Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 11.15.8-9
Mukti· LiberationDistinguish Lesser Powers from Higher Perfections
“The power to know past, present and future; tolerance of heat, cold and other dualities; knowing the minds of others; checking the influence of fire, sun, water, poison, and so on; and remaining unconquered by others — these constitute five perfections of the mystic process of yoga and meditation. I am simply listing these here according to their names and characteristics. Now please learn from Me how specific mystic perfections arise from specific meditations and also of the particular processes involved.”
What the purport teaches
- Five further perfections include knowing past, present and future, tolerating dualities, knowing others’ minds, checking harmful influences and remaining unconquered.
- The ācāryas consider these quite inferior to the previously mentioned perfections, since they involve more or less ordinary physical and mental manipulations.
- The Lord has listed their names and characteristics. He now invites Uddhava to learn how particular perfections arise from particular meditations and processes.
Try this today
Reread the Lord’s invitation to learn from Him, then note one distinction between listing a power and understanding its process.
Ask yourself
Am I ready to learn the Lord’s explanation rather than judge a power merely by how impressive it sounds?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
From Canto 10, chapter 14 onward, the translation and purports were completed by Śrīla Prabhupāda's disciples after his departure, and published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.