Gorakhnath and the Kanphata Yogis c7.48

c7.48

In the Panjab, secular Yogīs are called Rāwal. They make their living by begging, fortune-telling, singing and similar means; they were originally, probably, Yogīs.² The Saṃyog of the Panjab is a true caste. In Kulu they are Nāthas; in Ambāla, Jogī Pādha; in Nābha, they are teachers of the children of Hindus; in Laharu they are of the Jāṭu tribe, part being secular, part celibate. Among them widow marriage is practised. The Saṃyog of Ambāla has twelve sections. (The Barahnāth sub-group.)³ In the Karnāl they are Hindus. They receive offerings made to impure gods, and form the lowest of all castes; they practise witchcraft and divination and are musicians.⁴ In Kāṅgra there are two groups, the Andarlā who are both Darṣanīs and Āughars and the Bāhirlā, all Āughars.⁵ These connect with Gorakhnāth through a legend concerning the sons of Macchendranāth. Once Gorakhnāth gave the boys each a goat to be sacrificed at a place where no one could see them. One actually performed the sacrifice; but the other reported that he could find no place where either man or bird or sun or moon would not be a witness. Gorakhnāth praised him and placed him close to himself, while the first was expelled from his presence. Thus arose the appellations ‘Andarlā’ and ‘Bāhirlā.’ Both of these divisions observe the usual Hindu customs, except that at death ceremonies the Bāhirlā give Brāhmans food but do not feast them; and at funerals blow a *nād* instead of a conch. Of the Darṣanīs some go clothed; others, unclothed, use ashes. The Naṅgas eat flesh and drink liquor, while the others do not.