The Navanath (

हिंदी Hindi (Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been ...

- नवनाथ), also spelt as Navnatha in vernacular languages, are the nine saints, Masters or Naths on whom the Navnath Sampradaya, the lineage of the nine gurus, is based.nisargadatta.org, ''Navnath Sampradaya''
They are worshipped collectively as well as individually.

Nine gurus

Some members of the Nath Sampraday believe Rishi Dattatreya, an incarnation of the Hindu trinity

Brahma Brahma ( sa, ब्रह्मा, Brahmā) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the trinity of supreme divinity that includes Vishnu, and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp ...

Vishnu Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism. Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" withi ...

and

Shiva Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one o ...

was its first teacher. Other traditions hold that

Matsyendranath Matsyendranātha, also known as Matsyendra, Macchindranāth, Mīnanātha and Minapa (early 10th century) was a saint and yogi in a number of Buddhist and Hindu traditions. He is traditionally considered the revivalist of hatha yoga as well ...

received initiation directly from

, also known as Adi Nath. In many modern Nath groups, worship of Gorakshanath and Shiva is primary. The nine teachers, collectively known as Navnaths, are considered representative of great teachers in this tradition or parampara. Several lists are known:

Nisargadatta Maharaj

According to

Maurice Frydman Maurice Frydman (''Maurycy Frydman'' or ''Maurycy Frydman-Mor'' in Polish), aka ''Swami Bharatananda'' (20 October 1901 in Warsaw, Russian Empire – 9 March 1976 in Bombay, India), was an engineer and humanitarian who spent the later part of his ...

, the translator of Nisargadatta Maharaj's ''I Am That'', "the most widely accepted list" and Suamitra Mullarpattan is as follows: #

Machindranath Matsyendranātha, also known as Matsyendra, Macchindranāth, Mīnanātha and Minapa (early 10th century) was a saint and yogi in a number of Buddhist and Hindu traditions. He is traditionally considered the revivalist of hatha yoga as well a ...

or Matsyendranath,(9th Century), "who was said to be, initiated by one of the three primary Hindu gods (Vishnu, Shiva, Brahma), namely by Shiva, in the science and teaching of Yoga." # Gorakshanath or

Gorakhnath Gorakhnath (also known as Goraksanath, c. early 11th century) was a Hindu yogi, saint who was the influential founder of the Nath Hindu monastic movement in India He is considered one of the two notable disciples of Matsyendranath. His followe ...

# Jalindranath or Jalindranath #

Kanifnath Kanifnath ( मराठी: कानिफनाथ) also known as Kanhoba (कान्होबा), is a Hindu saint. He is one of the nine Mahayogis of Navnath Sampradaya. Kanifnath is Maharashtrian version of the name Kanhapad, a Siddha ...

or Kanhoba # Gahininath or Gehininath # Bhartrinath or Bhartarinath or Raja Bhartari or Bhartṛhari # Revananath or Revan Siddh or Kada Siddha or Ravalanath # Charpatinath or Charpatakshnath # Naganath or Nageshnath

List 2

Matsyendranath (the chief Natha), Gorakshanatha, Charpatinatha, Mangalnatha, Ghugonatha, Gopinatha, Prannatha, Suratnatha and Cambanatha. They are not related to the divisions of the orders.

List 3

In another list each Natha is identified with a Hindu god:1. Aumkar Adinatha (Lord of Lords), Siva; 2. Shelnatha (Lord of the Arrow Shaft), Krisna or Rama Chandra; 3. Santoknatha (Lord of Gratification) 4. Acalacambhunatha (Lord of Wondrous Immortality), Hanuman or Laksman; 5. Gajbali Gajkanthnatha (Lord of the Elephant's Strength and Neck)) Ganesa Gajikarna (Elephant-Eared); 6. Prajnatha, or Udaynatha (Lord of the People), Parvati; 7. Mayarupi Macchendranatha (The Wondrous Form), Guru of Gorakhnatha; 8. Gathepinde Ricayakari, or Naranthar, Sambhujaiti Guru Gorakhnatha; 9. Gyansarupe, or Purakh Siddh Cauranjwenatha, or Puran Bhagat.

List 4

Orhkarinath, Visnu; Samtokanath, Visnu; Gajboli, Gajana, Hanuman; Acalesvar, Ganpati; Udayanatha, Surya; Parvati Prem, Mahadeo; Santhanatha, Brahma; Gyaniji Siddhacewarafigi, Jaggannath; Mayarupi, Matsya. The Nathas are also the guardian spirits of the Himalayan peaks.

List 5

1.Adinath 2. Udaynath Parvati 3.Satyanath Brahamaji 4.Santoshnath Vishnuji 5.Achabhenath Shesh 6.Kanthadnath Ganeshji 7.Chaurangi Chandrma 8.Matsyendranath 9.Gorakhnathh.

List 6

Omkarnath, Udaynath, Santoshnath, Achalnath, Gajbalinath, Gyannath, Chauranginath, Matsyendranath, Gorakhnath.

List 7

Macchendranatha, Gorakhnath, Jalandhernath, Kanifnath, Charpatinath, Naagnath, Bhartrharinath, Gahininath, Ravennath.

List 8

Shri Gorakhnath, Javaalendranath, Kaarinanath, Gahini nath, Charpath nath, Revan nath, Naag nath, Bharthari Nath, Gopichand Nath. 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.

Notes

References

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