Abstract
Gorakhnāth (or Gorakṣānātha in Sanskrit) is a semi-legendary figure who is traditionally considered the inventor of Haṭhayoga and the founder of the ascetic tradition of the Nāths. Although many texts in various Indian languages are attributed to Gorakhnāth, there are no reliable historical accounts of him, so we do not know for sure when and where he lived, or even whether he was a real character at all. No early Sanskrit text contains a biography of Gorakṣanātha, so the only sources of information about him are legends and stories in various late vernacular works.
Probably the most extensive is the Middle Bengali text "Victory of Gorakhnāth" (Gorakhabijaẏa), which describes the well-known all-India story of how Gorakhnāth rescues his teacher Mīnanāth (or Matsyendranāth) from the kingdom of women. In my presentation, I will introduce the figure of Gorakhnāth as described in this Bengali text, and I will ask whether it is possible to determine what yogic teaching and practice this Gorakhnāth represents. Is it really the kind of yoga we now call Haṭhayoga? Or is it a different kind of yoga? And is it yoga at all?