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Hinduism comprises numerous sects, creeds and cults and
the origin of most of them is lost in antiquity. The Nath Sampradaya,
later known as the Navnath Sampradaya, is one of them. Some scholars are
of the view that this sect originated with the teachings of the mythical
Rishi Dattatreya, who is believed to be a combined incarnation of the holy
trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. The unique spiritual attainments of
this legendary figure are mentioned in the Bhagavata Purana, the
Mahabharata and also in some later Upanishads. Others hold that it is an
offshoot of the Hatha Yoga.
Whatever be its origin, the teachings of the Nath Sampradaya have, over
the centuries, become labyrinthine in complexity and have assumed
different forms in different parts of India. Some Gurus of the Sampradaya
lay stress on bhakti, devotion; others on jnana, knowledge; still others
on yoga, the union with the ultimate. In the fourteenth century we find
Svatmarama Svami, the great Hathayogin, bemoaning ‘the darkness arising
out of multiplicity of opinions’ to displel which he lit the lamp of his
famous work Hathayogapradipika.
According to some learned commentators, the Nath Gurus propound that the
entire creation is born out of nada (sound), the divine principle, and
bindu (light), the physical principle and the Supreme Reality from which
these two principles emanate is Shiva. Liberation according to them is
merging of the soul into Shiva through the process of laya, dissolution of
the human ego, the sense of I-ness.
In the day-to-day instructions to their devotees, however, the Nath Gurus
seldom refer to the metaphysics discovered by the scholars in their
teachings. In fact their approach is totally non-metaphysical, simple and
direct. While the chanting of sacred hyms and devotional songs as well as
the worship of the idols is a traditional feature of the sect, its
teaching emphasises that the Supreme Reality can be realised only within
the heart.
The Nath Sampradaya came to be known as Navnath Sampradaya when sometime
in the remote past, the followers of the sect chose nine of their early
Gurus as examplars of their creed. Bur there is no unanimity regarding the
names of these nine Masters. The most widely accepted list however is as
follows:
● Matsyendranath Or Macchchindranath ● Gorakhnath or Gorakshnath
● Jalandharnath or Jalandernath also known as Jan Peer
● Kanifnath ● Gahininath also known as Gaibi Peer
● Bhartrinath or Bhartarinath or Raja Bhartari
● Revananath ● Charpatnath
● Naganath or Nageshnath Of these nine Masters, Gahininath and Revananath had
large followings in the southern part of India, including Maharashtra, the
state to which Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj belongs. Revananath is said to
have founded a sub-sect of his own and chose Kadasiddha as his chief
disciple and successor. The latter initiated Lingajangam Maharaj and
Bhausahib Maharaj and entrusted to their care his Ashram and the
propagation of his teaching. Bhausahib Maharaj later established what came
to be known as Inchegeri Sampradaya, a new movement within the traditional
fold. Among his disciples were Amburao Maharaj, Girimalleshwar Maharaj,
Siddharameshwar Maharaj and the noted philosopher Dr. R. D. Renade. Sri
Nisargadatta Maharaj is the direct disciple and successor of
Siddharameshwar Maharaj.
It may be mentioned here that, though officially the current Guru of the
Inchegeri branch of the Navnath Sampradaya, Sri Nisargadatta does not seem
to attach much importance to sects, cults and creeds, including his own.
In answer to a questioner who wished to join the Navnath Sampradaya he
said: "The Navnath Sampradaya is only a tradition, a way of teaching and
practice. It does not denote a level of consciousness. If you accept a
Navnath Sampradaya teacher as your Guru, you join his Sampradaya... Your
belonging is a matter of your own feeling and conviction. After all it is
all verbal and formal. In reality there is neither Guru nor disciple,
neither theory nor practice, neither ignorance nor realisation. It all
depends upon what you take yourself to be. Know yourself correctly. There
is no substitute for self-knowledge".
The teaching of Nath Sampradaya offers the seeker the royal road to
liberation, a road in which all the four by-lanes of bhakti, jnana, karma
and dhyana of Lord Shiva, in his hagiography, entitled Nathlingamrita,
claims that the path shown by the Nath sect is the best of all and it
leads to direct liberation.
- Wikipedia article on Navnath Sampradaya
- A study by
Cathy Boucher
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