Nath For the star known as El Nath, see Beta see Beta Tauri. Tauri. festations of consciousness. The Nath traditio traditionn is a heterodo heterodoxx siddha tradi-
2
Hisstor Hi tory
The Nath TheNa th tradi traditio tionn has many many sub-s sub-sec ects, ts, but but all honor honorMat Mat-syendranath and Gorakshanath as the founders of the tradition.[1] 2.1 2.1
Orig Origin inss
The Natha Natha Samprada Sampradaya ya (Devanag (Devanagari:ना ari:ना नाथ सं प् सं प् रदाय), is a development of the earlier Siddha or Avadhuta Sampradaya, [2] an ancient lineage of spiritual masters. Its founding is traditionally ascribed as an ideal reflected reflected by the life and spiritual attainments of the guru Dattatreya, the avatar of Brahma of Brahma,, Vishnu Vishnu & & Shiva Shiva all all in one and born as the son of Rishi of Rishi Atri and Atri and Anusuya Anusuya Mata. Mata.[3] 2.2 2.2
Navn Navnat ath h
Main article: Navnath article: Navnath The Navnath are the nine saints, Masters or Naths on whom the Navnath Sampradaya, the lineage of the nine gurus gurus is based. based.[4] The Theyy are worshipp worshipped ed collecti collectivel velyy as well well [5] as individually. The nine teachers, collectively known as Navnaths, are considered representative of great teachers in this tradition or parampara or parampara::[6] The lineage starts with Rishi Dattatreya, mythological deity-founder.[4][6]
The Navnath
tion tion conta containi ining ng many many sub-s sub-sec ects. ts. It was founded ounded by Matsyendranath and Matsyendranath and further developed by Gorakshanath by Gorakshanath.. These two individuals are also revered in Tibetan Buddhism as Mahasiddhas as Mahasiddhas (great (great adepts) and are credited with great powers and perfected spiritual attainment. Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, India, India , is the centre of Nath sampradaya.
1
1. Machindranath or Matsyendranath or Matsyendranath 2. Gorakshanath or Gorakhnath 3. Jalandharnath or Jalandernath also known as Jan Peer
Etym Et ymo ology logy
4. Kanifnath
The Sanskrit word nātha word nātha नाथ नाथ is the proper name of a Navnath initiatory tradition and the word itself literally means means “lord, protector protector,, refuge refuge”. ”. The related related Sanskrit Sanskrit term Adi term Adi Natha means Natha means first or original Lord, and is therefore fore a synonym synonym for Shiva, Mahadeva, Mahadeva, or Maheshvara, Maheshvara, and beyond beyond these supramental supramental concepts, the Supreme Absolute Reality as the basis supporting all aspects and mani-
5. Gahininath also also known as Gaibi Gaibi Peer Peer 6. Bhartrinath or Bhartarinath Bhartarinath or Raja Raja Bhartari 7. Revananath 8. Charpatinath 1
2
5
LITERARY INFLUENCES
or jivan-mukti during their current lifespan. [9] According to a recent Nath Guru, Mahendranath, another aim was The nine Naths are the incarnations of Nine Narayanas to avoid reincarnation. In The Magick Path of Tantra , he who help Lord Narayan in taking care of the worldly ac- wrote about several of the aims of the Naths; tivities. Lord Krishna had summoned the nine Narayans to his court for deciding the establishment of Nath Sam“Our aims in life are to enjoy peace, freedom, praday. and happiness in this life, but also to avoid rebirth onto this Earth plane. All this depends not on divine benevolence, but on the way we 2.3 Matsyendranath ourselves think and act.”[10] Theestablishment of theNaths as a distinct historical sect purportedly began around the 8th or 9th century with a simplefisherman, Matsyendranath (sometimes called Mi- 4 Initiation nanath, who may be identified with or called the father of Matsyendranath in some sources). [7] The Natha Sampradaya is an initiatory Guru-shishya traOne story of the origin of the Nath teachings is that Mat- dition. Membership in the sampradaya is always consyendranath was swallowed by a fish and while inside the ferred by initiation (diksha) by a diksha-guru—either fish overheard the teachings given by Shiva to his wife the lineage-holder or another member of the sampraParvati. According to legend, the reason behind Shiva daya whose ability to initiate has been recognized by his imparting a teaching at the bottom of the ocean was in diksha-guru. order to avoid being overheard by others. In the form of The Natha initiation itself is conducted inside a formal a fish, Matsyendranath exerted his hearing in the manner ceremony in which some portion of the awareness and required to overhear and absorb the teachings of Shiva. spiritual energy (shakti ) of the Guru is transmitted to the After being rescued from the fish by another fisherman, shishya (student). The neophyte, now a Nath, is also given Matsyendranath took initiation as a sannyasin from Sid- a new name with whichto support their new identity. This dha Carpati. It was Matsyendranath who became known transmission or “touch” of the guru is symbolically fixed as the founder of the specific stream of yogis known as by the application of ash to several parts of the body. the Nath Sampradaya. In The Phantastikos , Mahendranath, a guru of the Adinath Sampradaya, wrote; 9. Naganath or Nageshnath
2.4
Caurangi and Gorakshanath
“The passage of wisdom and knowledge Matysendranath’s two most important disciples were through the generations required the mystic Caurangi and Gorakshanath. The latter came to eclipse magic phenomenon of initiation, which is valid his Master in importance in many of the branches and to this day in the initiation transmission from sub-sects of the Nath Sampradaya. Even today, Goraknaked guru to naked novice by touch, mark, shanath is considered by many to have been the most inand mantra. In this simple rite, the initiator fluential of the ancient Naths. He is also reputed to have passes something of himself to the one initiwritten the first books dealing with Laya yoga and the ated. This initiation is the start of the transraising of the kundalini-shakti.[3] formation of the new Natha. It must not be overlooked that this initiation has been passed There are several sites, ashrams and temples in India dedon in one unbroken line for thousands of years. icated to Gorakshanatha. Many of them have been built Once you receive the Nath initiation, it is yours at sites where he lived and engaged in meditation and throughout life. No one can take it from you, other sadhana. According to tradition, his samadhi shrine and you yourself can never renounce it. This is (tomb) and gaddi (seat) reside at the Gorakhnath Temthe most permanent thing in an impermanent ple in the city of Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh. Howlife.”[11] ever, according to the claims of the vaishnava Nityananda the samadhi shrines (tombs) of both Matsyendranath and Gorakshanath reside at Nath Mandir near the Vajreshwari temple about a kilometer from Ganeshpuri, Maharashtra, 5 Literary influences India. [8] According to Nayak the literature from Sonepur and its twilight language, sandhya bhasa, originated with 3 The aims of the Nathas Charyapada, Matsyendranath, Daripada : According to Muller-Ortega (1989: p. 37), the primary aim of the ancient Nath Siddhas was to achieve liberation
The growth of literature at Sonepur can be traced to Charyapada, to Matsyendranath and
6.2
3
Modern Natha lineages
Daripada of the Natha cult. They wrote esoteric poetry in language known as Sandhya bhasa. The local idioms they used are still in currency in this area.”[12] According to Nayak: The mystic poetry of the Natha cult which flourished from 8th to 11th century largely influenced the Panchasakha literature of Jagannath, Balarama, Yasowanta, Achuyta and Ananta. The Nath literature of Sonepur seems to have set the tone and temper of the literature the successive ages pursued.” [12]
6
Divisions
6.1
Natha Panthas
The Nath Sampradaya is traditionally divided into twelve streams or Panths . According to David Gordon White, these panths were not really a subdivision of a monolithic order, but rather an amalgamation of separate groups descended from either Matsyendranath, Gorakshanath or one of their students.[7] However, there have always been many more Natha sects than will conveniently fit into the twelve formal panths .[7] Thus less populous sannyasin sub-sects such as the Adinath Sampradaya or Nandinatha Sampradaya are typically either ignored or amalgamated into one or another of the formal panths . According to the Shri Amrit Nath Ashram website, the twelve Natha Panthi are as follows: •
Satya natha
•
Dharam natha
•
Daria natha
•
Ayi Panthia
•
Vairaga kea
•
Rama ke
•
Kapilani
•
Ganga nathi
•
Mannathi
•
Rawal ke
•
Paava panth
•
Paagala panthi
Another division is pointed outbyRajmohan Nath (1964) in the following list of the twelve sub-sects: [13]
•
Machhindranath
•
Adinath
•
Minanatggg
•
Gorakhnath
•
Khaparnath
•
Satnath
•
Balaknath
•
Golaknath
•
Birupakshanath
•
Bhatriharinath
•
Ainath
•
Khecharanath
•
Ramachandranath
6.2
Modern Natha lineages
6.2.1
Inchegiri – Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj
Main article: Nisargadatta Maharaj The Inchegeri Sampradaya , also known as Nimbargi Sampradaya , is a lineage of Hindu Navnath c.q. Lingayat teachers from Maharashtra which was started by Shri Bhausaheb Maharaj.[14] It is inspired by Deshastha Brahmin Sant Mat teachers as Dnyaneshwar, Eknath and Samarth Ramdas. The Inchegeri Sampraday has become well-known throughout the western world due to the popularity of Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj. 6.2.2
Adinath Sampradaya – Shri Gurudev Mahendranath
A recent modern Natha of the Adinath Sampradaya was Mahendranath [15] (1911–1991), who received initiation in 1953 from guru Lokanath, the Avadhut of the Himalayas. In 1978, he founded the International Nath Order in order to make the Nath way of life available in the West. He wrote many essays and articles, some of which were collected as The Scrolls of Mahendranath , first published in 1990. His successor, Kapilnath, continues to teach and initiate sincere seekers. [16]
7
See also
7.1 •
Concepts
Gurunath
4
9
•
Sahaja
[5] Berntsen 1988.
•
Sama
[6] Boucher year unknown.
•
Samarasa
•
Sampradaya
[7] White, David Gordon (1996). The Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
•
Svecchachara
7.2
Sub-sects
•
Adinath Sampradaya
•
Nandinatha Sampradaya
7.3
Legendary Naths
Alchemical Body.
[8] Shenoy, Gopalkrishna. Discipleship [9] Muller-Ortega, Paul Eduardo (1989). The Triadic Heart of Shiva. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press. Source: (accessed: Saturday March 6, 2010) [10] Mahendranath (1990), The Magick Path of Tantra [11] Mahendranath (1990), The Phantastikos [12] Nayak, Pabitra Mohan Nayak (2006). The Literary Heritage of Sonepur. Orissa Review. May, 2006. Source: (accessed: Friday March 5, 2010)
•
Luipa
[13] Bandyopadhyay, P. K. (1992). Natha Cult and Mahanad . page 73, Delhi, India: B.R. Publishing Corporation.
•
Matsyendranath
[14] ShantiKuteer Ashram, Bhausaheb Maharaj
•
Gorakshanath
[15] Simple Wikipedia, Shri Gurudev Mahendranath
•
Baba Balak Nath
[16] Mahendranath, Shri Gurudev. The Ultimate Promulgation & Pronunciamento of H.H. Shri Gurudev Mahendranath in The Open Door: Newsletter of the International Nath Order , originallypublished in Mahendranath (1990).
7.4 •
•
•
7.5 •
•
•
Past teachers
Nisargadatta Maharaj (1897–1981) - past master of the Navnath Sampradaya, student of Siddharamesh- 9 war Maharaj Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami - a past Guru of the Nandinatha Sampradaya Shri Madhavnath Maharaj (1857–1936)
Sources •
•
Living teachers
Adityanath – the abbot of the Gorakhnath Math[7]
•
[2] Deshpande, M.N. (1986). The Caves of Panhale-Kaji . New Delhi: Archaeological Survey of India, Government of India.
•
Davisson, Sven (2003). Shri Kapilnath Interview in Ashé: Journal of Experimental Spirituality , Vol. 2, No. 4, Winter 2003.
•
•
[3] Mahendranath (1990), Notes on Pagan India [4] nisargadatta.org, Navnath Sampradaya
Boucher, Cathy (n.d.), The Lineage of Nine Gurus. The Navnath Sampradaya and Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj
Notes
[1] Mallinson, James (2011)'Nāth Saṃpradāya.' In: BrillEncyclopedia of Hinduism Vol. 3. Brill, pp. 407-428.
Berntsen, Maxine; Zelliot, Eleanor (1988). The ExPress. p. 338. ISBN 0-88706-662-3.
Bodhinatha Veylanswami – Sannyasin and Satguru of the Nandinatha Sampradaya Narayan Nath – a householder Nath who is the current head of the Vairag panth[7]
Adityanath (2002). Nath FAQ. Retrieved Oct. 20, 2004. perience of Hinduism: Essays on Religion in Maharashtra. Albany, N.Y: State University of New York
•
8
SOURCES
•
Gold, Daniel and Ann Grodzins Gold (1984). The Fate of the Householder Nath in History of Reli gions , Vol. 24, No. 2 (Nov., 1984), pp. 113-132. Mahendranath, Shri Gurudev (1990). The Scrolls of Mahendranath. International Nath Order. Retrieved Mar. 6, 2006. Mahendranath, Shri Gurudev. The Tantrik Initiation in The Occult World of a Tantrik Guru . International Nath Order. Retrieved Nov. 18, 2006. About Nath/Jogis: Jogi. Retrieved Feb. 06, 2010.
5
10
External links
General •
The Great Natha Siddhas, Natha Sampradaya
Inchegari •
Three Lineages. The Navnath Sampradaya and Shree Nisargadatta Maharaj
•
Gurudev R.D Ranade
•
Disciples of Nisargadatta Maharaj
Gurudev Mahendranath •
International Nath Order
Other Nath-lineages •
Jayant M. Gaitonde
•
Guru Bhuvani Nath
6
11
11
Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses
11.1 •
•
•
Orpheus, Dbachmann, Pearle, Ogress, Hanuman Das, Wiki-uk, Sciurinæ, Chemical Halo, Woohookitty, Dangerous-Boy, CFynn, TheRingess, Smithfarm, Gurubrahma, YurikBot, Sylvain1972, Retired username, Jkelly, Deville,Malaiya, SmackBot, Bluebot, Hibernian, Tamfang, Relax ullbe ok, NoToFrauds, Baba Louis, Chai Walla, CmdrObot, Ekajati, Qwyrxian, AntiVandalBot, Luna Santin, 230792, Ekabhishek, Premarun, Shaunak.s, B9 hummingbird hovering, MartinBot, Adavidb, LeMaster, Geekdiva, Redtigerxyz, Debnathsandeep, VolkovBot, FlagSteward, Anonymous Dissident, IPSOS, Buddhipriya, Kulaguru, Vritti, TypeEditor1, Closenplay, SieBot, Ivan Štambuk, KashmiriPandit, Niceguyedc, Komala412, Ashutoshdeora, Brewcrewer, Yogasundari, Uniscape, Fattyjwoods, Anchaudhary, Editor2020, Shannon Rose, Ism schism, Shu Li Yen, Alexius08, MatthewVanitas, Addbot, Aseemseth, Rajeevdeshpande, Sivanath, Mjr162006, Jai baba bhirfa nath ji, Tide rolls, Lightbot, Yobot, Utvik old, GLec, Nathsena, AnomieBOT, Rubinbot, Xqbot, Vivaelcelta, Xango2001, Almabot, WALTHAM2, Thehelpfulbot, FrescoBot, Skyerise, MastiBot, Nijgoykar, Theprofessordoctor, Satdeep Gill, Wintonian, EmausBot, Pokbot, ClueBot NG, Nobody60, Kitties08, Natdag23, PhnomPencil, Joshua Jonathan, Docsufi, BattyBot, ChrisGualtieri, Rockin It Loud, Yogiraj Jai Bhagwan Dhankhar, Viratinath, Aruneshvar, Sandyonmars, Jayaguru-Shishya, Tigercompanion25, Swamichetanananda, Kautilya3, Androner Philips Usa and Anonymous: 100
Images
File:Navnath1.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/39/Navnath1.jpg License: CC Own work Original artist: User:જીતેનદ્ ્રિસંહ
BY-SA 3.0 Contributors:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ac/AUM_symbol%2C_the_primary_%28highest%29_name_ of_the_God_as_per_the_Vedas.svg License: Public domain Contributors: ? Original artist: ? File:Text_document_with_red_question_mark.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a4/Text_document_ with_red_question_mark.svg License: Public domain Contributors: Created by bdesham with Inkscape; based upon Text-x-generic.svg from the Tango project. Original artist: Benjamin D. Esham (bdesham)
File:Om.svg Source:
11.3 •
Text
Nath Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nath?oldid=666677982 Contributors: The Anome, Sam Spade,
11.2 •
TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES
Content license
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
