Devotee (via email):

“Hare Krishna!
Can you please provide some references to the terms ‘siddha deha’ and ‘siddha pranali’?
I was not able to find concrete evidence in our Gaudiya Vaishnava literature.
In our parivar, we don´t focus on these highly elevated subjects since hardly anyone is qualified for these matters and siddha pranali is not taught at all. Thank you.”

Response:

Thank you for your email.

Every lineage (parivar) teaches their own sadhana bhakti and indeed, each Sri Gurudeva teaches what he learned from his guru and so on…

In regards to the qualification for “such elevated subjects”:

krsna-tad-bhakta-karunya-matra-labhaika-hetuka
pusti-margataya kaiscid iyam raganugocyate
(BRS 1.2.309)

“The mercy of Krsna and His devotees is the only cause of attaining raganuga-bhakti. Some call this type of devotion pusti-marga.”

“If one thinks: ‘Let me attain such sweet feelings also’, after hearing about feelings such as the transcendental erotic feeling towards Kṛṣṇa of His associates (the gopīs) in Vraja, then one need not wait for favorable sanctions from the revealed scriptures or logical arguments.”
(Srila Vishvanatha Cakravartipada, RVC)

The term “siddha deha” can be found in many places in our beloved Gaudiya Vaishnava literature. I can certainly provide quite a few references.

But first of all I would like to refer to the term “siddha pranali”.
It is very true that this term is not used in the writings of the 6 Goswamis. It was coined by Vaishnavas who lived after them, like Sri Gopal Guru Goswami and Sri Dhyanachandra Goswami.

Siddha means “perfection” and pranali means “like a channel”.

Sri Gurudeva is Sri Bhagavan’s intense compassion personified. He knows our siddha-deha by the power of his meditation. Then he reveals to us our siddha-deha. We should meditate on this divine body and think “I am this divine body”. Such meditation is called “meditating on siddha-deha”. So we should note that our sadhana does NOT create the siddha-deha. It is already there. When we accomplish success in bhakti and we become worthy of serving Sri Bhagavan in reality, we become blessed and get the opportunity to serve the Divine Couple in our siddha-deha. Hence it is imperative that we follow the siddha-pranali received in the Guru-parampara and perform sadhana accordingly. We should meditate on that siddha-deha which we receive in Sri Guruparampara and that which Sri Gurudeva has given us.

In the siddha praṇālī that is received from the lotus feet of Śrī Guru within the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava Sampradāya, the acquaintance with this body is attained. No one should consider this to be imaginative. This is eternal and real. Of all the innumerable abovementioned forms situated in the abode of the Lord there is one form in which the Lord will accept the sādhaka.

vaikuṇṭhasya bhagavato jyotir-aṁśa-bhūtā vaikuṇṭha-loka-śobha-rūpā yā anantā mūrtayas tatra vartante tāsām ekayā saha muktasyaikasya mūrtir bhagavatā kriyata iti vaikuṇṭasya mūrtir iva mūrtir yeṣām ity uktam
(Prīti Sandarbha (10)

“In the spiritual world, the Supreme Lord has unlimited spiritual forms, all are expansions of himself illuminating that world. With each one of those forms, the Lord enjoys pastimes with a single individual liberated soul.”

The siddha-deha of the sadhaka is a beautiful treasure of the eternal divine abode and it is permanent. All the siddha-dehas are conscious, blissful and is in the mode of especially pure goodness.

We see in Srimad-Bhagavatam –

“vasanti yatra purushah sarve vaikuntha-murtayah.”

“Innumerable bodies are present in the divine Vaikuntha. They are parts of Sri Bhagavan’s effulgence and are the precious and beautiful treasure of the Holy Abode.”

Lord Sadashiv has instructed us in Sri Sanatkumar-Samhita how to meditate on siddha-swarup –

“parakiyabhimaninyastathasya cha priyajanah,
prachirenaiva bhavaena ramayanti nijapriyam.
atmanam chintayettatra tasam madhye manoramam,
rupa-youvana-sampannam kishorim pramadakritim.
aanashlpakalabhigyam krishnabhoganurupinim,
ararthitam-api krishnena tato bhogaparanmukhim.
aadhikanucharim nitya tatsevanaparayanam,
krishnadapyadhikam prema radhikayam prakurvitam.
prityanudivasam yatnattayoh sangamakarinim,
tatsevanasukhaswadabharenati sunivritam.
ityatmanam vichintyaiva tatra sevam samacharet,
brahmamuhurtamarabhya yavat santa Mahanisha.”

Meaning –

“The Brajasundaris who are in parakiya-bhava, give immense pleasure to their Beloved Sri Krishna according to their bhava. Similarly, you too consider yourself as a Gopa-maiden and serve in subordination to their bhava. You are a maidservant amongst the Gopa-damsels. How will you meditate on this self? You will think – ‘I am an extremely attractive maiden brimming with beauty, youth and sensuousness. I am a Gopa-girl and experienced in many arts regarding Sri Krishna’s seva. I am Srimati Radharani’s eternal companion and follower.’ Your loving seva lies in uniting Srimati Radharani with Sri Krishna and your happiness lies therein. If Sri Krishna ever begs you for love-making, you will refuse, since you are Sri Radha’s maidservant and you feel joy in making her happy. In this manner you will serve Srimati Radharani eternally and love Her more than Sri Krishna. You will serve Her during all eight parts of the day and unite Her with Sri Krishna. Thus you will submerge in the joy of seva. You will serve right from the Brahma-muhurta till the end of the night.”

On the strength of his meditation Śrī Gurudeva is aware of this and is conferring the proper siddha deha to the disciple. While the sādhaka performs his sādhana he establishes his self-esteem into this form, and when he attains prema siddhi he is blessed with direct devotional service within this body.
(Srila Ananta das Babaji, tika to Sri Sri Prema Bhakti Chandrika 56)

It is actually not entirely true that this process is “not taught” in your lineage (parivar). Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur writes:

sādhaker jokhon rāganugā mārga lobha hoy, tokhon
sad-gurur nikaṭa prārthanā korile tini sādhaker
ruci parīkṣā koriyā tāhār bhajan nirṇoyer
saṅge saṅge siddha-deher paricaya koriyā diben.

“When the sadhaka’s lobha for raganuga bhakti is awakened, he approaches his gurudeva with great humility and ask for instruction. If he does so, the bonafide guru first examines the disciple’s taste and then, along with devising the appropriate bhajan introduces him to his own siddha identity.”
(Śrī Caitanya-śikṣāmṛta, Part 6, chapter 5)

His book “Sri Harinama Cintamani” contains references to the siddha deha and its revelation to the sadhaka.

In regards to the term “siddha deha”, I let the following references speak for themselves.

Sriman Mahaprabhu taught Sanatana Goswami: mane nija siddha‑deha kariyā bhāvana – “Use the mind for contemplating your siddha deha.”
(CC 2.22.157)

The Lord similarly instructed Ramananda Raya: siddha dehe cinti kore tāhāi sevana – “Visualize your siddha deha and mentally serve in that form.”
(CC 2.8.228)

And:

vraja-lokera kona bhava lana yei bhaje |
bhava-yogya deha pana krishna paya vraje ||
(CC 2.8.122)

“Whoever accepts the bhava of the residents of Vraja, engaging in bhajana appropriate for that bhava, will receive a body suitable for it, attaining Sri Krishna in Vraja.”

Then we find the core instruction from Sriman Mahaprabhu Himself.

ataeva gopī-bhāva, kari aṅgīkāra, rātri-dina cinte rādhā,
kṛṣṇera vihārasiddha-dehe cinti kare, tāhāṅṣi sevana,
sakhī-bhāve pāya rādhā, kṛṣṇera caraṇa
(CC 2.6.228-229)

“You all must accept gopi-bhava, and day and night think about Radha-Krishna’s pastimes while mentally serving the Divine Couple in your siddha deha. By practicing raganuga-bhakti like this, you will definitely attain sakhi/gopi-bhava and the lotus feet of Radha-Krishna.”

Srila Rupa Goswamipada writes in his Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu:

sevā sādhaka-rūpeṇa siddha-rūpeṇa cātra hi |
tad-bhāva-lipsunā kāryā vraja-lokānusārataḥ ||1.2.295||

Translation: Following after the inhabitants of Vraja, one should perform service in one’s physical body and in one’s siddha body, with a desire for a particular bhāva

The commentators on this famous verse all state with a single voice:

siddha-rūpeṇa antaś-cintitābhīṣṭa-tat-sevopayogi-dehena (in both the tikas of Srila Jiva Goswami and Srila Vishvanatha Cakravartipad Thakur)

“In the siddha-form means in an internally conceived, desired body suitable for His service.”

siddha-rupena manas-cintita-svabhishta-tat-sevopayogi-dehena
(tika by Sri Mukunda Goswami)

“In the siddha-form means in a mentally conceived, desired body suitable for His service.

More:

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.”

The bhuta-siddhi of the Gaudiya Vaishnavas is to be and feel as a follower of an eternal associate according to our desire whom we want to follow. For example, someone who wants to be a manjari and follow Sri Rupa Manjari, the bhuta-siddhi is to contemplate on such a form and develop the inner bhava accordingly.

More:

tvaṁ bhakti-yoga-paribhāvita-hṛt-saroja āsse śrutekṣita-patho nanu nātha puṁsām yad-yad-dhiyā ta urugāya vibhāvayanti tat-tad-vapuḥ praṇayase sad-anugrahāya (Srimad Bhagavatam 3.9.11)

“O Lord! You, who are approached by being heard about, seen and directly served, enter and remain in the lotus of your devotee’s hearts infused with bhakti-yoga. Much praised Lord! By your mercy, you bestow to them spiritual bodies appropriate to the mood they cultivate during sādhana.”

Srila Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura explains – te sādhaka-bhaktāḥ sva sva bhāvānurūpaṁ yad yad dhiyā bhāvayanti tat tad eva vapus teṣāṁ siddha dehaṁ praṇayase prakarṣeṇa tān prāpayasi aho te sva bhakta pāravaśyam iti bhāvaḥ –

“Or your devotees doing sādhana concentrate on their spiritual form according to their mood of love using their minds, and you have them attain (praṇayase) their spiritual bodies.

Our acarya, Srila Narottama das Thakur sings:

yugala carana sevi, nirantara ei bhavi, anuragi thakibo sadaya |
sadhane bhavibe yaha, siddha dehe pabe taha raga marge ei sei upaya ||
(PBC 55)

“With attachment, I will always serve the feet of Sri Yugala, remaining attached to them forever. Whatever I think of during sadhana I will attain in siddha-deha; such is the means on the path of raga.”

sadhane ye dhana cai, siddha-dehe taha pai, pakkapakka matra se vicara |
apakke sadhana-riti, pakile se prema-bhakti, bhakati-lakshana tattva-sara ||
(PBC 56)

“The treasure I covet during my sadhana I will attain in my siddha-deha; It is merely a matter of ripe or raw. The stage of sadhana is unripe, and the stage of prema is ripe. This is the essential truth on the characteristics of bhakti.”

sakhinam sangini-rupam atmanam vasanamayim |
ajna-seva-param tat-tad-rupalankara-bhushitam ||
(PBC 58)

“One should meditate on oneself in a form that is a female associate of the sakhis, engaged in services on their command, decorated by Her ornaments.”

Sri Visvanatha Cakravartipada comments in his tika as follows:

sakhinam sri-lalita-sri-rupa-manjary-adinam sangini-rupam atmanam dhyayed iti seshah |
kimbhutam? ajna-seva-param ajnaya tasam anumatya seva-param sri-riadha-madhavayor iti seshah |

punah kimbhutam? tat-tad-rupalankara- bhushitam suprasiddha-sri-krishna-manohara-rupena sri-radhika- nirmalyalankarena bhushitam nirmalya-malya-vasana-bharanas tu dasya ity ukteh |

punah kimbhutam? vasanamayim cintamayim ikshate cintamayam etam isvaram ity adivat || 58

“Sakhinam – One should think of himself as a female associate of sakhis such as Sri Lalita, Sri Rupa Manjari and others. In which way? Ajna-sevaparam – Serving Sri Radha-Madhava with their consent and according to their orders. And again, in which way? Tat-tad rupalankara bhushitam – Decorated with an exquisite form captivating the mind of Sri Krishna and the left-over ornaments of Sri Radhika; in service, ornamented with the left-over flower garlands. Thus it is said. And again, in which way? Vasanamayim – Seeing oneself in contemplation in this capacity; and so forth.”

tatra rāgānugā-mārge’nutpanna-rati-sādhaka-bhaktair
api svepsita-siddha-dehaṁ manasi parikalpya bhagavat-sevādikaṁ kriyate |
jāta-ratīnāṁ tu svayam eva tad-deha-sphūrtiḥ |
asya tūtpannā madhura-jātīyā ratiḥ krameṇānurāga-daśāṁ
prāptāsti atas tad-deha-sphūrtiḥ sadaiva |

There, on the raganuga-path, even the sadhaka bhaktas whose rati/bhava has not yet arisen, mentally conceive of their desired siddha dehas, and thus serve the lord, etc.

When rati has arisen, that body is perceived automatically. In the arisen rati of the madhura-kind, one gradually attains the stage of anuraga; then that deha will be always perceived.”
(from Srila Krishna das Kaviraja Goswami´s tika on “Krishna Karanamritam”)

tatrādau maṣjarī-rūpān gurvādīn tu svīyān svīyān praṇāly-anusāreṇa saṁsmaret śrī-guru-parama-guru-krameṇeti tataḥ śrī-rādhikāṁ dhyāyet. tataḥ śrī-nandanandanam.

Concerning that dhyāna, before anything else, the sādhaka should perform smaraṇa of the maṣjarī forms of his guru-praṇālī, beginning with his guru, then parama-guru, etc. Then he shall meditate on Śrī Rādhikā, and after that Śrī Nandanandana.
(Dhyanachandra´s Paddhati 344)

manjaryo bahusah rupa-guna-sila-vayo ‘nvitah ||
nama-rupadi tat sarvam guru-dattam ca bhavayet |
tatra tatra sthita nityam bhajet sri-radhika-hari |
|bhavayan sadhako nityam sthitva krishna-priya-grihe |
tad ajna-palako bhutva kaleshv ashtasu sevate ||
(DhPad 107-109)

“One should meditate on the various forms, qualities, natures, blooming youth and so forth of the manjaris, as described by the guru. One should always stay with them, worshiping Sri Radhika and Hari. The practitioner shall stay in the home of Sri Radha, the beloved of Krishna, following their orders and rendering service throughout the eight phases of the day

asyaiva siddha-dehasya sādhanāni yathā-kramam |
ekādaśa-prasiddhāni lakṣyante ‘timanoharam || 92 ||
nāma rūpaṁ vayo veśaḥ sambandho yūtha eva ca |
ājṣā sevā parākāṣṭhā pālya-dāsī nivāsakaḥ || 93 ||

The eleven aspects of this siddha-deha are well known. They are as follows: name (nāma), complexion (or form, rūpa), age (vayas), dress (veśa), relationship (sambandha), group (yūtha), order (ājṣā), service (sevā), divine cherished ambition (parākāṣṭhā), maintainer (pālyadāsī) and residence (nivāsa).

I think these references all are very valuable and give us great insight into the subject matter at hand.