Gorakhnath and the Kanphata Yogis c8.4

c8.4

The author, after compiling the various lists, and collecting names of sub-sects from all available sources, visited Ṭilla and Amritsar in December, 1924, where he discussed the whole matter with the mahant, Pīr Kalla Nāth, of Ṭilla. This mahant, who is generally held to be at the head of all the Kānphaṭas, together with a few other Yogīs, went over the list of names, making frequent reference to his records. The results of this conference are included in the following account of the sub-divisions of the Gorakhnāthīs. Reference to the names arranged in the tables attached to this chapter will show that not all of the sub-sects of the order are traceable to Gorakhnāth himself. Jālandharpā (Jālandharipā) was made by Ādināth, while Kānipā and perhaps Bhartṛhari were disciples of Jālandhar. Furthermore, Matsyendranāth made some disciples, besides Gorakhnāth, who in turn, made disciples and formed sub-sects; and Gorakhnāth was associated with Matsyendranāth in making others. The *paramparās* show, further, that either Gorakhnāth and Matsyendranāth were closely related in the formation of the sect of Kānphaṭas, or that Gorakhnāth was greater than his teacher; for all the tradition bears the clearer impress of the former. In Chart D, at the end of this chapter, the order is traced back to Śakti. This would agree with the *teaching* of the Yogic doctrine of the sect and is, apparently, a matter of theory.