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The Nine Naths or Nath Yogies are divine immortal beings who have evolved to the seventh degree of cosmic awareness. In 12th and 13th centuries Nath Yogies emerged as a confederation of devotees of Shaivite and SIDDHA practices. The sect honors a legendary group of nine exemplars, called the nine Naths, or “lords,” who give the sect its name. Most common names are Matsyendranath and GORAKHNATH (with somewhat varying forms). These quasi-historical Naths are considered the original sources for the various Nath lineages. The forerunners of the Nath Yogis were probably the various radical Shaivite groups that arose in the early centuries of the Common Era. The Nath Yogis were outsiders and very unconventional. They often adopted outrageous practices such as eating offal and public cursing, in order to emphasize their lack of fealty to any convention. They were extreme ascetics, practicing under the umbrella of TANTRISM, which sought above all to emphasize the dark and negative aspects of existence as the source of spiritual power and transformation. However, the Naths abstained from the sexual practices generally associated with tantrism, as they generally avoided women entirely. Alchemy was an important element of Nath Yogi practice. Usually, this included not only changing base metals into gold via mercury, but also changing the body by the use of oxides of mercury to create an immortal body. These Nath Siddhas are living in many secluded parts of India, mainly in the Himalayas. It is interesting to know that all of them have evolved beyond the sixth level of consciousness called Avadhoots. Some of them have, with tremendous Yoga and tapa evolved to the state or avastha of an Avatar Nath Yogi, beyond the seventh level of universal consciousness. Nath yogis have gone on to the eighth level of divine consciousness. They are known as the rishis, who are the custodians of our human evolution. These ‘sages of the fire mist’ are great beyond man’s reckoning… Such Cosmic Avataric descents are Self-taken and are one of a kind in human history, that is, each would be unique. These levels of spiritual consciousness are way beyond the understanding of devas or gods and human beings. The stupendous magnitude of their work is incomprehensible. The Nine Nath Yogis (Nine Naths) are : 1. Matsyendra Nath 2. Gorakh Nath 3. Jalandhar Nath 4. Kanipha Nath 5. Charpati Nath 6. Bharthrihari Nath 7. Nag Nath 8. Revan Nath 9. Gahani Nath |
