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Goraksha Nath
ji
Gorakh Nathji was the originator of yoga and meditation and
founder of the Nath Sampradaya. Gorakh Nath literally means a person who has
mastered his indriyas (senses) and has complete control over the five vikritis
or negative characteristics in human nature - that is kaam (sexuality), krodh
(temper), mad (ego), lobh (greed) and moh (worldly attachment).
By doing so, wants and desires get stabilized, leading to peace and
contentment within. He believed that God existed in onself, the five elements of
jal (water), vayu (air), akash (aether), agni (fire) and prithivi (earth), by
which the body is made, become a part of the cosmos through meditation and
proper conduct.
Goraksh Nath ji is
considered to be an avatar (form) of Shiva, and therefore neither had birth nor
death. It is believed that Shiva took the form of Shri Gorakshnath after an
argument with Shakti. Shakti told Shiva that she had the power to awaken desire
in anyone, while Shiva disagreed. In his form as Gorakhnath, he showed complete
freedom from all desires through yoga.
Guru Gorakhnath Ji had Nav
Naths and 84 Siddhas (accomplished beings) as disciples, human forms created by
his own yogic powers to spread his message of yoga and meditation to the world.
The Nath Sampradaya spread, through the centuries, all over the world.
References have been found
in the Vedas (holy books of the Hindu scriptures over 5000 years old), the
Dabistan I Mazahib, the prophet Mohammad is reported as meeting him, Buddha (6th
to 7th century), the kings Gopichand and Baratari (8th to 11th century) were
disciples, Kabir Das (14th century) mentions Gorakhnath in the Kabir Granthvali
and through all the ages.
No Samadhi (tomb) has ever been found, though the caves where he
meditated Gorakh Gufa (now in Nepal), Gorakh Tilla (now in Pakistan), and Girnar, where Guru Gorakhnath's dhooni still exists, (in India) are places of
worship.
He is considered to be
ever-existent by Nath Yogis and their followers, and the Nath Ashrams continue
to practice his teachings.
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