23
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 Saivas and not Buddhists. Matsyendra calls himself a Kaula in his treatise Kaula-jnana-nirnaya.
That the Natha Yogis were Saivites can be proved from the sect mark of Yoni-linga, the organs of generation symbolsing divine procreation, on their right fore-arm, and of tripundra (three horizontal lines drawn with ashes) on their forehead. The Natha yogis visit Saiva shrines and pierce the cartilages of the ears to wear Kundalas (ear-rings) like Siva. They wear woollen holy thread from which is hung a nada and pabitri, or a horn whistle and a brass ring which represent Siva and Shakti. The Natha 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 Nepal dressed as a Saiva Yogi to preach Saivism. Above all Matsyendra was known as a fisherman and was associated with fish even as a yogi, while non-injury is a special feature of Buddhism.
The mantra of the Natha 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 Natha guru with Buddhism? Gorakhnath and some other Natha gurus have been also identified with Buddhist Sahajias, and on the other hand, we find the names of Buddhist siddhas Sringaripao and Ramanvajra, associated with those of the Natha gurus, Gopichandra and Gorakhnath.
We have proved that the Natha 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 Sahajias and the Natha Yogis resulted in these confusions. The Bengali writings of Luipa-Minanath and the fact that Luipa belonged to ‘Lohita' country in Kamarupa were also responsible for turning a Kaula yogi into a Sahajia Buddhist.
