- Navnath
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Navnath
The Navnath (Sanskrit: नवनाथ), also spelt as Navanatha and Nao Nath, are the nine Hindu saints, Masters or Naths on whom the Navnath Sampradaya, the lineage of the nine gurus is based. They are worshipped collectively as well as individually.[1]
The nine teachers, collectively known as Navnaths, are considered representative of great teachers in this tradition or parampara:[2]:
- Machindranath or Matsyendranath
- Gorakshanath or Gorakhnath
- Jalandharnath or Jalandernath also known as Jan Peer
- Kanifnath
- Gahininath also known as Gaibi Peer
- Bhartrinath or Bhartarinath or Raja Bhartari
- Revananath
- Charpatinath
- Naganath or Nageshnath
Contents
The Navnath Sampradaya or 'Navnath Parampara', is a Hindu sampradaya, and a parampara, tradition based upon the lineage of the Navnaths, from the Nath Sampradaya (lineage) of Hindu mythology.[2]
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.
The nine Naths are the incarnations of Nine Narayanas who help Lord Narayan in taking care of the worldly activities. Lord Krishna had summoned the nine Narayans to his court for deciding the establishment of Nath Sampraday.
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 dispel 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 (According to Hinduism Shiva and Vishnu are ONE not two separate powers) 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 hymns 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.
This tradition, believes Rishi Dattatreya, an incarnation of the Hindu trinity Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva to be its first teacher.[3].
There is a book on these 9 great souls called "Navnath pothi". It has 40 chapters. This book narrates the Navnaths' births, their lives and deeds. As the Navnath are strongly worshiped in Maharashtra, the book is written in Marathi. It is believed that reading it in a specific manner is beneficial to human mind, soul and body.
The coming of the Navnath - or nine prophets - is mentioned in the Mahabharata. Krishna called a meeting of all demi-gods, angels and saints to give his message of how he would continue his message of spreading good after his mission is over on earth. Krishna said he would send his own light in the form of nine saints or prophets, who will go to different parts of earth and throughout the universe where life exists. Lord Krishna also mentions that these prophets or saints will spread the message of Love, overcoming obstacles in order to unite with Mahavishnu or Shiva or Shakti. Krishna said that they would help only those who have good souls and true believers.
The Navnath sampradaya spreads the message of Krishna that God exists everywhere and not just in a particular form or lack thereof. The Avatar of Dattatreya (Unified form of the trinity) came on the mission on earth to dispel confusion of earthlings who thought the three are different. Datta Guru Dattatreya is the first teacher, initiator of Navnath Sampradaya who gave benediction to Machhindranath in the presence of Lord Shiva.
It is believed by some[who?] that two of the Navnath saints are among the five pirs who propagated the message of Allah or Mahavishnu or God - Jalandhar Nath & Gahini Nath known as Jan Pir and Ghaibi Pir. These people[who?] believe that all religions pray to the same God but in different languages.
According to another of Gahini Nath's student' stories, Gyandev was allowed into the Masjid in Lahore by a voice from the sky. On coming to the masjid, Gyandev was stopped from entering by the Maulvi but the Maulvi heard a voice from the sky asking him to allow Gyandev entrance, saying Gyandev is the son of GOD himself. Thus the Maulvi embraced Gyandev and allowed him to stay in the masjid along with his brother and sister.
Important Teachers
On one of the Navnath lineages, started by H.H. Revan nath (Also know as Kadasiddha- Siddhagiri) which was further carried on by Nimbargi Maharaj(Nimbargi) - Who also gave rise to the great Nimbargi Sampradaya, With great disciples as H.H. Shri. Bhausaheb Maharaj Umdikar (Umdi, Inchgiri), H.H. Shri Amburao Maharaj of Jigjivani(Inchgiri) and H.H. Shri. Gurudev Ranade of Nimbal, H.H. Shri.Sri Siddharameshwar (1888–1936) H.H. Shri. Nisargadatta Maharaj (1897–1981), Sri Ranjit Maharaj (1913–2000) [4].
Today, the Navnath Parampara is one of the most well known advaitic parampara in the world [5].
Further reading
- I Am That, Talks with Sri Nisargadatta, Transcribed and edited by Maurice Frydman. 1973. ISBN 0893860220.
- www.gurudevranade.com
- Nectar of Immortality, Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj Discourses on the Eternal, Edited by Robert Powell. 1987. ISBN 8120817338.
References
- ^ Berntsen, Maxine; Zelliot, Eleanor (1988). The Experience of Hinduism: Essays on Religion in Maharashtra. Albany, N.Y: State University of New York Press. pp. 338. ISBN 0-88706-662-3.
- ^ I Am That, by Nisargadatta Maharaj, chapter 97, Part II, Page 271
- ^ Sri Ranjit Maharaj profile
- ^ Lineages at advait.org
External links
Categories:- Yogis
- Hindu traditions
- Religious organisations based in India
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