Matsyendranath
| Matsyendranatha मत्स्येन्द्रनाथ मछिन्द्रनाथ बुंग द्यः |
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Matsyendranātha
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| Born | 10th century c.e Kamarupa |
| Founder of | Nath, Hatha yoga |
| Denomination | Nath, Kaula shaivism |
| Philosophy | Hatha yoga, Tantra |
| Notable disciple(s) | Gorakshanath, Jalandharnath, Kanifnath (Kanhoba), Gahininath, Bhartrinath, Revan Nath, Charpatinath and Naganath |
| Kaulajnan-Nirnaya, Akul-Viratantra | |
Matsyendranātha, Macchindranāth or Mīnanātha (Newari Buṅga Dyaḥ, c. early 10th century) was a saint and yogi in a number of Buddhist and Hindu traditions. He is traditionally considered the founder of hatha yoga as well as the author of some of its earliest texts. He is also seen as the founder of the natha sampradaya, having received the teachings from Shiva. He is especially associated with kaula shaivism. He is also one of the eighty-four mahasiddhas and considered the guru of Gorakshanath, another important figure in early hatha yoga. He is revered by both Hindus and Buddhists, and is sometimes regarded as an incarnation of Avalokiteśvara.
Little is known about the life of Matsyendra and legends vary in describing his birthplace and his son is Minanatha and he is also associated with Lui-Pa, all of whose names translate as 'Lord of the Fishes'.Giuseppe Tucci states, on the authority of two Tibetan works - the Siddha (Wylie: grub thob) and Taranatha's "Possessing the Seven Transmissions" (Wylie: bka' babs bdun ldan) - that Matsyendranāth, who is seen in Tibet as an avatar of Avalokiteśvara, was a fisherman from Kamarupa. Other sources give his birthplace as Bengal. The Newar people of Nepal claim his birthplace is Bungamati near Kathmandu. He is mentioned in the Sabaratantra as one of the twenty four Kapalika siddhas.
Legends tell that Matsyendra was born under an inauspicious star. This warranted his parents to throw the baby into the ocean. It is here that the baby was swallowed by a fish where he lived for many years. The fish swam to the bottom of the ocean where Shiva was imparting the secrets of yoga to his consort, Parvati. Upon overhearing the secrets of yoga, Matsyendra began to practice yoga sadhana inside the fish's belly. After twelve years he finally emerged as an enlightened Siddha. This is often given as the origin of his name 'Lord of the Fishes' or 'He Whose Lord is the Lord of the Fishes'. Other versions of the legend exist, including one in which Matsyendra was born as a fish and turned into a siddha by Shiva. Tibetan renditions of the story tell of a fisherman turned siddha named Mina who is eaten by a fish while working in the Bay of Bengal. Some scholars draw parallels between this legend and the Biblical story of Jonah and the Whale.
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