ignorance, one gains knowledge, and experiences bliss. The eight siddhis hinted at by Kapila in the Tattvasamasa are as explained in verse 51 of Samkhyakarika:

1. Uuha: based on the samskaras of previous births, the attainment of knowledge about the twenty-four Tatwas gained by examining the determinable and the indeterminable conscious and the non-conscious constituents of creation,
2. Shabad: knowledge gained by associating with an enlightened person (Guru – upadesh),
3. Addhyyan: knowledge gained through study of the Vedas and other standard ancillary texts,
4. Suhritprapti: knowledge gained from a kind-hearted person, while engaged in the spread of knowledge
5. Daan: knowledge gained regardless of one’s own needs while attending to the requirements of those engaged in the search of the highest truth,
6. Aadhyaatmik dukkh-haan: freedom from pain, disappointment, etc. that may arise due to lack of spiritual, metaphysical, mystic knowledge and experience,
7. Aadhibhautik dukkh-haan: freedom from pain etc. arising from possessing and being attached to various materialistic gains,
8. Aadhidaivik dukkh-haan: freedom from pain etc. caused by fate or due to reliance on fate,

The attainment of these eight siddhis renders one no longer in a painful state of ignorance but in possession of greater knowledge and experience of bliss. The aim of Samkhya is to eliminate all kinds of physical and mental pains and to receive liberation.

Patanjali's Yoga Sutras

In Patanjali's Yoga Sutras IV.1 it is stated :

janma auṣadhi mantra tapaḥ samādhijāḥ siddhayaḥ

In translation:

Accomplishments may be attained through birth, the use of herbs, incantations, self-discipline or samadhi.

Source: wikipedia