Goraksh Nath

Goraksh Nath

The Life story of Guru Gorakṣa-pa

This is the Vajrayana version of the Life story of Guru Goraksh Nath, also including the part of the story of Chorangi Nath, as the story number 9 in Caturaśīti-siddha-pravṛitti or 'The Life Stories of the Eighty Four Siddhas' by Abhaya Datta. Probably this is the oldest written record about Goraksh Nath and the Natha Tradition.

In the Eastern India raja Devapal was ruling, who has one son. When the boy became twelve ears old, his mother queen, became very seek, and was about to die. Last words she spoke to her son were, that happiness and unhappiness of living beings are caused by good or bad deeds they (themselves) are performed (karma). (In accordance with Hindu believes our present lives are caused by our Karma- record of deeds we done in our previous lives. If we behave well, we are getting good consequences, and if we did bad to some one, we getting suffering as punishment. In such way man writing his own future fate by his own actions.) So she told him, that better to die, than to do evil to others. After saying this she breathed her last breath.

After some time people asked the king, who was still young, to marry other queen from another state and he did accordingly. After spending together with his new wife few days, raja went in jungle for hunting. When the new queen came on the roof of the palace, she saw there king’s son. She became extremely fond of him, so that she sent messenger to him, inviting him to come near her. When he got her message, his answer was that he doesn’t want to do so. After listening this, the queen felt herself greatly ashamed, and she thought: ‘He showed me disrespect, (in front of the people), and what may be more painful for me! By any means he should be destroyed!’ In anger she ordered servants immediately to kill him, but she was answered, that he is the only son of the king, and duty this reason it is impossible for them, to kill him.

(But enraged queen not became pacified on it), so she decided to destroy prince, by any cost and means, by applying her craftiness. The queen went to her room and made bloody injuries and scratches all over her body. She torn her closes to pieces and lay down on her bad in such state. When the king returned to the palace, he after seeing her state, asked her: ’Who did this with you?’

On what queen has told: ‘This was done by your son’.

After listening her, the king became inflamed with anger and he told: ‘Who ever did this misbehavior with you, we should be put to death immediately.’ Then he called two of his executioners and ordered them to take prince to the jungle, and cut away his legs and hands. The both executioners thought, that it is not proper for them to kill the son of the king, so they decided instead, to kill they own sons and spare his life. They told to the prince that kill him is impossible for them, and duty this reason they would kill they own sons instead of him.

But the prince answered that doing so would be wrong, and that they should obey the order they got from the king, and kill him only. He told them the last words his mother was saying: ‘Even to safe your life, don’t do wrong things. So to fulfill the order given by the father, you should kill me’. They put him under a tree, and after cutting away his hands and legs, went away.

In such condition he was found there by yogi Achintya (Matsyendra Nath) who happen to pass by. Acharya accepted him as a disciple and initiated him into Yoga. After walking little distance from there, he saw few herdsman. When he came into their midst he has addressed to them, ‘Do you see those vultures collected over there? At that place under a tree, one limbless man is laying. Who of you can go to him and take care of him?’ One of cowherds, the boy who was from the caste of incense sellers, has agreed to go and to have a look. He told to the yogi: ’But I have one condition. I will accomplish your job, and you will have to make complete mine.

He went to the place in jungle as he was told by the yogi, towards the place where vultures were circling. After seeing the limbless prince, he returned back and told to the yogi: ‘Yes, what you was saying is true.’

The yogi asked from cowherd boy: ‘What you have for your daily food?’

The boy answered: “I am getting some food from our main cowherd. I will share half of it with him daily.’ On listening his answer Achintya has told: ‘Very kind of you, my child. Please take care of that limb-cut (Chor-ang) man properly.’ After saying this he left.

Cowherd boy has built some hut over the helpless prince, and started daily provide him with food and what ever else was required. He also was cleaning away urine and excrement of helpless Chorangi, with his own hands. In such way twelve ears have passed. Once when he came to the hut as usually, he saw that prince was standing on his own legs. In amazing he asked him; ‘How this became possible?’

The prince answered:’

"As result of the way given by the able Param Guru,

By explaining oneness of the mind and elements,

All natural laws merged into the one Supernatural law.

Going beyond of happiness and sadness,

Has made my legs and hands restored.’

While saying this he flew up from the ground, and remained seated in the air. He asked from cowherd:’ (You are sincerely served me in course of twelve ears, and shared your food with me. You became more then brother for me. How I can pay for all you did for me?) Should I teach you yoga?’

On what he was answered:’ (No I don’t want anything in return for my services.) I did it because I was told to do so, by my Guru. Now you are no more helpless as before, so I think my work is up.‘ After saying this cowherd (leave him and) went back, to continue taking care of the cattle as before.

One day Mahayogi Achintya came again. The cowherd boy narrated him what has happening in course of the twelve ears, and yogi became pleased to know it. He accepted the boy as his disciple and initiated him in Yoga. Then he has left somewhere else.

The cowherd was doing worship in accordance with the guidance obtained from the guru, and at last he has achieved the realization of Maha-mudra (the Great seal, stage of Bodhisattva realization in Tantric Buddhism, or the State of the Great Union). One day Achintya came again and ordered him, that till then he will not initiate ten million people, he should not take mukti (the final liberation from the circles of birth and death) for himself. So to fulfill the order given by the guru, he started initiate all people to whom ever he happen to met. Then one day he was approached by Mahadeva (Siva) himself, who told him that he should not initiate each and every body indiscriminately, but should give initiation only to those who deserve it and who ask for it with proper respect. Those whose hearts are impure, and those who have no faith, must not be initiated at all.

After liberating uncountable number of people, and because he was cowherd, he became famous under name ‘Goraksha’.

Even nowadays those who earnestly seek liberation, can get their initiation from him. Sincere and true in heart, get sight of him and can listen his Damru (kind of a drum) inside themselves. But he does not reveal his presence to those, who are selfish and who are in lack of faith and purity. Invisible he remains on the Earth even today.

On this story of Guru Goraksha is completed.