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The second form of māyā is siddhi—miraculous powers. If you master worldly māyā, these siddhis become accessible and exceedingly pleasant. Yet, these very siddhis are the best friends of your ego. Once you begin to perform them, a pattern emerges for the yogī—a pattern of distraction. Such a yogī is known as a yogabṛṣṭha, one who has fallen from the path of yoga, unable to attain ultimate success. The māyā that attacks a spiritual sādhaka, a practitioner, creates conditions identical to those of material māyā. However, this second kind of māyā, the māyā of miracles, is not easy to attain. We lack the ability to reach that level, for we are already victims of other obstacles on the path. Therefore, Mahāṛṣi Patañjali writes in his Patañjali Yoga Sūtra about siddhis and yogīs: do not utilize them, do not demonstrate them. If miracles happen automatically through your mere presence, through your words or your blessing, then you are a king. It means māyā is your slave. But if you are demonstrating and utilizing māyā, then you are its slave. Both kinds of māyā are a great temptation. It is very hard, very hard. Yet nothing is hard for those who truly wish to be free from it. Spiritual awakening in the human body or consciousness is often accompanied by miracles. And with the first small miracle, we often fail. We begin to think, "Oh, I know everything now. My kuṇḍalinī is awakened. I know how to practice. I don't need the master. I myself am the master." These thoughts are not your thoughts. It is somebody else speaking within you, and that is māyā. Therefore, the great saint Kabīrdāsa said: "I realized that māyā is the greatest cheater." Tina guṇa, viā kāḍole, bolet madhuri bānī, Constantly carrying in her hand the rope of the three guṇas to hang you, only waiting for a chance. Like a fisherman who throws a hook; if the fish knew it was a hook, it would not bite. If the fish knew it was the trick of a net, it would flee far from human reach. In our language, a net is called jāl or jālī. Jālī means a trick. If someone is playing a trick, we say this person is a jālī. Māyā tries to catch you through so many things and speaks the sweetest language to you. No one speaks such sweet words to you as māyā. Māyā mā thāgnī ham jāṇam. Kabīrdāsa says, "I realize the greatest cheater is māyā." In the altar, she suddenly becomes the statue or idol of God. At the holy place, she becomes the holy water. For the king, she becomes the queen. For a yogī, she becomes a very close disciple. That māyā enters without your knowing. So, when someone plays a trick on you, you should know it is māyā. Those who are blinded or tempted by that māyā will one day be disappointed. Māyā, victorious, will laugh at you, stand far away, and say, "Ha, ha... ha. You want to come up? No, no, no. Remain there." Therefore, in spirituality too, there is a warning: do not fall for those miracles—showing off, materializing something. That becomes māyā for you. And the person who performs such acts is, in any case, 100,000% sure of destruction after this life. So what do we want? What do we wish to realize? If we have siddhi, why would we demonstrate it? To show people we have power? To become famous? That only supports your ego. Do not be a slave. Thus, Swāmī Lālanandjī Mahārāj, a disciple of Mahāprabhujī, says very clearly in his bhajana: What should I ask of my Gurudeva, and for what? I do not ask for the enjoyment of heaven, nor do I desire wealth and villas. I do not desire the kingdom of the entire universe, nor the power and wealth of the entire earth. I also do not ask for a technique for mokṣa. I ask for only one thing: the dust of thy lotus feet. Why? Because that is free from māyā. It is very hard to serve the master. It is like passing through fire. Yet, to serve is the most joyful and beautiful thing, if you know, if you realize what it means.