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It has been already mentioned that the people belonging to Nath Community have been looked down upon by others in both East and West Bengal, Tripura and Assam, though Nathism and Shaivism have deep spiritual value. It is well-known to the scholars researching in Bengali literature and its origin, that Matsyendranath was the writer of the first Bengal poems, the Charyapadas, which were later discovered from Nepal by Mahamaha upadhaya Haraprasad Shashtri. Of course, his disciple Gorakshanath has been called the father of hindi.
Many renowned linguists and historians have found in the earliest specimens of Bengali poetry ample evidences to show that the great Yogacharya Matsyendranath was the first among the earliest Bengali poets and that Nath-yogi literature composed by other Siddha-Charayas of his Sampradaya constituted the earliest Bengali literature, so far discovered. From such evidences as well as from many other historical traditions it is inferred that Matsyendranath and his direct disciples and followers came from Bengal regious and having got their spiritual inspiration and training from the Himalayan Siddha-Mahajogies, carried the message of Yoga and Saivism to all parts of India.(Principal Akshaya Kumar Banerjee.) |
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Legends go and there is a prevalent opinion that Kadali –Rajya, where Matsyendranath happened to go and become king and victim to temptations of woman and wealth for a certain period, was released by his disciple Gorakshanath, was located in the Kamarupa region which belongs to modern Assam. There he passed his days amidst mirth and merriment forgetting everything about his mission of yoga. In fact, he was kept surrounded by the woman folk and remained confined there. His disciple Gorakshanath having failed to know his whereabouts set out in search of him and reached kadali-Rajya. He masqueraded himself and entered the well guarded residence in the guise of a woman and released his guru in great pluck and tact eventually. This is why it is rightly said that even the saints sometimes deviate from the saintly path and slip to sinful act. It may also be drawn that even the purest soul can be spoiled by a single wicked fellow, not to speak of many.
By-
Mr. Ramani Mohan Nath
(Retired Teacher)
(To be
continued...) |
