Patanjali Yoga Sutra — जन्मौषधि मन्त्र तपः समाधिजाः सिद्धयः ॥४.१॥

Janmauṣadhi mantra tapaḥ samādhijāḥ siddhayaḥ॥4.1॥

One can acquire discerning yogic powers through any of the five means: by birth, by drugs, by the chanting of mantras, by the rigorous observance of austerities, or by profound insightful samādhi.

Yogasiddhi is not any one’s exclusive right. It can suit a wide array of people. Though rājayoga advocates acquisition of yogic powers and samādhi through meditation only on the Supreme God, Patañjali is of the opinion, yogic powers can be mastered through any of the following five possibilities:

a. By birth: Many times, we come across child prodigies exhibiting amazing talent. To get such a proficiency, usually, a man has to struggle for several years. Such talent is displayed by these kids at a very early age. How is it possible? Science might call it ‘Heredity’ or ‘Genetics’. Similarly, we encounter certain born-yogis exhibiting mystifying yogic powers right from their birth itself. They are born yogis. What is Bhagavān Śrīkr̥ṣṇa’s remarkable validation for born yogis?

पार्थ नैवेह नामुत्र विनाशस्तस्य विद्यते।

न हि कल्याणकृत्कश्चिद्दुर्गतिं तात गच्छति॥६.४०॥

Pārtha naiveha nāmutra vināśastasya vidyate.

na hi kalyāṇakr̥tkaściddurgatiṁ tāta gacchati॥Gītā 6.40॥

प्राप्य पुण्यकृतां लोकानुषित्वा शाश्वतीः समाः।

शुचीनां श्रीमतां गेहे योगभ्रष्टोऽभिजायते॥६.४१॥

prāpya puṇyakr̥tāṁ lokānuṣitvā śāśvatīḥ samāḥ.

śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yogabhraṣṭo’bhijāyate॥Gītā 6.41॥

अथवा योगिनामेव कुले भवति धीमताम्।

एतद्धि दुर्लभतरं लोके जन्म यदीदृशम्॥६.४२॥

athavā yogināmeva kule bhavati dhīmatām.

etaddhi durlabhataraṁ loke janma yadīdr̥śam ॥Gītā 6.42॥

तत्र तं बुद्धिसंयोगं लभते पौर्वदेहिकम्।

यतते च ततो भूयः संसिद्धौ कुरुनन्दन॥६.४३॥

tatra taṁ buddhisaṁyogaṁ labhate paurvadehikam.

yatate ca tato bhūyaḥ saṁsiddhau kurunandana॥Gītā 6.43॥

yogabhraṣṭa (one who has stopped yoga practice for reasons beyond one’s control) would never be destroyed either in this loka or in the next. Persons doing virtuous and spiritual acts to realize God would never be shattered. These would reach divine realms (like heaven), spend a delightfully long time (for having done virtuous deeds) and get rebirth in this world in unsullied and wealthy families. Another possibility could be having birth in unblemished wise families, which is considered to be a rare opportunity for any man to get. In such cases, sādhaka effortlessly gets his yogic saṁskāras of his previous life and would resume the yogasādhana with more vigor and verve (It is said, even God cannot give us more than what we deserve or less than what we are worthy of).

b. By drugs: By consuming certain intoxicating narcotic drugs (hashish, gānja, marijuana) many people experience a sort of hallucination similar to yogic revelation. For example, a dose of melatonin injected into the body could give complete tranquillity to the brain and the changes are similar to the experience of profound Dhyāna (also read aphorism 4.20). But this is only an illusion and not a true spiritual experience from out of sādhana. Leading to compulsive addiction, they may end up in a disastrous tragedy! (addiction is — first you want it; later it wants you; then it won’t leave you!).

c. By chanting divine mantras: Mantras have divine powers and by chanting them, many have become accomplished yogis. It is called ‘Mantrasiddhi’ (Example: Prahlāda). viñṇu sahasranāmam uses the word ‘Mantra’ in a different connotation and says, śrutisāgara Paramātma is knowable through ‘Mantra’, hence, He is called ‘Mantra’. Sādhaka says, ‘The Mantras I chant are the flowers offered to Bhagavān’.

ऋद्धः स्पष्टाक्षरो मन्त्रश्चन्द्रांशुर्भास्करद्युतिः॥विष्णुसहस्रनाम 30॥

ṛddhaḥ spaṣṭākṣaro mantraścandrāṃśurbhāskaradyutiḥ॥viṣṇusahasranāmam 30॥

d. By the rigorous practice of ascetic penance and austerities: Lots of instances are found in Indian Mythology like Bhāgavatam. Best examples are that of Bhṛgu (Bhṛguvalli in Taittirīyopaniṣad), Agastya, Dhruva, viśvāmitra, bhagīratha, etc. Great demons like Rāvaṇa, Hiraṇyakaśipu, Mahiṣāsura, Indrajitu, also did ascetic penances for the accomplishment of their worldly desires.

e. By profound insightful samādhi: Almost entire Vibhūtipāda (Chapter:3) of Patañjali’s yoga sūtra deals with this method of acquiring yogic powers. Being purely sādhana mārga, this way of acquiring yogic powers is totally dependent on yogasādhaka’s sādhana, his dedication, passion, perseverance, resolution, and the like. Such a yogi shakes off his evils like a horse shaking off his hair to clear off the dirt settled on the body, or like the moon freeing itself from the clutches of Rāhu to get back his brightness (Chāndogya Up 8.13.1):

श्यामाच्छबलं प्रपद्ये शबलाच्छ्यामं प्रपद्येऽश्व इव रोमाणि विधूय पापं चन्द्र इव राहोर्मुखात्प्रमुच्य धूत्वा शरीरमकृतं कृतात्मा ब्रह्मलोकमभिसम्भवामीत्यभिसम्भवामीति॥ ॥छान्दोग्य उपनिषत् ८.१३.१॥

śyāmācchabalaṃ prapadye śabalācchyāmaṃ prapadye’śva iva romāṇi vidhūya pāpaṃ candra iva rāhormukhātpramucya dhūtvā śarīramakṛtaṃ kṛtātmā brahmalokamabhisambhavāmītyabhisambhavāmīti॥Chāndogya Upaniṣad 8.13.1॥