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Hatha yoga pradipika contains posture details of Siddhasana as follows

Press firmly the heel of the left foot against the perineum, and the right heel above the male organ. With the chin pressing on the chest, one should sit calmly, having restrained the senses, and gaze steadily the space between the eyebrows. This is called the Siddha Âsana, the opener of the door of salvation.

[37, Chapter 1, THE HAṬHA YOGA PRADIPIKA]

It indicates the maleness in performing Siddhasana.

Can females perform siddhasana as per scriptures?

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  • hatha yoga is a form of exercises, it is not an integral part of the hindu religion. – Swami Vishwananda Oct 31 '20 at 5:27
  • @SwamiVishwananda It is an exercise for salvation. – hanugm Oct 31 '20 at 5:50
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    @hanugm Same posture can be used by female aspirants. That is female organ instead of male's. – TheLittleNaruto♦ Oct 31 '20 at 18:21
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    The actual Sanskrit also has the word often translated as clitoris. Yoni is also used in the Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad in a context where that doesn't make the least bit of sense. My guess is the words for "male organ" and "female organ" are actually invisibly present in both men and women, they are just more pronounced in some than others. – Aupakarana Abhibhaa Oct 31 '20 at 20:15
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    Per the Bihar School of Yoga's Meditation from the Tantras the equivalent pose for women is the Siddha Yoni Asana. It differs from Siddhasana only in the matter of where the left heel is placed, details here – iruvar Nov 1 '20 at 0:20
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The question basically boils down to whether it is allowed for a female aspirant to perform the Yogic postures or not. And, the answer is yes, but I don't have any direct reference.

Yogi is the term used to denote a male aspirant who is adept in the practice of Yoga. For the women the corresponding term exists in scripture and it is Yogini.

Hatha Yoga Pradipika (in the 3rd chapter) itself uses the term Yogini on more than one occasion.


Rakshedākuñchanādūrdhvam yā rajah sā hi yoghinī
Atītānāghatam vetti khecharī cha bhaveddhruvam |

She who preserves by upward contraction her rajas is a Yogini. She knows the past and the future and certainly attains perfection in Khechari.

So, it is here implicitly implied that a female aspirant can also perform all the practice mentioned in the text and hence she can also practice Siddhasana which is one of the many Yogic postures defined in the text. As for the mention of the male organ in the verse, IMO it should be understood as an indication of the place where the heel is to be placed and not as indicative of something else.

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