Siddha Siddhanta Paddhati

Author(s): Kalyani Mallik
Publisher: Poona Oriental Book House Poona

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In an old book of the Yogis by Jñaneśvar written in Marathi, translated in Hindi and published from Hardwar as Yogi - sampradiy.Tviskrili, we find that Matsyendera was thrown in the sea by his parents, because he was born under an inauspicious star and was devoured by a fish. It is then that he overheard Siva and was initiated by him, the time being the end of the Dvāpara Yuga i. e., the Brazen Age, the third of the four ages of the world comprising 864,000 years. Then he preached in Kamarupa. Gorakhnāth became his disciple, and in Yudhistir Samvat 1939.(i.e., in the year of Yudhistir, the eldest of the Pandavas ) he left his charge to Gorakhnāth and put himself in eternal trance or Samādhi in the Girnar Hills.
In the Caryi-padas (i. e., verses on practices composed by Siddhāchāryas) discovered by Shastri and published by him, we find a couplet in Bengali by Minanāth, quoted in the commentary. As we have mentioned before, those Caryās do not belong to any period earlier than the tenth century. From this too, we may place Matsyendranath not later than the tenth century, if Matsyendra and Minanāth are considered to be the same person.
In the list of the 84 Siddhas who had flourished between the tenth and twelfth centuries, we find the name and picture of Matsyendranāth, who is also known as Minanāth Vajrapāda.
The Historicity and date of Gorakhnāth Gorakhnāth was the disciple of Matsyendranāth and as such he must belong to a period later than the tenth century, which date we have accepted for Matsyendranāth, the guru.
Gorakh's disciple was Gainināth, and his disciple was Nivrttinath, the elder brother of Jñāneśvar. Nivrttināth, though older than Jñaneśvar by two years only, had initiated Jñāneśvar in the Nātha cult. Jñāneśver is a well-known saint of Mahārastra, who wrote his commentary on the Gitā, known as Jñāneśvari, in 1290 A. D., as has been proved by scholars. From Jñāneśvar's own writings the fact has been established that he was put in 'Samadhi' or eternal trance, at his own request, only at the age of 21 years in 1296 A. D. This
Samadhi' can still be seen and is only a few miles off from Poona. Therefore Jūāneśvar's date of birth is 1275 A. D.