The Six Shatkarmas, Abhicara, and Siddhi — Rajarshi Nandy

The author describes prayogas — applications found in almost every tantra scripture, often near a text's end or as a preamble — as projecting the energy of sadhana toward specific aims, broadly classified into six forms comprising the Shatkarmas: Shanti Karma (invocation of peace, for a setting or to resolve a quarrel), sammohan (generating attraction or fascination toward oneself or an object), Vashikaran (a stronger form of attraction creating influence or pull over another person), Uchchatan (aggravating a target's mind into confusion and erratic behavior), Vidveshana (sowing conflict, disharmony, and separation within a group), and marana (rituals whose avowed intention is to cause a specifically identified person's death). He notes these are bound to specific astrological timings, seasons, precise mantra recitation, and ingredients chosen for their energetic correspondence to the desired outcome.

The author states that a prayoga's effects are likely to manifest in both the external world and within the practitioner's own inner landscape, and that the ethical and moral judgment surrounding its use ultimately lies with the conscience of the individual concerned — who will inescapably face the resultant karma, whether positive or otherwise, from applying these powers. He connects this practical, results-oriented dimension of tantra to the broader Hindu framework of the four purusharthas (dharma, artha, kama, moksha), noting that Puranic stotras to various deities typically promise both spiritual and material benefits to sincere devotees, not spiritual benefit alone.

The author notes that the ceremonial worship of certain tantric deities is very often undertaken with specific desired results in mind, per popular reasoning. He gives three common associations: worship of Bhairava, an angry form of Shiva, with the removal of hurdles or enemies; tantric worship of Goddess Baglamukhi with achieving success in legal disputes or other conflicts; and upasana of Goddess Pratyangira, a ferocious form of Kali, with removal of and protection against negative occult activities related to abhicara.

The author explains that the sathakarma prayogas, especially those performed with evil intent, tend to bring a negative perception of tantra sadhana as a whole. He clarifies that what is commonly called "black magic" is, in essence, the deliberate use of mantras and rituals to harm, manipulate, or injure others — with the more accurate and traditional term being Abhichara. He describes many varieties, some involving personal items or a photograph of the intended victim, and in more extreme cases, rituals connected to cremation grounds tapping into very intense forms of energy, with effects ranging from suffering and health problems to financial ruin, depression, and, in serious cases, death.

The author emphasizes that people suffer for many reasons, of which abhicara is only one — without clear discrimination, one cannot determine whether a problem originates in abhicara or is a manifestation of graha-related (astrological) difficulties. He states judgment cannot be made from mere suspicion but must be based on expert investigation, typically employing jyotisha (Vedic astrology), various occult methods, or psychic skills to affirm or rule out an abhicara allegation — alongside examining physical symptoms and the real-world source of enmity that could motivate such an action. Only after a complete and faultless spiritual diagnosis, he states, should a remedy be performed.

The author states that a common norm holds an individual who engages deeply in spiritual practice and closely associates with their chosen deity to possess a certain degree of protection from negative occult attacks. He notes the effects of prarabdha (pre-destined karmic events) can still affect such a person, but that these effects can often be considerably minimized through sadhana, which gradually erodes remaining karmas.

The author states that although the term 'siddhi' is often misunderstood in tantra sadhana, almost all primary tantra texts regard its attainment as the most tangible goal of the practice, marking the perfection of the sadhana. He describes possible resulting abilities such as advanced extrasensory perception (seeing at a distance, foreknowledge), healing, and Vak Siddhi — speech acquiring the power to manifest reality — a concept widely accepted in the shastras and recorded in numerous stories and biographies of historical saints and siddhas.

Citing the Hanuman Chalisa's promise of asta siddhi (eight spiritual powers) and nava nidhi (nine treasures) to a sincere devotee, the author details each of the eight: anima (compressing oneself to an infinitesimal, atom-like size), mahima (gigantic bodily expansion across great distances), garima (becoming immensely, immovably heavy), laghima (becoming as light as air, floating free of gravity), prapti (reaching anywhere and obtaining anything desired), prakamya (fulfilling any wish and penetrating/controlling any object, animate or inanimate), isitva (control over the basic elemental forces — fire, water, air, earth), and vastva (subtly controlling the minds of any person or animal). He describes these as considered of remarkable potency, almost never manifesting except in divine beings like Hanuman, who used them during his lila with righteous, dharmic intentions — with all other extraordinary powers considered lower-order siddhis.

The author presents a significant school of thought advocating the exclusion of siddhis from the aim of spiritual attainment, on the grounds that pursuing them may harm final spiritual growth — a practitioner caught up in the allure of magical attainments risks an inflated ego that limits and obstructs the path to Samadhi, complete absorption in the worshipped deity. At the same time, he notes that as consciousness evolves through tantra, yoga, meditation, or bhakti, extraordinary abilities may emerge spontaneously as gifts from the Divine or signposts on the path — nothing inherently wrong in that, provided they are used wisely and with discernment, since indiscriminate abuse can quickly lead to spiritual downfall. He states the guidance of a true guru is invaluable in navigating these temptations.

The author describes siddhi in one further sense — mantra siddhi, the actualization of a mantra being practiced, a vital part of mantra sadhana. He explains that the entire process of mantra purushcarana is mainly aimed at activating the mantra through the pancha tattwa (the building blocks of creation), so that it works reliably for the upasaka under all conditions. This process leads to a total and complete merging with one's chit-shakti (inner power) — a union he describes as mantra siddhi itself, highly recommended across all mantra and tantra texts.