Yogi Heroes and Poets: Histories and Legends of the Naths

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An exploration of the history, religion, and folklore of the Naths, a Hindu lineage known for Hatha yoga practice.

This book provides a remarkable range of information on the history, religion, and folklore of the Nath Yogis. A Hindu lineage prominent in North India since the eleventh century, Naths are well-known as adepts of Hatha yoga and alchemical practices said to increase longevity. Long a heterogeneous group, some Naths are ascetics and some are householders; some are dedicated to personified forms of Shiva, others to a formless god, still others to Vishnu.

The essays in the first part of the book deal with the history and historiography of the Naths, their literature, and their relationships with other religious movements in India. Essays in the second part discuss the legends and folklore of the Naths and provide an exploration of their religious ideas. Contributors to the volume depict a variety of local areas where this lineage is prominent and highlight how the Naths have been a link between religious, metaphysical, and even medical traditions in India.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Adrian Munoz

Adrian Munoz is Associate Professor of Comparative Religion at the National Autonomous University of Mexico.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR David N. Lorenzen

David N. Lorenzen has been a professor in the Center of Asian and African Studies of El Colegio de Mexico in Mexico City since 1970. In 1989 he was a visiting professor at the University of Iowa. He has made numerous research trips to India under the auspices of both the India-Mexico cultural exchange agreement and the American Institute of Indian Studies. His recent publications include several articles on the Kabir Panth, on Gupta history, and a forthcoming book on Kabir legends. He is currently editor of the Spanish language journal, Estudios de Asia y Africa, published by El Colegio de Mexico.