Nath Gurus in Nepal

Part - 5

The greatness of Nathism and Nath-Gurus is greatly associated with Nepal where Gorakshnath was initiated by his preceptor Matsyendranath. Gorakshanath is reported to have reached Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, in quest of his guru and happened to meet Matsyendranath in the Pasupati temple in Kathmandu. Matsyendranath at once could recognize him and told him that he was waiting for him.

The old history of Nepal testifies that in the sixth or the seventh century A.D. the country suffered ferribly from the scarcity of rain for twelve consecutive years and that Mahayogi Matsyendranath who was reputed for his various miraculous powers, including the ones for commanding the clouds and other forces of nature , was persuded by the king and the people to come Nepal and give relief to the drought – affected country by compelling the clouds to gather together and shower torrents of rain for fertilizing the lands and supplying drinking water to the thirsty people of the country. The country was saved by the mercy of this great yogi.

It is also said that his disciple, Gorakshanath   also came to Nepal during this period in search of the Guru and within a short time conquered the hearts of the ruler and the subjects at large alike  by virtue of his super–human  powers and enlightenment. Both the Guru and the disciple (Gorakshanath) were deified in the region and worshipped as incarnation of the eternal omniscient and omnipotent, Mahayogiswara Siva. It is further stated that the Royal Dynasty of Nepal was established through the mercy of Gorakshanath. The foot prints of Gorakshanath have since then been adorning the Royal Crown and his holy symbol is imprinted on the coins of Nepal. All these facts serve as the glaring examples to the indicate the influence of Matsyendranath and gorakshanath. All these must have been wide-spread in the sixth and the seventh centuries. But it all continued to last up to the assassination of the royal family and the downfall of the monarchical system after the advent of the communists under the leadership of Prachanda. The valiant Gorkhas of Nepal got the name and appelation for the whole tribe, because they were all the worshippers of Gorakshanath. The samething happened to the Gorkhas of Darjeeling, most of who today forgot or gave up their ancestors’ heritage.

It is said that the dynasty of Nepal fell for ever as cursed and predicted by Gorakshanath.

Many renowned linguists and historians like Haraprasad Shashtri,   Dr. Shahidullaha, Dr. Sukumar Sen, Dr. Dinesh Sen etc. have found in the earliest specimens of Bengali poetry ample evidences to show that the great Yogacharya Matsyendranath was among the earlist Bengali poets and that Nath Yogi literature composed by other Siddha Charyas of his sampradaya constituted the earliest Bengali literature, so far discovered. The writer of Charyapadas ‘Charyachaurya binishchaya’ was Matsyendranath and was discovered by Haraprasad Shashtri from Nepal. From such evidences and from many other historical traditions it is interferred that Matsyendranath and his direct disciples and followers, came from Bengal regions and having got their spiritual inspiration and –training from the Himalayan Siddha-Mahayogies carried the message of  Yoga and Saivism  to all parts of india . There is a prevalent opinion that Kadali-Rajya – where Matsyendranath became king and victim of temptations of woman and wealth for a certain period and was released by his disciple Gorakshanath, was located in the Kamarupa region of modern Assam. He forgot his ideas of brahmacharya and became a worldly man hankering after wealth and woman. Gorakshanath came to learn the matter through the power of meditation the ill deviation of his most revered guru and appeared Kadalirajya in the guise of a woman. Because his guru was surrounded by a host of woman and nobody could have entrance there. However, Gorakshanath made some signals to his guru who could by then restore his wisdom after being relieved from the illusions of evil deviation. At last Gorakshanath saved his guru and left Kadalirajya   with his guru Matsyendranath.

By- 

      Mr. Ramani Mohan Nath

           (Retired Teacher)

(To be continued...)