MIND-YOGA (AUST) 14th February 2013

MIND-YOGA (AUST)

To a Yogi or Yogini the yogic lineage is of insurmountable importance.

The Indian Pilgrimage of Dean Das 2012 / 2013

By Dean Das

To a Yogi (male) or Yogini (female), the yogic lineage (parampara) i.e. Guru (teacher), Gurus Guru, Gurus Gurus Guru, and so forth, is of insurmountable importance. The spiritual power (shakti) is held by the lineage of Gurus, and not the individual. My yogic lineage is that of the Siddha Nath tradition. I returned in late November, 2012 to visit the Siddha Peeths (places associated with male shakti), and Shakti Peeths (places associated with female shakti) important to my parampara (lineage of gurus). It is 36 years since I resided with my Guru, Swami Prakashananda Saraswati (Babaji) of Sapta Shringi, Nasik, Maharashtra. A number of

times since, I have returned for brief visits, the last being in 2002/3. The founder of the Siddha Nath tradition is Matsyendranath, historically ascribed to the 9th Century AD and his disciple, Gorakshanath (10th Century). At the same time both these gures are viewed as being eternal ie. having no human history. Gorakshanath is also credited as being the founder of the (kundalini) Hatha Yoga system. Matsyendranath, along with Gorakshanath had a strong historical connection to Sapta Shringi Gadh, Nasik, where I did my sadhana (yogic practice), (refer to Jnanesvar, the great saint-author of the 13th Century text, Jnanesvari; Vol 11 verse 1732).

MIND-YOGA (AUST) 6 June 2012

The Indian Pilgrimage of Dean Das 2012 / 2013

By Dean Das (continued)

SHREE GORAKSHANATH YOGESHWAR MUTT, MANGALORE, SOUTH INDIA The rst place I returned to in 2012 / 2013 was the Shree Gorakshanath Yogeshwar Mutt, Mangalore, Kerala. This 9th Century Mutt (ashram) is part of the large Muthappan Temple complex, Khadri Hill, Mangalore. It is the farthest south that Gorakshanathis (Nath Pathis yogis) established a base. In 1976, I stayed for 3 days and 3 nights at the Gorakshanath Yogeshwar Mutt (ashram). The Pir (Abbot) at the time was Somanathji (left). He was an elephant riding, tobacco chewing, hardcore Rajasthani yogi with an ironic sense of humour especially directed toward westerners. When I arrived Somanathji was painting the outside walls of the Mutt, covered in paint, chewing tobacco, and expectorating huge quantities of saliva from his mouth into a tin at the bottom of the ladder. At the same time, Indians were lined-up at the bottom of the ladder for his darshan (blessings). The rst thing he said to me was have you got any ganga (marijuana), I replied, no Babaji. With a wry smile on his face, he scoffed saying, what good is a westerner without ganga! He was a hard man with a loving heart. The Nath Panth, Yogeshwar Mutt is situated on top of Khadri Hill next to the Muttappan Temple. You climb many stone steps until you reach the wrought iron gates, and enter a courtyard in which are 12 conical shaped, concrete mounds of differing sizes, around the perimeter of the courtyard.

These mounds are the burial samadhis (burial plots) of important Nath Yogi Pirs (Abbots). In the larger ones are imprints of the padukas (wooden shoes traditionally worn by yogis) of that particular Pir (Abbot) who is buried there.

Samadhi mounds

Imprints of the padukas Since the 10th Century, the Pirs are appointed for a period of 12 years.The oldest extant burial Samadhi dates back to Jolanath (11th Century).

Jolanath samadhi

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The Indian Pilgrimage of Dean Das 2012 / 2013

By Dean Das (continued)

Within the Muttappan Temple complex itself is a most impressive bronze statue of the Buddha, Lokesvara, dated 968AD.

Lokesvara 11C The current Pir is Sandayanathaji,appointed in 2004, until 2016. He is a reserved man of little talk, and quiet demeanour (despite his iPhone and enjoyment of television).

The dening features of Nath yogis is that the lobes of the ears are split with a sharp knife at initiation, and either earrings made of either clay, gold, wooden, bone, or rhinoceros are inserted. The sect of Nath Yogis at this particular Mutt wear ochre cloth, and opaque stone mala beads around the neck, with a metal or wooden singla (tiny whistle) attached to the end of their mala. There is a distinct sense of Muslim origins among all (Hindu) Nath Panths. On this visit, we (my partner and I) met the friendly Swami Mangalanath,second-in-charge, a Nath Yogi for the past 40 years. An open, generous, warm-hearted man. He gave us permission to lm and record anything we so wished.This has even more signicance in that the Nath Yogis pride themselves on being not public.

Mangalanathji Sandayanathaji

MIND-YOGA (AUST) 6 June 2012

The Indian Pilgrimage of Dean Das 2012 / 2013

By Dean Das (continued)

In the inner hall, the twice daily puja (worship to a deity) has been carried out since the 10th Century. Wherever the Naths reside is a dhuni (a sacricial re) that is kept permanently smouldering feed by coconut husks.Dhuni (re) The dhuni below has been alight for the past 11 centuries. There are many dhunis all over India. Nath yogis follow the path of thedhuni in the same way as Indigenous Australians followed the song-lines.

The major deities of this Mutt are the lion-faced Goddess, Lokhundi, and the ferocious black Kali of shiny eyes and many arms. Kali has numerous skulls hanging around Her neck signifying - She being the devourer of life, time and death, reminding us of the ephemeral nature of human life.

Dhuni (re) Inside the residential building is an open central courtyard with a verandah around each side, with rooms running off the verandah. On the walls of the verandah are photographs of the past Pirs (Abbots) of the Order (i.e. since the invention of photography). Kali In closing, I sincerely thank the generosity of the Nath Yogis of the Shree Yogeshwar Mutt, especially Swami Mangalanath. Jai Gorakhshanath Ki Jay! (Hail to Guru Gorakshanath).

DEAN DAS is a Master Meditation Teacher.

DEAN DAS is the founder of Mind-Yoga (Aust), Melbourne.

www.meditationclassesmelbourne.com