FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.15.34

जन्मौषधितपोमन्त्रैर्यावतीरिह सिद्धय: । योगेनाप्नोति ता: सर्वा नान्यैर्योगगतिं व्रजेत् ॥ ३४ ॥
janmauṣadhi-tapo-mantrair
[janmaushadhi-tapo-mantrair]
yāvatīr iha siddhayaḥ
[yaavateer iha siddhayah]
yogenāpnoti tāḥ sarvā
[yogenaapnoti taah sarvaa]
nānyair yoga-gatiṁ vrajet
[naanyair yoga-gatim vrajet]
janma — by birth auṣadhi — herbs tapaḥ — austerities mantraiḥ — and by mantras yāvatīḥ — as many as there are iha — in this world siddhayaḥ — perfections yogena — by devotional service to Me āpnoti — one obtains tāḥ — those sarvāḥ — all of them na — not anyaiḥ — by other methods yoga-gatim — the actual perfection of yoga vrajet — one can achieve.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
janmauṣadhi-tapo-mantrair
janma
by birth
auṣadhi
herbs
tapaḥ
austerities
mantraiḥ
and by mantras
yāvatīr iha siddhayaḥ
yāvatīḥ
as many as there are
iha
in this world
siddhayaḥ
perfections
yogenāpnoti tāḥ sarvā
yogena
by devotional service to Me
āpnoti
one obtains
tāḥ
those
sarvāḥ
all of them
nānyair yoga-gatiṁ vrajet
na
not
anyaiḥ
by other methods
yoga-gatim
the actual perfection of yoga
vrajet
one can achieve.
Whatever mystic perfections can be achieved by good birth, herbs, austerities and mantras can all be achieved by devotional service to Me; indeed, one cannot achieve the actual perfection of yoga by any other means.

By taking birth as a demigod one is automatically endowed with many mystic perfections. Simply by birth on Siddhaloka one automatically acquires all of the eight principal perfections of yoga. Similarly, by birth as a fish one becomes invulnerable to water, by birth as a bird one gets the mystic perfection of flying, and by birth as a ghost one gets the mystic perfection of disappearing and entering into the bodies of others. Patañjali Muni states that the mystic perfections of yoga can be achieved by birth, herbs, austerities and mantras. The Lord states, however, that such perfections are ultimately a waste of time and an impediment to achieving the actual perfection of yoga, Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Those who give up the process of bhakti-yoga and shop around for other objects of meditation besides Kṛṣṇa are certainly not very intelligent. Those who claim to be yogīs but pursue the satisfaction of their own senses are certainly kuyogīs, or bhogi-yogīs. Such kuyogīs cannot understand that just as they have tiny senses, the Absolute Truth has absolute senses, nor can they understand that yoga is actually meant to satisfy the absolute senses of the Lord. Therefore, persons who give up the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa in order to pursue so-called happiness in mystic perfection will undoubtedly be frustrated in their attempt. By meditating exclusively on the Supreme Personality of Godhead one can achieve yoga-gati, the ultimate goal of yoga, which means living on Lord Kṛṣṇa’s planet and there enjoying spiritual opulences.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Whatever siddhis can be achieved by good birth, herbs, austerities and mantras can all be achieved by yoga as described above. One cannot achieve liberation by any other means. Some siddhis arise from birth. For instance, the devatās have powers by being born as devatās, or fish are not affected by water by their birth in that body. Similarly birds by their birth can fly in the air. Ghosts can enter others’ bodies and disappear. The Yoga-sūtra says janmauṣadhi-tapo-mantra-yoga-jāḥ siddhayaḥ: siddhis are from birth, medicine, austerity, mantra and yoga. All of these siddhis are also attained by yoga. One cannot attain liberation such as attaining my planet by other means.
Whatever powers come from good birth, herbs, austerities, or mantras can all be had through devotion to the Lord — and real yoga's perfection comes by no other means. Devotion is the universal solvent.
Reflection Questions
  • What 'special means' am I attached to as if devotion alone were insufficient?
  • What would full reliance on devotion reorganize?
📝 My note

← Read full Chapter 15