Siddha Siddhanta Paddhati

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

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of Gorakhnāth, both Maynāmati and Gopichandra cannot belong to a period much later than the eleventh century.
Gopichandrer Gan has been published by the Calcutta University with two different renderings, one by a Hindu, the other by a Mohammedan. From Dacca, Dr. N, K. Bhattasali published two books under the caption Gopichandrer Git and Maynāmatir Gan. Sivachandra Sil published Govindachandrer Git, but Govindachandra is the same as Gopichandra.
These books, however, have all been written at a much later date, in about the 17th and 18th centuries. Gopichandra can be placed in the 12th century or earlier from the facts of Maynāmati being Gorakh's disciple and Hādīpā being the guru of Gopichandra. We have already discussed the relationships between Gorakh, Maynāmati and Hãļipā in the legends concerning them. The Pāla dynasty also came to an end in the twelfth century ; Gopichandra and his father were contemporaries of the Pāla kings.
The Historicity of Bhartshari, Jalandharnath
Jñanesvar and Gambhirnáth Binartrhari, who was once a king, became a Yogi. In Mahārastra a drama has been written in 1904 A. D. which is known as Bhartrhari Nirvēda. Gray published it in an American Journal. Bhartrhari is supposed to be the king of Ujjain. But the Maharaja of Alwar who is interested in the story of Bhartshari, failed to gather correct information from Ujjain. Moreover, it is said that Bharthari and Vikram were brothers, and Bhartrhari abdicated in favour of Vikram. Who is this Vikram? If it is the Vikramāditya, who was defeated by Sālibāhan, in whose name an era was established (1872 = 1951 A. D.) we arrive at an impossible conclusion. We have no intention of placing Gorakhnāth in the first century. If we accept Vikramaditya as Chandragupta II. of Ujjain, who ruled from 1076 to 1126 A. D., we may arrive at a probable conclusion and place Bhart;hari before the end of the eleventh century. The death of his devoted wife Rani Piņgalā made him accept the discipleship of Gorakhnāth. This also corresponds to the date we have accepted for Gorakhnāth, i.e., the eleventh century.