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-Sri Ramana Maharshi
In an earlier video we had discussed in detail, Sri Ramakrishna’s warning that if any occult powers arise in the course of sadhana, sadhaks should shun them. The reason being that until a sadhak has attained to the ultimate goal of God realization, the ego has not been fully conquered.
Therefore if sadhaks begin to dabble with these occult powers or siddhis and indulge in public displays of such powers, this action will only flare up the ego more and more. And thus the sadhaks will retreat from the goal of God Realization.
The exact same warning has also been issued by Sri Ramana Maharshi. A Swiss devotee, Mrs. J.C.S. Hick-Riddingh once asked Ramana Maharshi about occult powers. (Source: Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi – Talk No 597.) The conversation went as follows:
Devotee: “Does Self-Realisation (also known as God-Realisation) imply occult powers also?”
Ramana Maharshi: “The Self is the most intimate and eternal Being whereas the siddhis (occult powers) are foreign. The occult powers are sought by the mind which must be kept alert, whereas the Self is realised when the mind is destroyed.”
“Occult powers manifest only when there is the ego. The ego makes you aware of others and in its absence there are no others to be seen. The Self is beyond the ego and is realised after the ego is eliminated. The elimination of the ego makes one unaware of others. How can the question of others arise and where is the use of occult powers for a Self-Realized Being?”
Self-Realisation may be accompanied by occult powers or it may not be. If the person had sought such powers before Realisation, he may get the powers after Realisation. There are others who had not sought such powers and had attempted only Self-Realisation. They do not manifest such powers.
These powers may also be sought and gained even after Self-Realisation. But then they are used for a definite purpose, i.e. the benefit of others. (After Self-Realization) the sages are not deluded by the possession of such powers. (Since the ego has been vanquished, the occult powers can no longer delude a Self-Realized person and such a person uses these occult powers to help others).
