Question:
I know that there are Gurudevas who reveal the eternal form, the siddha deha, to the sadhaka they see worthy and fit.
Now, I never heard of this practice and I never read of the practice in the literature of the 6 Goswamis of Vrindavana.
Did any of the 6 Goswamis ever reveal the siddha deha to any worthy recipient?
Answer:
You are quite right. The process of the revealing of the siddha deha is not mentioned in the writings of the 6 Goswamis.
This has several reasons.
First of all, this process is a very personal and intimate one and not meant for public consumption. It is a matter between Gurudeva and disciple. Secondly, as it was often the case after Sriman Mahaprabhu left the world, certain tasks were given to certain people.
The first time the process of siddha pranali is mentioned anywhere in the canon of Gaudiya Vaishnava literature is in the famous paddhati of Srila Dhyanachandra Goswami, called Śrī Gaura-Govindārcana-Smaraṇa-Paddhatiḥ.
Among the five chief disciples of Śrī Vakreśvara Paṇḍita, Gopālaguru was the special object of Mahāprabhu’s mercy. He was the son of Murāri Paṇḍita, and his name was Makaradhvaja Paṇḍita, although Mahāprabhu called him Gopāla. When Śrī Gaura lived in Nīlācala, Gopāla engaged in His service. Even though he was still a child, he was very skillful in his sevā. The Lord showed very strong vātsalya affection for him, and personally gave him the title “Gopālaguru.”
One day, Caitanya Mahāprabhu went outside the village to tend to his bodily needs. Gopāla was standing some distance away with a waterpot in his hand ready to serve the Lord. He noticed that the Holy Name, which always blissfully danced on Mahāprabhu’s tongue, was not to be heard. Wondering how this could be, he then saw that the Lord was holding his tongue with his hand. After a short while, Gopāla, being full of curiosity, inquired from the Lord, “Prabhu! Why are you holding your tongue like that?” Mahāprabhu answered, “The words kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa always dance on my tongue, and even when I’m unclean they don’t stop. One is forbidden to chant the kṛṣṇa-nāma mahā-mantra when he is unclean. Transgressing that injunction is an offense. For this reason, I hold my tongue to keep it still.”
Gopāla replied, “Prabhu! Elegant words don’t adorn my little mouth, but still, in order to understand, I am asking. Your beautiful body doesn’t have a trace of uncleanliness. It is sac-cid-ānanda-maya and always pure. Your ‘going to the bathroom’ is an illusion. That’s just your pretending to be human. You are independent, but if an ordinary jīva should die while evacuating, without chanting the Holy Name, how will he attain the transcendental state?”
Hearing these profound words from the boy, the Lord replied, “Gopāla, you have spoken correctly. In chanting the śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāma there is no consideration of cleanliness or uncleanliness. Chanting is always auspicious for the jīva. You have caused me to remember the highest injunction. From today, you shall bear the title guru.” Mahāprabhu told the devotees this story, and the news quickly spread everywhere. Soon all the Vaiṣṇavas began to call Gopāla “Śrī Gopālaguru.”
Gopālaguru Gosvāmī became the ācārya of the Gambhīrā Maṭha, and when he became old, he wanted to arrange for someone to continue the worship of Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kānta. To obtain a suitable sevaka, he offered a mental prayer to the lotus feet of Śrīman Mahāprabhu. One night, the Lord appeared to Gopālaguru and said, “Gopāla! The sevaka you seek will be the first person you see tomorrow morning. Accept him without hesitation. Like you, he will be learned in all the transcendental śāstras. He will preserve well the worship of Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kānta and reveal my glories to the whole world.”
Hearing this order from Mahāprabhu in his dream, Gopālaguru became ecstatic. The next morning, after his morning duties, he went to his doorway. The first person he saw was a very peaceful young brāhmaṇa who had been standing there waiting to see him. When the youth approached, he offered daṇḍavats to Gopālaguru’s lotus feet. The Gosvāmī remembered his dream and blissfully offered the young man his blessings. Seeing his peaceful nature and absorption in kṛṣṇa-bhakti, Gopālaguru gave him mantra-dīkṣā, etc., and named him Śrī Dhyānacandra.
After receiving initiation, Śrīpāda Dhyānacandra served his guru with great devotion. Gopālaguru Prabhu engaged him in caring for Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kānta. After a short while in govinda-sevā, he received the dress of a Vaiṣṇava ascetic from his guru, and was then ordered to visit Śrī Vṛndāvana-dhāma.
So clearly we can see how pure and authorized the task of Dhyanachandra Goswami was.
As far as your question goes regarding if any of the 6 Goswamis revealed the siddha deha to any of their disciples.
Why not? Most certainly they did.
We have evidence of 2 Goswamis who revealed the siddha deha to a sadhaka:
Usually, the disciple is introduced to a manjari-svarupa specifically reserved for him and is blessed with allegiance to the siddha-pranali corresponding to the channel of his gurus.
A practical example of introduction to a manjari-svarupa is found in the sixth chapter of Prema-vilasa, as Sri Gopala Bhatta Gosvami bestows diksha-mantra to Srinivasa Acarya.
Pada-yuga dhori kore ātma samarpaṇa
Ātmasāt kori gosāi kohilo vacana
Dui hasta dhauta puna koro āro bāra
Joḍa haste koro dhyāna vrajendrakumāra
Tāra vāme śrī rādhikā ati manohara
Lalitā manjarī ādi śobhita sundara
Pūjā korāilo sab pṛthak koriyā
Tulasī manjarī mālya candanādi diyā
Yūthe milāilo sab haste haste kori
Śrīnivāsa korāilo sobāra anucarī“
Holding the feet of Gosvāmī, Śrīnivāsa surrendered himself to the feet of his guru. Gopālbhaṭṭa Gosvāmī then ordered him, “Wash your hands again and start the meditation of Śrī Vrajendra-kumāra with folded hands. Think of the extremely attractive Śrī Rādhikā on His left side, surrounded by Lalitā, the Mañjarīs and others.” He helped Srinivasa to do the pūjā of all of them individually with Tulsī mañjarīs, garlands, sandal paste and other ingredients. Thus he made Śrīnivāsa the maidservant of them all.”
Śrī rādhā-ramaṇa pūjā koro punarbāra
Sab manoratha siddhi caraṇe yāhāra
Sugandhi candana dilo hṛdaya upora
Tulasī manjarī caraṇe dilo bahutara
Dakṣiṇa hasta mastake dhori kohe harināma
Tabe rādhā-kṛṣṇa panca nāmera vidhāna
Rādhā-kṛṣṇa mantra kohe kare-yuge dhori
Kāma bīja śunāilo anguli anusāri
Ei sab mantra tumi koribe smaraṇa
Yei kāle tad āśraye koribe manana
Guṇa manjarikāśraye maṇi manjarikā tumi
Tomāra yūthera vivaraṇa kohi sab āmi
rūpa guṇa rati rasa manjulāmanjula
Ei sab sange sangī ei anukūla<
He ordered Śrīnivāsa, “Worship Śrī Rādhā Ramaṇa again – at His lotus-feet lies the fulfillment of all your desires.” Śrīnivāsa applied fragrant sandal paste on Rādhā-ramaṇa’s chest and many Tulsī-mañjarīs on His lotus feet. Placing his right hand on his head, he chanted Harināma, after which he got the five names of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. He spoke the mantra with Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa-nāma while holding Śrīnivāsa’s hands. Śrīla Gopāl Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī then told him the Kāma-bīja and how to count it on the fingers. He said: “Remember all these mantras whenever you surrender to Them by meditating on Them.You are Maṇi Mañjarī in the group of mañjarīs under Śrī Guṇa mañjarī (Gopāl Bhaṭṭa Goswāmī himself). I will tell you everything about her party. It is favorable to accompany Rūpa-, Guṇa-, Rati- and Mañjulāli Mañjarī.”
In this narrative, a description of the siddha-identity of Srinivasa was given at the time of his diksha, to be embraced while enrapt in smarana of the diksha-mantras. As the narrative continues, Sripad Bhatta Gosvami also speaks of engagement in the 64 bhakti- angas and of the need to exercise caution in the course of sadhana, remaining aloof from ninda (slander) and other evil deeds thwarting the path of attainment – all of which is pertinent information for someone about to embark on the path of raga-bhajana. The concrete attainment of the described identity and all that it entails, Bhatta Gosvami notes, will come in proportion with the sadhaka’s eagerness for seva and the worship of the Names.
Question:
But honestly and with all due respect, the book “Prema Vilasa” is rejected by many Gaudiya Vaishnavas.
Answer:
By whom?
It is a fact that in the book “Prema Vilasa” we find some problems with the chronological order of certain events or the dates fixating them, but in terms of SIDDHANTA, Gaudiya philosophy, it is completely authentic and this fact is accepted widely among most of the Gaudiya Vaishnavas.
The book is written by Nityananda das, a direct disciple of Sriman Nityananda´s wife, Jahnava Ma.
He personally witnessed many historical events at that time.
His detailed “report” on the famous festival of Kheturi is very famous, for example.
And honestly, with all due respect, I rather believe his exalted soul than those who “reject” him.
The “Caitanya Bhagavata”, written by Sri Vrindavana das Thakur also presents some slight chronological “problems”, but this too is respected and truly honoured in the Gaudiya world.
The author, Sri Nityananda das, himself begs the reader to forgive certain “inaccuracies” in regards to “chronological” issues.
In this marvellous book we find another wonderful example where one of the Goswamis reveals the siddha deha to a sadhaka.
In chapter 12 we learn about the story of Shyamananda.
Shyamananda was initiated by his Gurudeva Hriday Caitanya.
We can read:
“One day, Hriday Caitanya asked Shyamananda to take a bath in the Ganges…Then Hriday Caitanya initiated Shyamananda into the chanting of the Krishna-mantra (also known as “Gopal-mantra”), and instructed him to chant it hundred times daily. He also instructed him to meditate on Krishna while chanting this mantra.”
His new name was then Dukhi Krishna das.
Now, Hriday Caitanya´s gurudeva was Sri Gauridas Pandit, who in Vraja-lila is Krishna´s friend Subal.
Dukhi Krishna das spent years in the service to his beloved Gurudeva.
One day, he felt the strong desire to go to Vrindavana. So he approached his Gurudeva and received the permission from Hriday Caitanya to go to Vrindavana. He told him: “May the abode of Vrindavana bestow mercy very soon upon you.”
In Vrindavana, Dukhi Krishna das met Srila Jiva Goswami and was utterly impressed with him.
Sri Jiva Goswami placed his hands on Dukhi Krishna das´s head and allowed him to study the shastras under his personal tutelage.
While teaching him BHAKTI RASAMRITA SINDHU and UJJVALA NILAMANI from Srila Rupa Goswami, Srila Jiva Goswami turned Dukhi Krishna das into an expert.
“One day, Dukhi Krishna das asked Jiva Goswami about the process of devotional service and how to cultivate it. Sri Jiva Goswami then described the five kinds of RASAS or relationships and he elaborately explained the madhurya-RASA. When Dukhi Krishna das heard descriptions of the madhurya-RASA, his heart filled with a deep longing. He humbly said:’I wish to know more about Srila Rupa Goswami´s instructions. After studying his books, I wish to practice his teachings. By your association and by the association of these books, I have developed a taste for serving Sri Sri Radha Krishna. You are so merciful! You have accepted this fallen soul as your servant. Whatever I have learnt has only been by your mercy.”
“Srila Jiva Goswami became compassionate towards Dukhi Krishna and some days later he initiated him into the six-syllable Radhika-mantra. He also told him five names of Krishna and five names of Radhika, and tought him how to chant these mantras daily. He also taught him how to chant the Kama-gayatri, and how to meditate on Radha and Krishna´s pastimes while chanting.
Sri Jiva Goswami revealed to him his spiritual form, qualities and service. This is how Dukhi Krishna das, who is still known and famous as Shyamananda das, was especially favored by Srila Jiva Goswami.”
“Sri Jiva Goswami said: ‘Oh Shyamananda! You must carry out the duties your Gurudeva has prescribed for you. Hriday Caitanya is an exalted soul, and whatever you attained is simply by his mercy…”
The example of Shyamananda´s “leaving” his Gurudeva Hriday Caitanya is very often used to demonstrate that the RASA to Krishna is eternally fixed in the heart of the jiva.
Hriday Caitanya´s Gurudeva was Sri Gauridas Pandit. The eternal form of Sri Gauridas Pandit in Vraja-lila is Subal Sakha.
That means that Hriday Caitanya´s RASA to Krishna would have been in the mood of a sakha, namely sakhya-RASA.
So it is claimed that actually Shyamananda´s “eternally fixed and inherent” RASA was that of MADHURYA-RASA and therefore, he had to leave his Gurudeva.
But this example is CLEARLY not the “evidence” of an inherent, eternally fixed RASA of the jiva. It proves what Srila Jiva Goswami is writing in his commentary to BRS 2.5.13:
“Devotee association acts as the seed of rati. Through association with various types of devotees,
various types of sadhana which are like watering the seed will be performed.”
Hriday Caitanya gave Shyamananda initiation into the Krishna-mantra and so Shyamananda practiced this for several years. At one point he was so attracted to Sri Krishna that he wanted to go to Krishna´s wonderful land, Vrindavana. Obvious, not?
There he met Srila Jiva Goswami who trained him in the shastras of Srila Rupa Goswami.
Shyamananda himself says:
“I wish to know more about Srila Rupa Goswami´s instructions. After studying his books, I wish to practice his teachings. By your association and by the association of these books, I have developed a taste for serving Sri Sri Radha Krishna.”
So here we have the PERFECT evidence for what Srila Jiva Goswami himself wrote:
“Devotee association acts as the seed of rati. Through association with various types of devotees, various types of sadhana which are like watering the seed will be performed.”
By the associtation of the books of Srila Rupa Goswami and by the association of Srila Jiva Goswami, Shyamananda´s taste awoke for practicing bhakti in MADHURYA-RASA.
And so Jiva Goswami gave him everything he needed, including knowledge of his eternal svarupa but thereby humbly giving all “credits” and respect to Hriday Caitanya.
Srila Jiva Goswami follows here exactly what he himself wrote in his Bhakti Sandarbha:
tatra bhuta-suddhir nijabhilashita-bhagavat-sevopayika-tat-parshada-deha- bhavana-paryantaiva tat-sevaika-purusharthibhih karya nijanukulyat |
evam yatra yatratmano nijabhishta-devata-rupatvena cintanam vidhiyate tatra tatraiva parshadatve grahanam bhavyam ||
Bhakti-sandarbha 286
“Thereupon one purifies his existence by contemplating on his own desired bhagavat-seva (service to the Lord) and a parshada-deha (associate-form) suitable for such service; thus one engages in the desired service for his own auspiciousness.
Thus, wherever one is, he should engage in meditating on the form of his own desired devata
and in the future attain the status of an associate of his.”
divyaṁ jñānaṁ hy atra śrīmati mantre bhagavat-svarūpa-jñānaṁ tena bhagavata sambandha-viśeṣa-jñānaṁ ca
Bhakti Sandarbha 283
“This divine knowledge is in the beautiful mantra and is knowledge of the Lord’s real form. Through it one receives knowledge about one’s specific relationship with the Lord.”
yathā caike tādṛśam upāsanaṁ sākṣād vraja-jana-viśeṣāyaiva mahyaṁ śrī-guru-caraṇair mad-abhīṣṭa-viśeṣa-siddhy-artham upadiṣṭaṁ bhāvayāmi
Bhakti Sandarbha 312
“In such a worship (with the 18-syllable Gopāl-mantra), I meditate to develop myself as a direct, specific person in Vraja as my Śrī Guru’s lotus-feet have instructed me in to attain the specific siddhi I covet.”
vraja-jana = resident of Vraja, viśeṣāya = for the specific (form), mahyam = unto me, srī guru caranaih = by the guru’s lotus feet, siddhi-artham = for the sake of the perfection; upadiṣṭam = instructed; bhāvayāmi = I contemplate.
Sources:
http://madangopal.blogspot.de/2014/01/siddha-pranali-in-sastra.html
http://touchstonemedia.com/prema-vilasa.html
Amrita-Tarangini 