Sadhguru says the Guru Gorakshnath is not only a great being but also an incarnation of the Divine energy. In the ashes of poverty, a lotus of enlightenment blooms; true seekers rise not from privilege but from profound resilience. A true Yogi wears not the robe of renunciation but the armour of inner strength, carving his path through sacrifice and self-realization.
Article | Nepal | November 10, 1988
Sadhguru: In the humble corners of India’s spiritual heritage lies the extraordinary journey of Gorakhnath, the revered Nath Yogi whose life defied the ordinary. Born into poverty, his path took him from the ashes of despair to the lofty heights of yogic enlightenment. Guided by the legendary Matsyendranath, young Gorakhnath embraced the arduous path of intense discipline and unyielding devotion. His story is not just of physical endurance but of a profound inner transformation, marked by mystical pilgrimages, self-realization, and divine encounters that inspired generations. This narrative traces Gorakhnath’s journey across sacred lands, his legacy as a divine guru, and his teachings that transcend caste, creed, and time, igniting the path of true spiritual pursuit.
In the household, poverty struck with a vengeance. There was no rice left in the storage, and not a single penny to be found. How would they manage to secure even a morsel of food? The lady of the house sat in the courtyard with a pile of dung, forming fuel cakes in hopes of selling them in the market to earn some money to survive the day. Her twelve-year-old son sat beside her, assisting his mother in making the cakes. Just then, a wandering monk appeared.
In the ashes of poverty, a lotus of enlightenment blooms; true seekers rise not from privilege but from profound resilience.
Seeing the young boy seated by his mother, the monk had an overwhelming sense of intuition. He said to the mother, "Dear woman, amid this pile of dung, I have discovered a lotus blossom. Your lineage is sanctified, a blessing for this land. But, dear woman, this child will not stay at home." The monk’s words proved to be an unerring prophecy by the following dawn, when the mother found her son gone, never to return to household life. Where did he go? That young boy had left his home forever, joining the wandering ascetics.
At that time, Yogini Kaula Siddha Matsyendranath was widely revered in Bengal, Eastern India and Northen India. The young boy vowed to seek refuge under this great master. On the auspicious day of Shivratri, after visiting the temple of Pashupatinath, he finally met Matsyendranath, fulfilling his heart’s desire. Upon initiation, his guru named him Gorakhnath, who later became famous as Gorakhnath.
The fire of yogic devotion knows no caste or creed; it is a flame that transforms every soul it touches.
Matsyendranath instructed his disciples in the six purificatory techniques – Dhauti, Basti, Neti, Trataka, Nauli, and Kapalabhati – practices that revealed powers within his body, granting him mastery over death and decay. Over time, Matsyendranath also taught him ten mudras with great care. Gorakhnath then accompanied his guru on a pilgrimage, visiting places such as Kashi, Vrindavan, Kedarnath, and Badrinath, and then moving on to Rameshwar, Tryambak, Pushkar, Dwarka, and finally, the sacred land of Hinglaj.
For Nath Yogis, Hinglaj holds immense significance, but the path to this pilgrimage site is both challenging and perilous. After enduring many hardships, Gorakhnath arrived, offering homage and fire sacrifices, filling his soul with divine bliss. Following his Guru’s instructions, Gorakhnath entered the temple and entered deep meditation. By dawn, the Divine Mother Hinglaj herself manifested in his meditation, bestowing him with a blessing: "My child, I am pleased by your renunciation, discipline, and dedication. I bless you with the powers of the Ashta Siddhi. You will now proceed to the Amarnath, where you will be blessed upon touching the embodiment of the Supreme Shiva."
Gorakhnath taught that discipline is the doorway to freedom; only when the body is mastered can the spirit soar.
Journeying on foot, Guru and disciple eventually arrived at Amarnath in Kashmir, where Gorakhnath was blessed upon touching the miraculous ice lingam, a symbol of Shiva. Here, Guru Matsyendranath bade him farewell, instructing him to pursue his spiritual path independently. With tearful eyes, Gorakhnath continued alone, visiting many celebrated and hidden pilgrimage sites and Siddha realms until he reached the shores of Lake Mansarovar in the Himalayas. There, he heard the voice of his guru, who said, "My child, this is your destined place for penance. Perform your practices here." By the lake’s shores, after twelve years of intense austerity, Gorakhnath finally beheld Mahadev himself, who blessed him, saying, "My child, Gorakhnath, I grant you the mastery of your physical form and the title of Nath."
The fame of Yogi Gorakhnath’s unwavering devotion quickly spread, and his place of penance began to draw people seeking liberation, both lay devotees and yogis alike. Over time, this region came to be known as Gorakhpur, named after the Siddha Gorakhnath.
During his pilgrimage to Eastern India, Gorakhnath reached the kingdom of Tripura. King Tilakchandra welcomed him warmly, bringing him to the palace. The yogi was startled when he saw the young princess, Shishumati, for she bore all the marks of a Siddha Yogini. Compelled by his intuition, he initiated Shishumati, giving her the new name, Maynamati. Under his guidance, Maynamati became adept in yogic practices, and she later married King Manikchandra of Bengal. Their son, Gopichand, left his royal comforts at the age of eighteen to embrace the path of asceticism.
To walk the path of the Nath Yogi is to embrace solitude, wrestle with mortality, and awaken to the timeless dance of life and death.
Gorakhnath is not only revered as one of India's Siddha masters and Shaiva Yogis but is worshipped as a deity by devotees and sages alike. He is regarded as an incarnation of Shiva and is especially venerated in the monasteries of the Kanphata Nath Yogis. The spiritual tradition he founded has no discrimination of caste or creed, allowing all to worship Shiva, the chosen deity, freely. Any seeker has the potential to attain the status of Avadhut and Nath and the right to liberation.
One of Gorakhnath’s most valuable teachings was: "Is yoga achieved by merely wandering with matted hair and half-naked? Ignite the flame of faith within your chest; it is this fire that will lead you along the path of self-discipline to divine union. Endure the ultimate hardships of the body and mind with a smile; only by perceiving death as Shiva can true yoga be achieved. When the seeker’s subtlest desires dissolve and the mind separates, only then will you be united with the Supreme Shiva."
In a secluded village in Punjab, Gorakhnath appeared, and there he taught disciples like Guga, Puran Bhagat, and Ranjha, whose tales of devotion have been passed down through legend. These disciples are said to have lived from the 8th to the 11th century, making it reasonable to place Gorakhnath within that era.
