Goraksha Samhita

Goraksha Samhita is composed by the great Yogi Goraksanatha. Renowned spiritual masters in the East have highly acknowledged and honored him as a Siddha Yogi for many centuries. His name is mentioned by Svami Svatmarama in his classical text Hatha Yoga Pradipika (Chapter One, Verses 4 and 5). He is also one of the Masters mentioned in the Puranas and yogic texts. He is well known as Guru Gorakhanath, and a highly respected, revered and worshipped spiritual master in India and Nepal. The followers of the Nath Tradition worship him as the incarnation of Lord Siva, and say that the nine Naths and eighty-four Siddhas belong to Adinatha, Lord Siva. So, he is also called Siva Goraksa, the founder of the Natha Siddha tradition.

It is said that Goraksanatha was an Eighth Century Siddha Yogi. But some say that his physical presence occurred somewhere from the 8th to 11th century. According to the Nath Siddha tradition, Guru Gorakhnath is an immortal sage and takes care of human beings and their welfare.

It is said that Hatha Yogi Mastsyendranath was the Guru of Goraksanatha. Yogi Mastsyendranath received Yoga Vidya (knowledge/wisdom) directly from the mouth of Lord Siva through Parvati. It was Guru Goraksanatha who summarized the yogic subject matter in two hundred verses, which he had received from his Guru Mastsyendranath, based on the teachings of Sri Adinatha (Lord Siva). This summarized text by Goraksanatha is called Goraksa Samhita (compendium) which is also known as Gorakhsa Paddhati: Yogic Path of Guru Gorakhanatha.

Goraksa Samhita highly emphasizes the purification of the body, prana and the mind. It is believed that total purification of all impurities on both the physical and pranic levels is absolutely necessary in order to purify the mind. When these impurities are eliminated from the body and the energy blocks are removed, then the foundation for the awakening of the Sakti is prepared.