Richard saw a yogi in his late thirties beg charity from pilgrims. On being ignored he became angry, and performed miraculous feats to attract attention. He first pulled a live bulb from the socket, and crushed it to powder, and swallowed it by drinking a cup of Ganges water. Then he took a steel rod, and with one end on the wall, he balanced the other end of the metal pole on his eye socket which he had covered with a cloth. Then he slowly walked towards the wall, and the pole bent more and more with each step. Finally he reached the wall, threw aside the u-shaped rod, and removed the cloth to reveal his undamaged eye. As pilgrims lavished money, the yogi revealed the secrets of his power; his guru had taught him the powers but rejected his student on discovering that he was using it for money and prestige. The yogi now confessed that he needs money to get married, and make a living.
Richard was disappointed and realized that mystic powers are not necessarily spiritual.
“…it wasn’t until this moment that I realized mystic powers were not necessarily spiritual at all. Those who were able to counteract the apparent laws of nature had naturally impressed me. So much of what I’d seen seemed miraculous. Now I saw that such feats unconnected to a meaningful search for God were truly insubstantial. I was looking for more.”
India has many mystic yogis. Often people’s evaluation of a guru is based on his ability to manipulate material laws; the more the power to create magical or supernatural feats, more the popularity. Genuine gurus however focus on simple devotion to God, avoiding cheap popularity through magical gimmicks. Radhanath Swami reveals his own guru’s simple devotion to God that attracted young boys and girls of the counterculture, to surrender their lives for a spiritual goal. “He (my guru) was often asked by people if he could perform miracles”, says Radhanath Swami, “and he humbly pointed to his students and said, ‘my miracle is I have transformed hippies into happies!’” Following his guru’s footsteps, Radhanath Swami teaches the simple process of chanting God’s holy names and experiencing the presence of Lord in the heart through sincere heart-felt prayers. He quotes his guru, “Spirituality is simple for the simple, and complicated for the complicated.”
He doesn’t discourage the pursuits of mystic yoga, but warns that it can easily distract a practitioner to seek money and popularity. He compares possessing supernatural powers and yet using them for material gain to a vulture’s business, “A vulture may fly very high in the sky but his eyes are cast on food on earth; on seeing a prey, he comes swooshing down. Similarly we may possess powers and abilities to exploit nature, and appear to be a regal spiritualist, but our consciousness could be stooped low in seeking worldly wealth and fame.” This is especially lamentable because these powers are obtained after decades of rigorous austerities, but by the power of maya, illusory forces, one gets trapped by the same powers, and continues in material consciousness. Radhanath Swami therefore warns all spiritual seekers to be careful of the agents of illusion that tempt a seeker to pursue the ephemeral goals of worldly pomp and glory, a sure deterrent on the path of loving God.
Besides, the mystic powers also give a yogi the feeling of being in control of life, whereas a simple devotee of God feels helpless and calls out to God in love. This call for shelter increases a seeker’s favorable remembrance of God, and brings him or her closer to the Lord. On the other hand, absorption in the self, and seeking to possess greater powers, takes us further away from God.
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Founder-acharya of the International Society For Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON)
“Go to India” a sweet but commanding voice; spoke up in the heart of young Richard (later Radhanath Swami) who was immersed in meditation, his search for meaning in life has brought him to the Isle of Crete. Today he was ordered to go to India. Born and raised in the middle class suburbs of Chicago, Radhanath swami grew up in the 1950’s and 60’s era when popular musicians protested war, prejudice and social injustice. Radhanath swami would listen to these songs again and again, but their lyrics referring to God stirred his soul. Peter, Paul and Mary- the folk trio from Greenswich village sang in their debut album
“Early in the morning, about the break of day
I ask the Lord, to help me find my way”
This simple prayer was to guide Radhanath swami in the coming years of his life........
When the attraction for mystical powers is removed, then the doors are open for understanding the true nature of the God’s love. Thanks maharaj for sharing such precious realizations.
View CommentIt is so true, most of the people get attracted by these mystic powers and forget the real goal of spirituality.
View CommentWe see today that people get attracted by even simple magic shown and accept performer to be spiritual guru . What to speak of simple magical illusions even true yogic fits also has nothing to give and take with spirituality unless it is used for pleasing The Almighty GOD. Thanks to respected Radhanath swami for guiding us.
View CommentMaharaj always stresses on the point that simple devotion to God will take us closer to God and not mystic powers.
View CommentThank You Maharaj.
What a wonderful point by Radhanath Swami that “If we have the feeling that we have control over our life, we will not feel helpless and call out to God. On the other hand a simple devotee of God feels helpless and calls out to God in love. This act brings him or her closer to the Lord.”
View CommentThe God proposes and the man disposes is better than the man proposes and God disposes.Radhanath Maharaj’s story tells us that first one is better for those who seeks path to love God.
View CommentPath of mystic yoga is like traveling on the roof top of a train– you feel that you have made a lot of progress you can see all the wonderful scenery and background pass at considerable speeds you can feel the power of the wind blowing but actually the progress is relatively very slow . Bhakti is like traveling in a plane with all windows shut. Once the plane takes off you feel for hours that you have made no progress (that is what devotees feel like ) . Its only when you land that you come to know that you have actually traveled thousands of kilometers.
View CommentMiracle is transformation of hearts to take shelter of God which Srila Prabhupada did to people all over the world. Srila Radhanath Swami is continuing the legacy of Srila Prabhupada.
View CommentThis article would be an eye opener to many who are after the so called spiritual gurus who show many miracles to attract the general public and get some money.
View CommentThank you very much for sharing, in this present age such so called sadhus spreading in the world and posing them-self as God. So unfortunate. It is very rare to find a true Sadhu like Radhanath Swami these days. That is our fortune to know such a high elevated spiritual guru: Radhanth Swami.
View CommentRadhanath Swami Maharaj drives the point that the real miracle is in the transformation of the heart for the loving devotion to God.
View CommentSuch a nice comparison of a devotee calling for God in Love and a mystic yogi feeling that he is in control, looking for wealh and fame. This only shows how radhanath swami was looking for the essence “devotion of the heart to love God” and to do acts simply that are just to please God.
View CommentThank you for sharing this.
Nice article cleared all my doubts about Mystic Yogis.. Thanks a Lot..
View CommentTrue said by Radhanath Swami Maharaj , realy mystic powers can easily distract a practitioner to seek money and popularity.
View CommentRadhanath swami is the real mystic
View CommentWonderful article!!! Thanks for posting…
View Commentis there any other greater mystic power than the maha mantra? hare krsna hare krsna krsna krsna hare hare,
View Commenthare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare. no way! thank u guru maharaj for everything.
Radhanath Swami has been through all types of mystic yogis and hence he knows the purpose of mystic yoga. We are really blessed by Krishna to have such an experienced and self realized soul like Radhanath Swami, who after going through all paths has come to final conclusion that there is no path as sublime and quickly elevating than pure love of Godhead, which is awakened by chanting the Hare Krishna Mahamantra
View CommentNice Article! Thank you very much for sharing
View CommentHH Radhanath Swami Maharaj has realized and shared with us the perfect understanding of Mystic powers to be material rather than spiritual. By sharing this with us Maharaj is protecting us from getting allured by some mystic performances and loosing faith in the simple and sublime process of Bhakti. Pure devotee and can transform the hearts and bestow pure love of God , getting the higher taste one doesn’t get diverted from the path of Bhakti.
View CommentMystic yoga is subordinate to bhakti yoga.Yoga means union with God. the mystic powers are great obstacles in the path of achieving pure bhakti to the Lord. therefore no devotee accepts this.
View CommentRadhanath Swami gives a perfect understanding of mystic powers, a very important and valuable lesson for spiritual seekers. Many people are misguided by these self called godmen and are cheated. It is very essential that one knows the true nature of mystic yoga.
View CommentEye Opening Article about Mystic Powers
View Commentvery nice article and actually radhanath swami himself is just mystical, regards, rajesh
View Commentgood article with nice realisations on mystical powers and its proper use, thanks for posting, bhakti
View CommentGood one!!!Thanks for posting…
View CommentShowing some magic is easy but magic of eternally removal of birth, old age, disease and death is the real one. His instructions has this real message.Thank you Maharaj
View CommentIt is amazing as to how many aspects of spirituality Radhanath Swami has witnessed. His words call for serious deliberations.
View CommentThanks so much for such an enlightening story! It’s so easy to be attracted to magical displays. They’ve always been shown as amazing and exotic to us in the west. It could be easy to be misled. Great warning.
View CommentUnfortunately many people just get mis-directed by the mystic powers, so called spiritual leaders have. The main point of loving service to Krishna is forgotten. Radhanath Swami is revealing the facts to us.Thank you once again.
View CommentRadhanath swami has shown that manipulation of material elements is ultimately an obstacle at any level. Transformation is the important principle.
View CommentRadhanath Maharj very clearly points out here that “mystic powers were not necessarily spiritual at all”, which is quite important to know for any sincere seeker. thank you.
View CommentRadhanth swami is helping us to understand Real compassion..his realization regarding mystic power is really nice
View CommentHH Radhanath Maharaj is pointing out the fact that spiritual consciousness would make one dependent on the Lord.The basic idea of spiritual life is to remain dependent on the Lord in His loving service.That is exactly the way Maharaj leads his spiritual life paving way for others to follow in his footsteps.
View CommentThis clearly shows the that all mystics our not genuine guru.A spiritual seeker should learn from this article.
View CommentPeople who display their mystic powers are not the real Guru’s
View Commentvery inspiring.
View Commentmany misunderstandings, misconception and vague ideas about mystic powers are cleared by reading this article from the life of HH Radhanath Swami maharaj
View Commentvery nice blog post where in Radhanath swami explains how devotion to God is the greatest of all spiritual paths. Thanks to everyone that is involved with this blog site.
View CommentI always craved to see such mystics but now they will not affect me in a wrong way. Radhanath swami makes a brilliant observation that mysticism has nothing to do with spirituality. Even Ravana was a mystic but was totaly against spiritaul practices.
View CommentRadhanath Maharaj has really made a fantastic statement that “Spiritual life is simple for the simple and complicated for the complicated people”. All it requires is a simple heart to understand and love krishna. Thank you Maharaj for making Krishna conscious very simple for us.
View CommentThat is true, in India there are so many so called Guru’s cheating people. It is rare to find a genuine Guru, Srila Radhanath Swami is one such jewel in the Gaudiya Vaisnava Sampradaya.
View CommentThank you for publishing this article by Radhanath Swami Maharaj. It clears many things about the illusion of mystic powers.
View CommentThis is amazing..thanks for publishing this..
View CommentHow nice and sincere Radhanath Swami is that he has never compared mystic powers with devotional service. Devotional service is beyond anything and everything and is something which Lord grants to a devotee at the end.
View CommentOne of the very very few articles in the world which sidelines mystic powers & highlights devotional service….Thank you radhanath swami
View CommentThe examples given here of Vulture is nice..
View CommentI liked the real miracle of Prabupad Maharaj in transforming hippies to happies…
Thank You for posting this article..