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Literature of Gorakhnathis
Literature of Gorakhnathis is specifically associated with the teachings of Saint Gorakhnath. The literature of Gorakhnathis includes several books and doctrines that define the traditions associated with them.

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In the context of the literature of Gorakhnathis nothing much can be said as there is little teaching of books and a limited practice of Yoga amongst the Kanphata yogis. Some inquiries at the principal centres of the Gorakhnath Yogis elicit very little knowledge of their texts, even of the names of their treatises on the Hatha Yoga. Many of the Yogis and some of their mahants are illiterate. There is, however, some oral teaching. Besides the cyclic songs there are a number of works that Gorakhnathis use, and others which are attributed to them, or which deal with the Hatha Yoga.

The names of the books and their four groups are as follows -

Group I

•Devi Bhagavat
•Sapta Deva Stotra
•Bhagat Sagar
•Sati Sagar
•Durga Pat
•Bhdirom Pat
•Rambodh
•Gorakhbodh (it is written in an old form of Hindi)
•Gyan Sagar
•Brahmanda sar Gita
•Hatha Yoga (Attributed to Goraksanatha)
•Hatha Samhita
•Caturasityasana
•Yoga Cintamani (on Hatha Yoga by Sivananda Saraswati)
•Yoga Manjari
•Yoga Samdhya
•Goraksa Samhita (it deals with details of performing Yoga Meditations)
•Yoga Samgraha
•Goraksa Kaumudi
•Yoga Martanda
•Vivekamartanda Yoga
•Goraksa Gita
•Goraksa Pancaya
•Siva Gita
•Hatha Sanketa Candrika
•Goraksa Sahasranama

The books of this group are of varying dates, some in Hindi, others In Sanskrit, and are not of primary significance.

Group II

•Siva Purana
•Niranfana Purana
•Visnu Sahasranama
•Visvananda Tantra
•Siva Rahasya Tantra
•Rudra Yamala Tantra

The books of this group are general Puranic, Tantric and sectarian works.

Group III

•Hathayogapradipika - This is a Tantric-Hatha-Yoga treatise written by Cintamani, who as a hermit took the name of Swatmarama and attained the title, yogindra. This book contains 382 verses arranged in four chapters. The verses in the Goraksasataka are found, scattered in the Hathayogapradipika.


•Gheranda Samhita - The Gheranda Samhita is a work very similar to the preceding, from which it borrows; but it gives much attention to dhauti and more details of personal hygiene.


•Shiva Samhita - The Shiva Samhita is a Tantric treatise on Yoga also, but much more difficult than the two preceding works and much longer, containing 517 verses. It is Vedantic in its philosophical outlook.

These three treatises of this group are of considerable value for the study of the literature of Gorakhnathis.

Group IV

•Goraksa Sataka
•Jnana Sataka
•Jnanaprakasa Sataka
•Goraksa Sataka Tika
•Goraksa Sataka Tippana
•Goraksa Kalpa
•Goraksa Paddhati
•Yoga Siddhanta Paddhati (It is written on the practice of Yoga by Gorakhnath)
•Siddhanta Paddhati (rules of Yoga by Gorakhnath)
•Siddhasiddhanta Paddhati
•Yoga Mahiman

The teaching contained in the Goraksasataka is a mingling of Yoga and Tantra doctrines. These books concerning the literature of Gorakhnathis are attributed to Gorakhnath and the traditions and literary references associated with him.


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