Obscure Religious Cults as Background of Bengali Literature c4.7

c4.7

The nature and history of the Nāth cult, which has inspired a considerable amount of literature in Bengal as also in many other parts of India, is still shrouded in the mist of myths and legends. The stray articles found on the subject seem to be inadequate. Dr. Mohan Singh’s work, *Gorakhnath and Mediaeval Hindu Mysticism*, is hardly a sufficient exposition of the mystic religion of the sect. The recent work of Mr. Briggs, *Gorakhnāth and the Kānphaṭ Yogīs*, is a commendable accumulation of facts and traditions. But the distinctive feature of Nāthism remains hitherto unexplained. Hence there is ample scope for serious study in the practically unexplored field of Nāthism.