Contribution of Guru Matsyendranath ji in NATH SAMPRADAY

Guru Matsyendranath ji

Nath Siddha Matsyendranath or the "Fish Lord" is the first Guru of the nine Naths (Guru of Gorakh nath ji ). Along with Gorakhnath, Matsyendranath is regarded as the founder of the Nath, Kaula and Kanphata traditions. He initiated the practices of Laya, Hatha and Raja Yogas. According to legend, Nath Siddha Matsyendranath was a fisherman from Kamarupa in Assam who hooked a giant fish and was swallowed alive by it. The fish came to rest on the ocean floor near a hidden place, which Shiva had chosen to convey his most secret teaching to his consort Uma. From within the belly of the fish Nath Siddha Matsyendranath overheard these secret teachings and received his mantra directly from Shiva, who had no option but to make Matsyendranath his disciple. Nath Siddha Matsyendranath spent twelve years perfecting his sadhana living in the belly of the fish until he was eventually disgorged onto dry land. He had many disciples, the most prominent of which was Gorakhnath. He was the guru of Gorakshanath, with whom he founded the school of hatha yoga. He is considered as the author of the Kaulajñānanirṇaya ("Discussion of the Knowledge Pertaining to the Kaula Tradition"), one of the earliest texts on Hatha Yoga in Sanskrit. He is revered by both Hindus. Matsyendranatha is believed to be the founder of the Nath.

Both Guru Gorakh Nath and Matsyendranatha have contributed  a lot in the development of yoga and spiritual sciences by literature work also with added distinction to the Santan dharma. There are a number of later Upanishads,the names of whose authors are not available but which elaborately deal with the yogic concepts and yogic methods as taught by Matsyendranath,Gorakhnath and other SiddhaYogi teachers. For examples, Ndda-Bindu Upanishad, Dhydna-Bindu Upanishad, TejoBindu Upanishad, Yoga-Tattwa Upanishad, Yoga-Chuddmani Upanishad,Yoga-Sikhd Upanishad, Yoga-Kundall Upanishad, Mandala-Brdhmana Upanishad Sdndilya Upanishad, Jdbdla Upanishady etc. There is one Upanishad, which is known as Goraksha Upanishad. Ndtha Sutra, Siva Gitd, Avadhuta Gitd,Siva Samhitd, Suta Samhita, Dattdtreya Samhita, Sdvara Tantra, Gheranda Samhita, Hatha-Yoga Pradipika, and many such Sanskrit treatises are definitely connected with the yogi Sampraddya of Gorakhnath, and they are authoritative guide-books for  spiritual aspirants in the path of Yoga.Most of these books give  valuable informations about the philosophical concepts and principles, on which the yogic methods of discipline are based, but very few of them attach primary importance to philosophical discussions on controversial topics.....