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ated in his living body from the clog of material incumbrance, and acquires an entire command over all worldly substance. He can make himself lighter than the lightest substances, heavier than the heaviest; can become as vast or as minute as he pleases, can traverse all space, can animate any dead body by transferring his spirit into it from his own frame, can render himself invisible, can attain all objects, becomes equally acquainted with the past, present, and future, and is finally united with Siva, and consequently exempted from being born again upon earth. These super-human faculties are acquired, in various degrees, according to the greater or less perfection with which the initiatory processes have been performed.
OF THE HINDUS.
According to standard authorities the perfect fulfilment of the rites which the Yogi has to accomplish requires a protracted existence and repeated births, and it is declared to be unattainable in the present or Kali age1. The attempt is therefore prohibited, and the
The Kásikhanda thus enumerates the difficulty or impossibility of completing the Yoga in the present age: चञ्चलेन्द्रियवृत्तित्वात्कलिकल्मपजृम्भणात् ।
अल्पायुष्यात्तथा नृणां क्केह योगमहोदयः ॥
"From the unsteadiness of the senses, the prevalence of sin in the Kali, and the shortness of life, how can Exaltation by the Yoga be obtained?"
Again:
न सिध्यति कलौ योगो न सिध्यति कली तपः ।
"In the Kali age, the Yoga and severe penance are imprac
ticable."
