I am reading Hanuman Chalisha in morning prayers since my childhood days. I always believed that I know the meaning of all the verses of Hanuman Chalisa. Few days back while I was praying I stopped at one stanza of Hanuman Chalisa, which read ‘Ashta Siddhi Nau Nidhi Ke Data As Var Deen Janki Mata’, as I was trying to figure out the meaning of the same. After my prayers I had my breakfast and went for my Training program and I skipped exploring the same. Next day again while praying I stopped, there again, thought for a while and went ahead with the prayers. It bothered me the whole day that I am reading Hanuman Chalisa since childhood believing I know the meaning of each and every stanza of it, then how can I forget this one. I came back home and asked my wife if she knows the meaning of Ashta Siddhis and Nau Nidhi’s. Though she reads it too in her morning prayers, she was unaware about the same. Like our generation if we want to know anything about something we Google it, I did the same and take refuge of Google. I came to know Buddhi (Wisdom) and Siddhi are consorts of Sri Ganesha. There are eight types of Siddhis (Ashta Siddhis). Ganesha Ji and Hanuman Ji possess Ashta Siddhis and can give one access to Ashta Siddhis.
Following are Ashta Siddhis (8 Divine Powers):
- Anima: Ability to become as minute as one wishes.
- Mahima: Opposite of Anihma. One can become as large as one wishes.
- Laghima: Ability to become almost weightless and travel thousands of miles in a fraction of second.
- Garima: Opposite to Laghima. Ability to become infinitely heavy.
- Prapti: Ability to touch the highest things (Moon, Sun & even the stars), to attain desired objects, ability to predict future events, ability to telepathy and thought-reading, etc. Ability to understand the languages of the beasts and birds and understand unknown languages. Ability to cure all diseases.
- Prakamya: Ability to realize whatever one desires. It is also defined to be the power of entering body of another (Parakaya Pravesh). It is also the power of keeping a youth-like appearance for any length of time.
- Vastva: The power of taming wild animals and mesmerizing people to control them.
- Istva: The ability to restore life to the dead.
I wondered if such divine powers are available for mankind today then how our world will look like. More prosperous or More peaceful!
As a science graduate, if I take into consideration whatever I learnt in Physical Sciences, it seems impossible to have such powers. How can one go against the law of gravitation and become so light that he can fly and reach wherever he wants? How can life be restored to a dead? Can one increase or decrease his height or take shape of some other person/animal?
It triggered a thought in my mind: Are these actually divine powers or some hint towards unexplored potential of human beings? And if one can explore his full potential he can certainly do wonders. I feel this is all related to the power of faith and will-power. Like they say, if you wish to – you will do.
What I could figure out Ashta Siddhis (8 Divine Powers) which one can achieve are as follows:
Aṇima : One can become small by being humble and leaving ego and anger.
Mahima: Thinking Big and helping others to be big.
Laghima: No grudges whatsoever. To forgive and forget.
Garima: To keep ones commitment.
Prapti: Ability to install your vision in others hearts and minds and to achieve your aim.
Prakamya: Never say never attitude and ability to reform and adapt as per the situation.
Vastva: Ability to self discipline and defeat ones bad habits.
Istva: Ability to lead and motivate.
I hope I could make sense through this post for I believe in power of self belief and faith.