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33-452: The name kumbhaka is from Sanskrit कुम्भ kumbha , a pot, comparing the torso to a vessel full of air. Kumbhaka is the retention of the breath in pranayama , either after inhalation , the inner or Antara Kumbhaka , or after exhalation , the outer or Bahya Kumbhaka (also called Bahir Kumbhaka ). According to B.K.S. Iyengar in Light on Yoga , kumbhaka is the "retention or holding

66-548: A langar and provide a free meal to pilgrims who visit. The Gurkhas of Nepal take their name from Gorakhnath. Gorkha , a historical district of Nepal, is also named after him. A cave exists in Gorkha with his paduka (footprints) and an idol. Every year, on the day of Baisakh Purnima, a celebration known as Rot Mahotsav takes place in the cave; it has purportedly been celebrated for the last seven hundred years. According to William Northey and John Morris, legend states that

99-414: A disciple of Machendra by name Gorakhnath once visited Nepal and retired to a small hill near Deo Patan. There, he meditated in an unmovable state for twelve years. The locals built a temple in his honour there. Dang valley of Nepal, located in the south-west of the country close to India, is regarded as one of the historically significant place for the disciples of Gorakhnath for over 1300 years. As per

132-404: A full inhalation for 5 seconds, it suggests retaining the air for 10 seconds, exhaling smoothly, and then taking several ordinary breaths. It recommends five such rounds per pranayama session, increasing the time of retention as far as is comfortable by one second each week of practice. The yoga scholar Andrea Jain states that while pranayama in modern yoga as exercise consists of synchronising

165-568: A life as an exponent of ideas of Kumarila and Adi Shankara that championed the Yogic and Advaita Vedanta interpretation of the Upanishads. Gorakhnath considered the controversy between dualism and nondualism in medieval India as useless from a practical point of view. According to Banerjea, He emphasised that the choice is that of the yogi, and that spiritual discipline and practice by either path leads to "perfectly illumined samadhi state of

198-622: A professor of Religious Studies known for his studies on Yoga and music, "the connections between Goraknath, the Kanphatas and Hatha yoga are beyond question". According to Arvind-Pal Singh Mandair, a professor in Asian languages and cultures, the Gorakhnath orders were operating free community kitchens in Punjab before Guru Nanak founded Sikhism. Gorakhnath shrines have continued to operate

231-540: A standstill; this is called breath regulation . According to the scholar-practitioner of yoga Theos Bernard , the ultimate aim of pranayama is the suspension of breathing, "causing the mind to swoon". Swami Yogananda writes, "The real meaning of Pranayama, according to Patanjali, the founder of Yoga philosophy, is the gradual cessation of breathing, the discontinuance of inhalation and exhalation". The yoga scholars James Mallinson and Mark Singleton write that "pure breath-retention" (without inhalation or exhalation)

264-572: Is a Hatha Yoga Sanskrit text attributed to Gorakhnath by the Nath tradition. According to Feuerstein (1991: p. 105), it is "one of the earliest hatha yoga scriptures, the Siddha Siddhanta Paddhati , contains many verses that describe the avadhuta " (liberated) yogi. The Siddha Siddhanta Paddhati text is based on an advaita (nonduality) framework, where the yogi sees "himself in all beings, and all in himself" including

297-673: Is a temple in Vadukku Poigainallur, Nagapattinam , Tamil Nadu which specifically houses his Jeeva Samadhi . According to one account, he spent much of his youth in the Velliangiri Mountains , Coimbatore . There are various other shrines honouring Korakkar , including ones located in Perur , Thiruchendur and Trincomalee . Korakkar Caves are found in both Sathuragiri and the Kolli Hills , where he

330-472: Is a type of pottery in India. Traditionally, it is made by Kumbhars , also known as Prajapati s. In the context of Hindu , Jain and Buddhist mythology , the kumbha symbolises the womb. It represents fertility, life, generative power of human beings and sustenance and is generally associated with devis , particularly Ganga . According to Hindu mythology, the first kumbha was created by Prajapati on

363-547: Is also a temple of Gorakhnath in the state of Odisha. The Gorakhnath Math is a monastery of the Nath monastic group named after the medieval saint, Gorakhnath (c. 11th century), of the Nath sampradaya. The math and town of Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh is named after him. The monastery and the temple perform various cultural and social activities and serve as the cultural hub of the city. The monastery also publishes texts on

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396-414: Is mastered, there is nothing in the three worlds that is unattainable. The 15th century Hatha Yoga Pradipika states that the kumbhakas force the breath into the central sushumna channel (allowing kundalini to rise and cause liberation ). The 18th century Gheranda Samhita states that death is impossible when the breath is held in the body. Mallinson and Singleton note that sahita kumbhaka ,

429-428: Is noted to have practised his sadhana. Like his colleagues, the 18 Siddhars , Korakkar wrote cryptic Tamil poetry pertaining to medicine , philosophy and alchemy . He was one of the first to use cannabis in his medicinal preparations for certain ailments; as a result, it gained the name Korakkar Mooligai (Korakkar's Herb). The Bengali Hindu community in the states of West Bengal , Tripura , and Assam , and

462-514: Is the ultimate pranayama practice in later hatha yoga texts. They give as an example the account in the c. 13th century Dattātreyayogaśāstra of kevala kumbhaka (breath retention unaccompanied by breathing). They note that this is "the only advanced technique" of breath-control in that text, stating that in it the breath can be held "for as long as one wishes". The Dattātreyayogaśāstra states that kevala kumbhaka Once unaccompanied [ kevala ] breath-retention, free from exhalation and inhalation,

495-482: The 13th century. Grierson, relying on evidence discovered in Gujarat, suggests the 14th century. Gorakhnath is referenced in the poetry of Kabir and of Guru Nanak of Sikhism , which describe him as a very powerful leader with a large following. Historical texts imply that Gorakhnath was a Buddhist in a region influenced by Shaivism, but then converted to Hinduism, championing Shiva and Yoga . Gorakhnath led

528-573: The breath with movements (between asanas ), in ancient texts like the Bhagavad Gita and the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali , pranayama meant "complete cessation of breathing", for which she cites Bronkhorst 2007. The Yoga Sutras state: [D]istractions ... act as barriers to stillness. ... One can subdue these distractions by ... pausing after breath flows in or out. With effort relaxing, the flow of inhalation and exhalation can be brought to

561-424: The breath, a state where there is no inhalation or exhalation". Sahit or Sahaja Kumbhaka is an intermediate state, when breath retention becomes natural, at the stage of withdrawal of the senses, Pratyahara , the fifth of the eight limbs of yoga . Kevala Kumbhaka , when inhalation and exhalation can be suspended at will, is the extreme stage of Kumbhaka "parallel with the state of Samadhi ", or union with

594-703: The country Bangladesh have a sizeable number of people belonging to the Nath Sampradaya , named as Nath or Yogi Nath , who have taken the name from Gorakhnath. They were marginalised in Medieval Bengal. Romola Butalia , an Indian writer of Yoga history, lists the works attributed to Gorakhnath as including the Gorakṣaśataka , Goraksha Samhita , Goraksha Gita , Siddha Siddhanta Paddhati , Yoga Martanda , Yoga Siddhanta Paddhati , Yogabīja , Yogacintamani . The Siddha Siddhanta Paddhati

627-461: The divine, the last of the eight limbs of yoga , attained only by continuous long term pranayama and kumbhaka exercises. The 18th century Joga Pradipika states that the highest breath control, which it defines as inhaling to a count ( mātrā ) of 8, holding to a count of 19, and exhaling to a count of 9, confers liberation and Samadhi. The Yoga Institute recommends sitting in a meditative posture such as Sukhasana for Kumbhaka practice. After

660-487: The first half of the 2nd millennium CE, but there is some disagreement about which century he lived. Estimates based on archaeological and textual evidence range from Briggs' estimate of the 11th to 12th century to Grierson's estimate of the 14th century. Gorakhnath is considered a Maha-yogi (or "great yogi") in Hindu tradition. He did not emphasise a specific metaphysical theory or a particular Truth , but emphasised that

693-538: The individual phenomenal consciousness.". The hagiography on Gorakhnath describe his appearance on earth several times. The legends do not provide a birth time or place, and consider him to be superhuman. North Indian hagiographies suggest he originated from northwest India ( Punjab , with some mentioning Peshawar ). Other hagiographies in Bengal and Bihar suggest he originated from eastern region of India ( Assam ). Available hagiographies offer varying records of

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726-611: The intermediate state which is still accompanied (the meaning of sahita ) by breathing, was described in detail. They write that the Goraksha Sataka describes four sahita kumbhakas , and that the Hatha Yoga Pradipika describes another four. They point out, however, that these supposed kumbhakas differ in their styles of breathing, giving the example of the buzzing noise made while breathing in bhramari . Kumbha A kumbha ( Sanskrit : कुम्भ )

759-489: The kumbha stands for the zodiac sign Aquarius and is ruled by 2 important planets that is (Saturn and Rahu). Kumbha is also associated with the Kumbha Mela , which happens when the planet Brihaspati moves into Aquarius. In Hindu epic Ramayana , Ravana 's brother Kumbhakarna had a son named Kumbha, who was killed by Sugriva . With time professions turned in to last names e.g. the last name Kumbha refers to one of

792-516: The legend, the king of Dang named Ratnaparikshak was initiated by Gorakhnath in the valley's forest and later became a famed siddha called Ratnanath, and built a temple. Ratnanath travelled across the sub-continent to spread the teachings of Hatha yoga . In the Siddhar tradition of Tamil Nadu , Gorakhnath is one of the 18 esteemed Siddhars of yore, and is also known as Korakkar . Siddhar Agastya and Siddhar Bhogar were his gurus . There

825-464: The movement's expansion happened under the guidance and inspiration of Gorakhnath. He produced a number of writings and even today is considered the greatest of the Naths . It has been purported that Gorakhnath wrote the first books on Laya yoga . In India there are many caves, many with temples built over them, where it is said that Gorakhnath spent time in meditation. According to Bhagawan Nityananda ,

858-653: The occasion of the marriage of Shiva , so he was first kumbhara "potter". Another myth says that the first pot was created by Vishvakarman on the occasion of the churning of the ocean for the first Amrit Sanchar . In Hindu mythology and scriptures , several references are found of human beings born from kumbha. A legend states that rishi Agastya was born out of a kumbha. In several religious ceremonies and rituals, kumbhas or kalashas filled with water and leaves and decorated with intricate motifs, sometimes with ornaments, play an important role in ancient India. These rituals still survive in India. In Hindu astrology ,

891-571: The origins of Hatha yoga with the Nath yogis, in particular Gorakhnath and his guru Matsyendranath . According to British indologist James Mallinson , this association is false. In his view, the origins of hatha yoga should be associated with the Dashanami Sampradaya of Advaita Vedanta (Hinduism), the mystical figure of Dattatreya , and the Rāmānandīs . While the origins of Hatha yoga are disputed, according to Guy Beck,

924-522: The philosophy of Gorakhnath. A shrine existed at the site from older times which was converted into a mosque by Ala-ud-din Khilji. A smaller shrine was built by Nath Sampraday's followers at a later time. Later additions were made in 18th, 19th and 20th century by devotees and yogis of the order. The math is situated in a Muslim majority area and is a centre of syncretism among devotees and visitors from diverse communal background. Some scholars associate

957-563: The samadhi shrine (tomb) of Gorakhnath is at Nath Mandir near the Vajreshwari temple about one kilometre from Ganeshpuri, Maharashtra , India . Legends state that Gorakhnath and Matsyendranath did penance in Kadri Temple at Mangalore, Karnataka. They were also instrumental in laying Shivlingam at Kadri and Dharmasthala. The temple of Gorakhnath is situated on hill called Garbhagiri near Vambori, Tal Rahuri; Dist Ahmednagar. There

990-600: The search for Truth and the spiritual life is a valuable and normal goal of man. Gorakhnath championed Yoga , spiritual discipline and an ethical life of self-determination as a means to reaching samadhi . Gorakhnath, his ideas, and his yogis have been popular in rural India, with monasteries and temples dedicated to him found in many states of India, particularly in the eponymous city of Gorakhpur . Historians disagree on when Gorakhnath lived. Briggs estimates 11th to 12th century, while Abbott argues that Baba Farid documents and Jnanesvari manuscripts place Gorakhnath in

1023-447: The spiritual descent of Gorakhnath. All name Adinath and Matsyendranath as two teachers preceding him, though one account lists five gurus preceding Adinath, and another lists six teachers between Matsyendranath and Gorakhnath. Current tradition has Adinath placed with Shiva as the direct teacher of Matsyendranath , who was himself the direct teacher of Gorakhnath. The Nath tradition states that it existed before Gorakhnath, but

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1056-467: The surnames of Schedule tribe Community named Yerukala in Andhra Pradesh . This article about the culture of India is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This Hindu mythology–related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Goraksha Sataka Gorakhnath (also known as Goraksanath (Sanskrit: Gorakṣanātha ), c. early 11th century)

1089-676: Was a Hindu yogi , mahasiddha and saint who was the founder of the Nath Hindu monastic movement in India . He is considered one of the two disciples of Matsyendranath . His followers are known as Jogi , Gorakhnathi , Darshani or Kanphata . He was one of nine saints, or Navnath , and is known in Maharashtra, India. Hagiographies describe him to be a person outside the laws of time who appeared on earth during different ages. Historians agree that Gorakhnath lived sometime during

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