Gorakshanath

Gorakhnath, Old Pratima (At Gorakhnath Temple, odadar, Porbandar, Gujarat, India)

Gorakshanath (also known as Gorakhnath) was an 10th to 11th century[1][2] Nath yogi, connected to Shaivism as one of the two most important disciples of Matsyendranath, the other being Caurangi.

Biography

Traditionally, Guru Gorakshanath is believed to have been born sometime in the 8th century at Gorkha District, Nepal, although some believe he was born hundreds of years later. He traveled widely across the Indian subcontinent, and accounts about him are found in some form in several places including Nepal, Afghanistan, Baluchistan, Punjab, Sindh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Assam, Bengal, Odisha, Kathiawar(Gujarat), Maharashtra, Karnataka, and even Sri Lanka.

Nath Sampradaya

There are varying records of the spiritual descent of Gorakshanath. All name Adinath and Matsyendranath as two teachers preceding him in the succession. Though one account lists five gurus preceding Adinath and another lists six teachers between Matsyendranath and Gorakshanath, current tradition has Adinath identified with Lord Shiva as the direct teacher of Matsyendranath, who was himself the direct teacher of Gorakshanath.[3]

The Nath tradition underwent its greatest expansion during the time of Gorakshanath. He produced a number of writings and even today is considered the greatest of the Naths. It has been purported that Gorakshanath wrote the first books on Laya yoga. In India there are many caves, many with temples built over them, where it is said that Gorakshanath spent time in meditation. According to Bhagawan Nityananda, the samadhi shrine (tomb) of Gorakshanath is at Nath Mandir near the Vajreshwari temple about one kilometer from Ganeshpuri, Maharashtra, India.[4] According to legends Gorakshanath and Matsyendranath did penance in Kadri Temple at Mangalore, Karnataka.They are also instrumental in laying Shivlingam at Kadri and Dharmasthala.

The temple of Gorakhnath is also situated on hill called Garbhagiri near Vambori,Tal Rahuri ;Dist Ahmednagar.

Legends

One legend states that Guru Gorakshanath, the "eternal sage" traditionally associated with Hatha Yoga, has been around for thousands of years watching the welfare of humanity. Other legends ascribe different stories to his birth and the period of his worldly existence, and they vary greatly. The Nath Rahasya, which literally translates as "the mystery of the masters", recounts the birth, work, and death of nine such Naths (masters); and Guru Gorakshanath was the ninth Nath, preceded by his Guru, the eighth Nath, namely, Matsyendranath.

Influence

Gurkhas

The Gurkhas of Nepal take their name from this saint. Gorkha, a historical district of Nepal, is named after him because it was the place where he appeared for first time in this universe. There is a cave with his paduka (footprints) and an idol of him. Every year on the day of Baisakh Purnima there is a great celebration in Gorkha at his cave, called Rot Mahotsav; it has been celebrated for the last seven hundred years.

Baba Balaknath And Guru Gorakshnath

Balaknath was a great Bhakta of Universal Mother. When Lord Kartikey left the home as per the Legend. Mother Parvati used to come down to the earth to meet her son Lord Kartikey. Mother Parvati requested him to come back to home. He agreed,but said I will take birth on the earth for my Bhakta's/Devotees. On this, Lord Kartikey requested Mother Parvati to find a guru for him when he takes birth on the earth. Mother Parvati suggested him Guru Gorakhnath. Mother Parvati said Gorakhnath is a yogic manifestation of Shiva himself. Hence there was no duel between the Guru Gorakhnath and Balaknath. Lord Kartikey was incarnated as Balaknath and simply accepted Guru Gorakhnath as his Guru is listed in the list of 84 Maha Siddhas as per the Nath tradition, founded by Shambhujati Guru Gorakhnath. This information can be checked and verified at any Nath math and temples in India and across the world.

In Tamil Siddhar tradition

Korakka Siddhar (தமிழ்: கோரக்கர்) (Devanagari: गोरख्खर्) is one among the 18 Siddhars and also known as Goraknath amongst Navanathar. Agattiyar and Bogar were his gurus. His Jeeva samadhi temple is in Vadukupoigainallur of Nagapattinam district of Tamil Nadu. According to one account, he spent a portion of his growing-up years in the Velliangiri Mountains in Coimbatore.

Other sanctums related with Korakkar are Perur, Thiruchendur and Triconamalli. Korakkar caves are found in Chaturagiri and Kolli Hills. Like other siddhas, Korakkar has written songs on Medicine, Philosophy, and Alchemy.

Another important aspect of Korakkar was that he was given the duty of safeguarding the secrets of Alchemy. This authority was said to be given by his guru Agathiyar. It was said that a student of Alchemy must worship Korakkar first and seek his grace if he was to excel in the field of Alchemy.

West Bengal - Assam - Tripura

The Bengali Community located in these states and neighbouring country of Bangladesh have a sizable number of Yogi Brahmins(Also called Rudraja Brahmins/ Yogi Nath) who have taken their name from this saint.

In Odisha

There is a very famous temple of Baba Gorakhnath in Jagatsinghpur district of Odisha. Legend says that the saint also visited this place and performed 'Tapashya' under a banyan tree. Gradually he was surrounded by white ant mound. In this place, the deity is worshiped by the name 'Siddha Gorakhnath'. It is believed that he is the direct incarnation of Pashupati Nath, i.e., Lord Shiva. Many people suffering from snake bite are cured at this temple. The temple is situated on the way to Paradip. The temple is situated at a distance of about 1-2 Kilometers from Maa Sarala temple.now the local devotees were doing jangyas in every year. There is also a railway station available.many poor people or rich people arrange their marriage in the mandir.If the cow was suffering from some problem then the devotees pray for Gorakh and they got cured.There is also a lizard living in this temple which was very old.

Works

Romola Butalia, an Indian writer of Yoga history, lists the works attributed to Gorakshanath as follows: "Guru Gorakhnath is thought to have authored several books including the Goraksha Samhita, Goraksha Gita, Siddha Siddhanta Paddhati, Yoga Martanada, Yoga Siddhanta Paddhati, Yoga-Bija, Yoga Chintamani. He is believed to be the founder of the Nath Sampradaya and it is stated that the nine Naths and 84 Siddhas are all human forms created as yogic manifestations to spread the message of yoga and meditation to the world. It is they who reveal samadhi to mankind."

Siddha Siddhanta Paddhati

The Siddha Siddhanta Paddhati is a very early extant Hatha Yoga Sanskrit text attributed to Gorakshanath by the indigenous tradition which describes the Avadhuta, as Feuerstein (1991: p. 105) relates:

"One of the earliest hatha yoga scriptures, the Siddha Siddhanta Paddhati, contains many verses that describe the avadhuta. One stanza (VI.20) in particular refers to his chameleon-like capacity to animate any character or role. At times, it is said, he behaves like a worldling or even a king, at other times like an ascetic or naked renunciant."[5]

See also

Sources

References

  1. ↑ Omacanda Hāṇḍā. Buddhist Art & Antiquities of Himachal Pradesh, Up to 8th Century A.D. Indus Publishing. p. 71.
  2. ↑ Briggs (1938), p. 249
  3. ↑ Briggs (1938), pp. 229–231
  4. ↑ "Discipleship". Retrieved 2007-05-13.
  5. ↑ Feuerstein, Georg (1991). 'Holy Madness'. In Yoga Journal May/June 1991. With calligraphy by Robin Spaan. Source: (accessed: February 29, 2011)