Characteristics of Pure Devotional Service ll
he likes he can take fruit from a garden there. This is prapti-siddhi.

The modern scientists have manufactured nuclear weapons with
which they can destroy an insignificant part of this planet, but by
the yoga-siddhi known as isita one can create and destroy an entire
planet simply at will. Another perfection is called vasita, and by
this perfection one can bring anyone under his control. This is a kind
of hypnotism which is almost irresistible. Sometimes it is found that
a yogi who may have attained a little perfection in this vasitad mystic
power comes out among the people and speaks all sorts of nonsense,
controls their minds, exploits them, takes their money and then goes
away.

There is another mystic perfection which is known as prakamya
(magic). By this prakamya power one can achieve anything he likes.
For example, one can make water enter into his eye and then again
come out from within the eye. Simply by his will he can perform
such wonderful activities.

The highest perfection of mystic power is called kamavasdyita.
This is also magic, but whereas the prakamya power acts to create
wonderful effects within the scope of nature, kamavasayita permits
one to contradict nature—in other words, to do the impossible. Of
course, one can derive great amounts of temporary happiness by
achieving such yogic materialistic perfections.

Foolishly, people who are enamored of the glimmer of modern
materialistic advancement are thinking that the Krsna consciousness
movement is for less intelligent men. “I am better off being busy with
my material comforts—maintaining a nice apartment, family and sex
life.” These people do not know that at any moment they can be
kicked out of their material situation. Due to ignorance, they do not
know that real life is eternal. The temporary comforts of the body
are not the goal of life, and it is due only to darkest ignorance that
people become enamored of the glimmering advancement of material
comforts.

Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur has therefore said that the advancement
of material knowledge renders a person more foolish because it causes
one to forget his real identification by its glimmer. This is doom for
