Gorakhnath

Gorakhnath was a Hindu yogi and a saint who was the prominent founder of the Nath Hindu monastic movement in India from c. early 11th century. He was also known as Goraksanath and was appraised as one of the two notable disciples of Matsyendranath. His devotees are found at the place named Garbhagiri, Ahmednagar in the state of Maharashtra in India. These devotees are called yogis or Gorakhnathis.

Gorakhnath was one of nine saints called Navnath and is broadly popular in Maharashtra, India. Gorakhnath is appraised as a Maha-yogi in the Hindu tradition. He did not highlight a specific metaphysical theory, but highlighted that the search for Truth and the spiritual life is important and holds value and normal goal of man. Gorakhnath mastered Yoga, spiritual discipline and a moral life of self-determination as a means to gaining samadhi and ones own spiritual truths.

The Nath inheritage explains that its traditions existed before Gorakhnath, but the greatest expansion of the movement took place under the teaching, guidance and inspiration of Gorakhnath. He composed a number of writings and even today is appraised as the greatest of the Naths. It has been claimed that Gorakhnath wrote the first books on Laya yoga. In India there are many caves and temples, where it is believed that Gorakhnath spent time in meditation there. As reported by Bhagawan Nityananda, the samadhi shrine of Gorakhnath is at Nath Mandir which is near the Vajreshwari temple about one kilometer from Ganeshpuri, Maharashtra, India. In agreement with legends, Gorakhnath and Matsyendranath did atonement in Kadri Temple at Mangalore, Karnataka. The temple of Gorakhnath is also located on a hill named Garbhagiri, Ahmednagar District, Maharashtra. There is also a famous Gorakhnath temple in Odisha.

The town of Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh is named after Gorakhnath. The Gurkhas of Nepal and Indian Gorkhas are also named after Gorakhnath. He has been appraised as the rastradevata of Nepal from a long time and with his name emerging on various versions of Nepalese currency. Gorkha, a historical district of Nepal, is named after Gorakhnath.

In agreement with a professor in Asian languages and cultures, Arvind-Pal Singh Mandair, the Gorakhnath orders were managing free community kitchens in Punjab before Guru Nanak ji founded Sikhism. Gorakhnath shrines have continued to manage a langar and provide a free meal to devotees who visit them.