Introduction to Guru Gorakhnath

Apparently, nothing was known about the Guru Gorakhnath and the Natha Tradition founded by
him in the Western world prior the last quarter of the 19th century, when few scriptures
belonging to it were translated into English and published by Shrisa Chandra Vasu. Through the
twenties century, many more original works ascribed to the authorship of Gorakhnath came into
light, being rediscovered by the efforts of various scholars; also, few modern works investigating
the tradition of the Natha Yogis and their customs and practices were published in various
languages. With the publication of all those books, releasing the remarkable heritage of the
Natha Tradition, it gradually attracted the interest of scholars and common people all over the
world. Along with it, the name of the founder of the Natha Sampradaya, the great yogi Guru
Gorakhnath came into prominence. In India, besides the extant mythological tradition, describing
his miraculous abilities, the introduction of the system of practices known as Hatha Yoga is
traditionally associated with his name, as well as the systematic exposition of the principles of
the ancient tradition known as the Siddha Siddhanta. Another phenomenon of Indian soil,
traditionally connected with the name of Gorakhnath, is the ascetic order of the yoga
practitioners created by him, which is widely known in India as the Natha Sampradaya.
Therefore, all of these topics would be briefly introduced on this site as the directly related to the
Guru Gorakhnath. When one attempts to describe the Guru Gorakhnath as an limited historical
personality, and define the period of his life time, the place of his birth and the works written by
him, very soon he realizes that these could not be done in the traditional manner. The reasons for
these are few, and the main out of them is that the Guru Gorakhnath could not be treated as the
ordinary human person, but rather as the all-prevailing cosmic principle, as such he does not
limited to one locality or to one period of time. In accordance with the believes of the Natha
Yogis, he is an immortal and remain always on this earth through all ages (char yug me
vidhyaman), being invisible. When it is required, he appearing in his embodied form to protect
Dharma and righteousness. He is unseen background and inspiriting power behind manifestation
of the numerous saints who appeared on the Earth at different periods of history. In India, the
Saint Kabir, the founder of the Sikh religion Guru Nanak, Guga Pir, Raja Bhartrihari and many
others remarkable personalities are traditionally associated in bigger or lesser degree with his
name. More ever, the geographical borders of India and one name under which he is mostly
known, as the Guru Gorakh Nath, are not limit of all his deeds. In accordance with some stories
about him, and popular believe, he is not bound to one physical body, and can easily live one
body and enter into other, or to create one or few of them by his will. As such, he is immortal,
and under different names, he appeared all over the Planet Earth at the various periods of time, at
different places and under different names. In accordance with the Natha Tradition, he is the
spiritual teacher and the guardian of our planet. One of his latest embodied manifestations,
recognized by the Yogis of the Natha Sampradaya, has taken place around tree hundreds years
ago, when he appeared as the Siddh Baba Masta Nath. As the Siddh Baba Masta Nath, he
performed many supernatural miracles and numerous works for rejuvenating and reforming the
contemporary Natha Sampradaya. One of the most recent appearances of the Guru Gorakhnath,
took place about 150 years ago, in the jungle near the village Katvaria Sarai, situated in the area
of the modern New Delhi city. At that time, he appeared to a young village man, who later
became known as the Dada Arsukhsad, as an unidentified Natha Yogi, who was sitting near his
fireplace (dhuna). Arsukhsad walked upon him, while he was searching in jungle for his lost
cows. In accordance with the legendary tradition prevalent around that place, the yogi introduced
himself as Gorakhnath, and ordered Dada Arsukhsad to start the construction of the yoga
ashrama, which presently known as Ram Talab Temple. When Dada Arsukhsad has objected
about his inability to accomplish this work, the yogi comforted him, by saying that he would help
him. When Arsukhsad has returned to his village, his garment has changed its color by itself,
from white to the bagva color, traditionally worn by the Shaiva ascetics. When his uncle and
other people of the village have noticed the closes of the bagva color on him, they thought that
Arsukhsad has became insane, so they took off those closes from him and put on him another
white garment. Immediately after this, the garment of Arsukhsad has changed its color once
more, to the great amazement of the villagers. After this, Dada Arsuksad started live at the place
he was told by the yogi, situated at the distance of few hundred meters from the place the
meeting took place, and conducting the work of the construction of the ashram there. His tomb
(samadhi) still could be seen in the Ram Talab Ashram. In the following years, at the spot where
that meeting took place, also was built a small ashram, which is presently known as the Gorakh
Mari. The old tree, under which the yogi was sitting, could be seen there even today. The story
above is the only one example out of many more miraculous events related to the Guru
Gorakhnath, which have taken place in the various places of India. The Living Image of di
Nth Below is the brief summary of the various aspects of the personality of the Guru
Gorakhnath, in accordance with the Natha literature: Gur to r Gorak-Nth ji (and Guru is
Gorakhnath), bla-rupa (the form of child), svaya jyoti-svarupa (the form of the self-existing
light), alakshya svarpa (the form beyond of all descriptions), ayoni (non-born). Amongst other
Great Siddhas, the Guru Gorakhnath is recognized by the Natha Yogis as having two forms: as
the form of the Universal Teacher of the Siddha Path Leading to the Final Liberation (pure
awareness) and as the individual embodiment of the same principle. As the first form he is
present within each individual body: ghai ghai gorakh bh kyr | jo nipajai so ho hamr |
ghai ghai gorak kahai kah | kcai bhai rahe na p || Sabdi ||37|| Shabdi 37. In the
bodies of everyone Gorakh has made the fields, which ever harvest we are capable to rise up
here, it becomes our own. In the body of everyone Gorakh tells his words, water will not stay in
unbaked pots. ghai ghai gorak phirai nirut | ko ghaa jge ko ghaa st | ghai ghai gorak
ghai ghai mna | p paracai gura mukhi cnha || Shabdi ||38|| Shabdi 38. In the bodies of
everyone Gorakh moves silently; in some bodies he is awakened; in other bodies he sleeps. In
everyones body there are Gorakh and Matsyendra, it is upon you to become acquainted with the
presence of the faithful disciple. gorakh-nth sakal gha-vyp, kai kali-mala, trai bhava-pr |
Nava Nth Stuti Nava Nth-Stuti: Gorakhnath is prevails all bodies (reflected in all bodies), cuts
away the darkness of Kali (the power of time) and takes over the filing of sorrow. In accordance
with the Natha Tradition, in his second form, he is known as the personal manifestation of the
same Universal Liberating Principle of the Primordial Lord di Nth Shiva (di nth avatr,
iva-goraka, iva-rupa), who being moved by compassion, appears in the different regions of the
world for taking care of Creation (viva bhara yoga-akti udra phaile hai) and spreading the
Knowledge of Yoga amongst people (pane kiy yoga praka). He is the Lord of the Nine Great
Lords of Creation (nava ntho me nth hai), he is their soul, One God served by all (eko dev
sarvatra sev), he is identical with the God Creator (pra brahma karatr). Guru Nanak: O
Baba, Gorakh is the Lord of the Universe; He is always awake and aware. He alone is Gorakh,
who sustains the earth; He created it in an instant. Binding together water and air, He infused the
breath of life into the body, and made the lamps of the Sun and the Moon. To die and to live, He
gave us the earth, but we have forgotten these blessings. Being naturally free from the clinging
to the cyclical existence (di puru avin, nirgu gua ra), he descends down from the Height
of Heaven and accepts an embodied form, only to break apart its bondage (nija kar ghata mar),
and in such way, manifest the True Yoga Path to those who seek it. While the di Nth is the
First Lord of the creation, Guru Gorakhnath has became one with Him by the virtue of his Yoga
practice, and as such he is not different from him. The path made by the Guru Gorakhnath is the
path of return to the primordial state of the creator di Nth (di ka Yoga), the state before
creation, with the help of the Divine Mother, the Goddess Kualin (aktipta). His life is
always guided by the Divine Order or dea, he is an ideal example of following the commands
of the Lord from above, and yet he perceives himself as not different from him or from his
Power: tmeti paramtmeti jvtmeti vicrae | traymaikyasambhti dea iti krtita || 94 ||
dea ti sadv sarvadvandvakaypahm | yo yogina prati vadet sa ytytmnamaivaram ||
95 ||(SSP 6.94-95) Siddha Sidhanta Paddhati 6.94: "To contemplate on the individual soul
(tmeti) as being identical with the Supreme Soul (paramtmeti) and with the own embodied soul
(jvtmeti), and realize (in own life) these three as One, is called dea or the Divine ordinance.
SSP 6. 95. Those who speak the word of truth dea, which is the destroyer of all dualities, to
the Natha Yogis, they realize all pervading nature of their soul and become the Masters of it.
While in his embodied form he can be seen from time to time, at the periods of his personal
appearance, in his form of the compassionate Universal Teacher he is never far away and could
be approached by any one who sincerely desire to bring the living divine presence in own life.
The only condition for this is the earnest desire to know him and the acknowledgement of the
Divine Order (adesha). As such, Guru Gorakhnath is the door-keeper of the door of the
attainment of the Supreme State (param pada). binu guru panth na pe bhlai se jo bhen jog
sidhdh hoi tab jab gorakh se hau bhen || (Padmvat) Padmavat: Without Guru one can't get the
Path, don't forget about this truth; yogi becomes siddha (attaining success in sadhana) when he
meets Goraksh. Being non different from the First Lord di Nth, Guru Gorakhnath is also
known as svaya jyoti-svarupa 'the form of the self-existing light': yat samdhau para jyotir
ananta vivatomukham| tasmin de mahyoge ytyta na vidyate ||21|| Goraksha Shataka
21: He who saw himself as the supreme, infinite light, which is the image of the world, from the
sight of that Great Union, he became liberated, he is free from coming and going (he dont have
to take births and consequently die, his soul is free to go as it pleases). Being non different from
the Supreme Lord di Nth (di-ntha skma rupa OM kra) in the level of his purity (as OM
kra svarupa) the Guru Gorakhnath is the ideal example to be followed by the Natha Yogis, who
are encouraged to implement the principles of his teaching into their lives. He is never far from
those who acknowledge his dea (command) in their spiritual search: ek om kr ter dhr tn
lok me jay-jaya kr | nd bje kl bhge jn k op gorakh sje || Natha Prayer: "The only
support which will take you over the Tree Worlds, is Om kara; when the nada is sounding, the
time (or death) is run away, and Gorakh decorates the hat of knowledge on your head." Note:
or in other words, when the Primordial Sound Om kara is sounding, the Gorakhnath appears. It is
the Guru Goraksh Nath, who makes yoga aspirants to be masters of their bodies and sense
organs: jna, dhyna, ke ho dhar, guru saba ke ho hitakr | r avadh saba ke ho sukhakr | go
indriyo ke ho rakak, sarva indriyo ke ho plak | rakhata sudha sr, r avadh rakhata buddha
sr | Sandhya Arati: "Guru who makes others to acquire their personal knowledge and sharpen
their concentration, who is beneficial to everyone, who makes everyone happy. He is the
protector of the herds of senses (here compared with cows), he is caretaker of senses, he makes
everyone to change for their better (literary to be reformed), he makes everyone to be wiser."
The Guru Goraksh Nath is also known as Parvati putra the son of the Mother Goddess because
he always in the company of his mother (r avadh janan hai sange), as bla a child because
of his innocence, as advet-svarupa (non-dual form), because he is beyond of all dualities of
creation, and as Jat because he is absolutely free from sex. Jat is the state of innocent child, who
does not have any idea about sex; the idea of sex and opposites has come after creation, before it
there was no such idea. He is totally not aware of his nakedness, he is innocent because he is
unborn (Ayoni). Because he is not of this world of the gross material existence (ayoni), many
times his teaching appear as so contradicting to the accepted social believes and as challenging
the minds of normal people. Surya is male, Candra is female, their union is Yoga; as Jat he
harmoniously unites the opposite principles, and being in their midst, does not become affected
by their play on either side. He has three eyes; his left eye is Chandra, his right eye is Surya, in
the middle of his eyebrows is the Third Eye, the Eye of knowledge, the iva-netra (the eye of
Shiva); He always absorbed in the meditation on his two earrings (mudras), which are Sun (Ravi)
and Moon (Candram), kno me kunale rjat, sjate ravi candram. He is known as Shree,
Shambhu, Yati (r amb Jat) Guru Gorak Nth, where Shree is the name of the Goddess of
wealth and fortune Lakshmi, Shambhu (Beneficial) is the one of Shivas names.

Read more at: http://gorakhnath.net/