Text 165
ṛddhā siddhi-vraja-vijayitā satya-dharmā samādhir
brahmānando gurur api camatkārayaty eva tāvat
yāvat premṇāṁ madhu-ripu-vaśī-kāra-siddhauṣadhīnāṁ
gandho ’py antaḥ-karaṇa-saraṇī-pānthatāṁ na prayāti
ṛddhā — excellent; siddhi-vraja — of the groups of material perfections of the yogīs (aṇimā, laghimā, prāpti and so on); vijayitā — the victory; satya-dharmā — the religious principles of perfection (satya, śama, titikṣā and so on); samādhiḥ — the yogic perfection of meditation; brahma-ānandaḥ — the spiritually blissful life of the monist; guruḥ — very high in material considerations; api — although; camatkārayati — they appear very important; eva — only; tāvat — that long; yāvat — as long as; premṇām — of love of Kṛṣṇa; madhu-ripu — of Kṛṣṇa, the enemy of the Madhu demon; vaśī-kāra — in the controlling; siddha-auṣadhīnām — which is like perfect herbs that can control snakes; gandhaḥ — a slight fragrance; api — even; antaḥ-karaṇa-saraṇī-pānthatām — a traveler on the path of the heart; na prayāti — does not become.
“ ‘As long as there is not the slightest fragrance of pure love of Kṛṣṇa, which is the perfect medicinal herb for controlling Lord Kṛṣṇa within the heart, the opulences of the material perfections known as the siddhis, the brahminical perfections [satya, śama, titikṣā and so on], the trance of the yogīs and the monistic bliss of Brahman all seem wonderful for men.’
There are different types of perfections known as siddhi-vraja, and also the perfections of achieving brahminical qualifications, yogic trance and merging into the Supreme. All these material perfections are certainly very attractive for a mundane person, but their brilliance exists only as long as one does not take to devotional service. Devotional service can control the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the supreme controller of all universal affairs. The five rasas (mellows) in the transcendental world are practiced by the inhabitants of Goloka Vṛndāvana in neutrality, servitorship, friendship, parental affection and conjugal love. All these please the Lord so much that He is controlled by the devotees. For instance, mother Yaśodā was so advanced in devotional service that Kṛṣṇa agreed to be controlled by her stick. In other words, the five principal mellows are so great and glorious that they are able to control the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the material world, however, the so-called siddhis, or perfections, manifest their brightness only as long as one is not interested in devotional service. In other words, the perfection of the karmīs, jñānīs, yogīs and others remains attractive only as long as one does not come to the point of devotional service, which is so great and significant that it can control the supreme controller, Kṛṣṇa.