Siddha Siddhanta Paddhati

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

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possible, if the yogi is unaware of the 'cakras'. A yogi, who knows the six cakras and has been able to unite the dormant Shakti with Siva ( the process known as raising the Kundalini Shakti), is known as a Kaula. The Kaulas were Śaivas and not Buddhists. Matsyendra calls himself a Kaula in his treatise Krula-jñana-nirnaya.
That the Nātha Yogis were saiviles can be proved from the sect mark of Yoni-lingu, the organs of generation symbolising divine procreation, on their right fore-arm, and of 'tripundra' (three horizontal lines drawn with ashes ) on their forehead. The Nätha yogis visit Saiva shrines and pierce the cartilages of the ears to wear Kundalas ( ear-rings ) like Siva. They wear a woollen holy thread from which is hung a nāda and pabitri, or a horn whistle and a brass ring which represent Siva and Shakti. The Nātha Yogis do not necessarily shave their heads and beards like the Buddhists. Neither are they strictly vegetarians; they smoke and use siddhi (hemp), which is the favourite intoxicant of Siva. Matsyendra went to Nepāl dressed as a Saiva Yogi to preach Saivism. Above all Matsyendra was known as a tisherman and was associated with fish even as a yogi, while non-injury is a special feature of Buddhism.
The mantra of the Nātha yogis is 'Siva-Gorakh', and they call themselves descendants of Siva, and are thus known as belonging to Siva Gotra to the present day. Gorakh is deified as Siva, but Matsyendra is deified in Nepal as Avalokitesvar. What can be the reason of this association of the first Nātha guru with Buddhism ? Gorakhnath and some other Nātha gurus have been also identifed with Buddhist Sahajiās, and on the other hand, we find the names of Buddhist siddhas Sringāripão and Ramanvajra, associated with those of the Nātha gurus, Gopichandra and Gorakhnāth.
We have proved that the Nātha Yogis were Saivites, why then were there these confused identifications ? We may only suggest that the general similarity in practice and in rites and rituals between the Buddhist Sahajiās and the Nātha Yogis resulted in these confusions. The Bengali writings of Luipā-Minanāth and the fact that Luipā belonged to 'Lohita' country in Kamarupa were also responsible for turning a Kaula yogi into a Sahajiā Buddhist.