What Is Siddhi? A Wisdom from Mundaka Upanishad
The concept of Siddhi—a spiritual accomplishment or special power—is deeply rooted in our ancient scriptures. Among all the Upanishads, three texts especially talk about Siddhi in depth:
- Taittiriya Upanishad
- Mundaka Upanishad
- Shwetashvatara Upanishad
But here, let’s focus on the Mundaka Upanishad, where the idea of Siddhi is explained beautifully.
Sonkar’s Question to Sage Angiras
The Upanishad begins with a profound moment—Sonkar, a wise and humble householder, approaches the great sage Angiras and asks:
“What is that ultimate knowledge, by knowing which everything else becomes known? And what challenges must one face to reach it?”
In response, Sage Angiras explains the nature of the Param (Supreme Reality) and how to attain it. He describes two distinct paths, and on this journey, Siddhi plays an important role.He describes two types of Siddhi:
- Apara Siddhi
- Para Siddhi
Apara Siddhi: The Power Gained Through Scriptures and Practice
Apara Siddhi refers to the accomplishments that come through the study of the Vedas, understanding of Vedanta, Guru Tattva, and spiritual discipline.
It is connected to all the external knowledge passed down through scriptures—what saints have taught, what’s written in holy books, and what one practices regularly in spiritual life.
In short, if you gain any spiritual strength, energy, or support by following rituals, mantras, or Guru’s teachings, it is called Apara Siddhi.
These Siddhis are like the first steps in the journey—they help, guide, and support you, but they are limited in nature.
How Does Siddhi Actually Work?
Siddhi, in simple terms, means mastery or expertise that comes through repetition. In the physical world, when we repeat something again and again—like chanting a mantra, doing a ritual, or practicing a skill—we eventually get better at it. That’s called siddh or success.
But in the astral world, this repetition leads to something deeper. When a person keeps repeating a particular act, they get an astral tattva (subtle energy) that is already an expert in that same work. This energy becomes like a helper or a supporting hand—and this is what we call Siddhi.
Let’s understand this with an example:
Imagine a devotee who regularly chants Hanumanji’s mantra with full faith. After a period of consistent chanting, not only does he connect with divine energy, but he also gets an astral energy that is not his own, but is highly skilled in mantra chanting. This astral energy starts chanting alongside him—even though it’s not part of his body. That energy is his Siddhi.
Now, the power of that mantra chanting multiplies. If the person has 10 such Siddhis (each expert in the same mantra), then his one chant becomes tenfold powerful because those astral helpers chant with him.
However, these Siddhis only help in that specific work which the person has repeated consistently. If he tries something new or unrelated, those Siddhis won’t support him there. So they are like specialized assistants, not general helpers.
These kinds of support energies are called Apara Siddhis—they are gained through repetition, discipline, and connection with divine energies, but they stay limited to specific practices.
Why Apara Siddhi Is Called “Apara” and Why It’s Limited
Apara Siddhi means “limited power” because it’s tied to repetition, effort, and ego. These siddhis come from doing something again and again—like mantra chanting or rituals—and only help in that specific area. They act like external helpers or energies, not your own inner power. That’s why they can be lost, stolen, or change over time. Most importantly, they don’t lead you to Param Tattva (the Supreme Truth)—they just support you on the way. Without para vidya (true inner knowledge), Apara Siddhi stays incomplete.
The Turning Point: From Outer Practice to Inner Realization
According to the Mundaka Upanishad, a person begins with Apara Siddhi. But if they continue practicing with deep focus, dedication, and repetition—without running after results—something magical starts to happen. Their actions become effortless, and the knowledge they once read or heard starts turning into direct experience.
Para Siddhi – The Inner Awakening
When a person reaches this stage, their siddhi no longer depends on outer effort or astral helping energies. They begin to experience the Param Tattva within. This is Para Siddhi—the inner excellence that cannot be taken away, stolen, or affected by anyone else. It belongs to the person’s own soul, and it stays forever.
From Learning to Mastery
Just like in any field—whether it’s music, science, or art—at first, we gain knowledge through books and teachers. This is apara. But when that knowledge turns into brilliance through deep experience, that’s para. In spiritual terms, Para Siddhi is that point when one no longer needs step-by-step guidance—they simply know what to do because they’ve become one with the process.
Why You Can’t Skip the Process
You can’t directly get Para Siddhi. First, you need to go through the path of Apara Siddhi—by doing the practice, repeating it, gaining the tattva, and then allowing it to deepen over time. Only then you get Para Siddhi. That’s when a person becomes truly powerful—not because of borrowed energies, but because they now live and breathe the truth they once only sought.
Bhog and Siddhi: Can We Really Offer Food to Deities?
This question often arises—Can we offer bhog (food offering) to idols and expect the deity to receive it?
To answer that, we need to understand the deep spiritual science behind idols, pran tattva, and the concept of akar (form) and nirakar (formless).
Form vs. Formless: Akar and Nirakar
In Hinduism, there are two primary philosophies:
- Advaita – The belief in the formless Param (nirakar)
- Dvaita – The belief in God with form (akar)
To make divine energy more relatable, people started giving it a form—just like giving a face to the lord to better connect with it. Not everyone can meditate on the vast, formless Param. So, they chose to worship its symbolic forms—idols of deities.
How Idols Become Divine
When we place an idol in our home and begin daily worship—through bhog, mantra chanting, and prayers—we are actually transferring our own pran tattva (life energy) into that idol.
Even without realizing it, we start to energize the idol with our devotion and life force. Over time, it becomes more than a statue—it becomes a subtle extension of our own energy.
Pran, Not Emotion, Energizes the Idol
Why does this happen? Because humans carry pran tattva (life energy). When we repeatedly worship an idol—with mantra chanting, offerings, and rituals—we begin to transfer that pran tattva into the idol. This is not about emotions. Emotions alone do not energize an idol or make the bhog reach the deity.
What truly matters is the quality and power of the pran within the person performing the worship. The bhog reaches only the level of energy (pran) present in the idol—which depends on who did the pran pratishtha (energizing ritual) and how powerful their pran was.
The Power Behind Pran Pratishtha
Before we begin worshipping any idol, the first and most essential step is performing its Pran Pratishtha—the ritual of infusing life energy (pran) into the idol. This is usually done by a priest, a saint, or sometimes by individuals themselves.
What are we really worshipping after Pran Pratishtha? Not just stone or metal—but the pran tattva infused into it. And this pran is nothing but a reflection of the Param Tattva, the Supreme.
But here’s the key:
The idol can only be energized to the level of the person’s own pran shakti. Everyone carries a different level of energy based on their own spiritual strength, and no two individuals have the same power of pran—even if they eat the same food or follow the same rituals.
Why this difference?
Because each person’s DNA, karmic imprint, and spiritual evolution are unique. And that’s what shapes their pran tattva.
So, the one who performs Pran Pratishtha—whether it’s a priest or a saint—the idol gets charged only up to their energy level. That’s the limit of how much Param Tattva can enter the idol. And when we worship that idol, we’re actually worshipping the quality of pran that was infused into it.
How the Source of Pran Pratishtha Shapes the Idol’s Power
Let’s take two different cases—one where an enlightened saint performs the Pran Pratishtha of an idol, and another where a regular person or priest does it.
1.When a Saint Energizes the Idol:
An enlightened saint has done deep tapasya (spiritual practice) to build and refine their pran tattva. So when such a saint performs Pran Pratishtha, they infuse their highly energized pran into the idol.
What happens next?
All apara siddhis (spiritual energies) that resonate with the saint’s elevated pran level also begin to reside with that idol.
As worship continues, the pran urja (life energy) in the idol grows stronger. Over time, the idol doesn’t just remain an idol—it begins to reflect the Param Tattva (the Supreme), becoming more powerful day by day.
When Bhog Is Offered to Such an Idol
If a regular person offers bhog (food offering) to this kind of deeply energized idol, the apara siddhis residing with it accept the bhog and may even bless the person.
But if the same saint who originally infused the idol offers the bhog, something different happens—the saint’s pran tattva is reignited inside the idol, and no apara siddhi receives the bhog. Instead, it is directed toward the Param Tattva itself.
2.When a Regular Person or Priest Energizes the Idol:
Now let’s look at the second case. When a normal person or priest does the Pran Pratishtha, they infuse the idol with only as much energy as their own pran allows. Naturally, the idol will have limited power, and only apara siddhis of that level may associate with it—if any.
In this case, when bhog is offered, nothing happens automatically.
For apara siddhis to even arrive and receive the offering, the person must possess Ahvaan Shakti—the spiritual power to invoke and invite those subtle energies.
If they lack this power, their bhog offering might not reach any divine force at all, and worse, it may even attract other subtle entities that feed on energy—some of which may not have good intentions.
What Really Happens When You Offer Bhog to an Idol?
One important thing to understand is this: whenever you offer bhog to an idol, it’s not always received by the divine energies you intend. All apara siddhis—and even energies more powerful than you, including negative entities—can come forward to receive that offering.
If a person has no apara siddhi to protect or recieve the bhog, then any nearby energy stronger than the person may absorb it. This could include pitras (ancestral spirits) or even maline (impure) tattvas. As these energies receive the bhog, they start forming a tattva of their own, and with time, an aura builds around that energy.
This aura can bring both positive and negative effects:
- Positive Impact: If the energy is good, it may offer help, guidance, or blessings in return.
- Negative Impact: If the energy is impure or restless, it can spread that imbalance into the life of the devotee and their family.
In many cases, pitras may start receiving the bhog and act like deities, influencing the household subtly or strongly, depending on their nature.
So, both types of idols—one energized by saintly pran tattva and one energized by a regular person—may receive bhog daily. But in one case, genuine apara siddhis tied to the Param are accepting it, and in the other, restless or even harmful energies may be feeding off it.
This is why offering bhog is not just about emotions. We often hear, “If you offer bhog with devotion, the Param accepts it.” But in truth, emotion alone is not enough. The tattva of the idol, the level of pran urja, and the presence (or absence) of guiding siddhis all decide who actually receives the bhog.
"Param Tattva: The All-Encompassing Force Behind Every Bhog Offering—Divine or Not"
Let’s first understand what Param really means.
Param is that which is complete, sufficient, and present everywhere—in both good and bad. So for Param Tattva, there is no right or wrong, no holy or unholy. Everything, including divine and negative energies, falls within it.
Now here’s the key:
When we offer bhog to an idol, it is technically being received by the Param—but how that energy gets used depends entirely on what kind of energy or tattva is present in the idol. If the idol is not properly energized, or if the worshipper lacks the right guidance, even negative entities can receive that bhog.
The Story of Sant Haridas
Take the example of Sant Haridas, who did intense spiritual practice (tapasya) and awakened his pran tattva to such a high level that it could hold and channel the true Param Tattva.
When he energized an idol with his own powerful pran, it became impossible for surrounding lower energies to receive the bhog. Only Lord Krishna Himself, who was above even Haridas in energy, could accept it.
That’s the level of spiritual mastery needed to make sure only the highest divine tattva receives the bhog.
Why Not Everyone Should Offer Bhog
Offering bhog isn’t just about lighting incense or placing sweets before a deity. It’s a powerful spiritual act—an energy exchange. But many people, driven by devotion or tradition, start offering bhog at home without understanding the deeper science behind it. Without proper guidance or a Guru, these offerings can go to energies that are not divine—like pitras (ancestral spirits) or maline (impure) tattvas.
When that happens, instead of divine blessings, those energies begin influencing the devotee’s life. Family problems, emotional imbalances, or constant setbacks can be signs that something is off—not with your emotions, but with the energy you’re feeding.
Copying Without Capacity Can Be Risky
It’s common to see others offering bhog and think, “We should do it too.” But copying spiritual practices without the right capacity can backfire. Why? Because bhog is never one-sided—whoever receives it, always gives something back.
If a negative entity receives the bhog, it will return what it holds: lust (kaam), anger (krodh), ego (mad), jealousy (matsar), attachment (moh)—or even its own unresolved pain. These start surfacing in your home, relationships, and health.
But if it’s a divine energy, you receive what it carries: peace, clarity, wisdom, devotion, or protection.
Bhog Is a Two-Way Street
Think of bhog as more than just an offering—it’s a spiritual transaction. You’re giving your energy, and you’re receiving something in return. If the idol isn’t properly energized—or if you don’t know what tattva (energy) it’s connected to—it’s like leaving your door open and feeding anyone who walks in, whether it’s a saint or a thief.
That’s why bhog must be offered with awareness, with the right pran pratishtha (energy installation) in the idol, and under Guru guidance. Only then can you be sure it reaches true divine energies—and returns true blessings.
What Happens When Someone with Low Pran Tattva Performs a Homa?
When a person with low pran tattva (life energy) performs a homa or fire ritual, the energy released doesn’t just vanish—it gets received by the surrounding astral entities. Through the offerings made in the homa (bhog), these entities absorb that energy and become stronger.
But here’s the issue: if your energy is weaker than theirs, you lose command. These now-empowered entities can start influencing or even controlling you, because their energy field becomes more dominant than yours.
So instead of gaining spiritual strength, a homa done without sufficient pran tattva or proper guidance can actually backfire—giving more power to external energies than to yourself.
Who Really Receives Your Bhog? It’s Not Always Who You Think
The bhog you offer doesn’t automatically go to the deity you believe you’re worshipping. Who actually receives it depends on several subtle but powerful factors:
- The mantra you chant
- The deity you are invoking
- The strength of your pran shakti (life energy)
- And most importantly, who the protector of that area where the bhog is being offered
This “protector” can be anyone or anything—your awakened kundalini, an energized pitra, a deity’s energy, or even some energy you’ve unknowingly picked up from somewhere else. These forces decide where your offering actually goes.
That’s why many people unknowingly suffer. They bring random idols home and begin worship without any knowledge of pran tattva or who they’re truly feeding. If your pran is weak, it’s nearly impossible to offer bhog to the Param Tattva directly. That level of worship requires years of practice, strong spiritual energy, and deep astral awareness.
This is why, in Ashaeiynn, there’s always an emphasis on third eye activation—because without inner vision, you won’t know whether you’re feeding divinity or something else entirely.
