Jalandharnath was a saint. He is considered a contemporary of Gorakshanath. The temples of Jalandharnath are mainly in Rajasthan, Jalore, Niwai (Tonk), and Mahamandir (Jodhpur) among many places. In the Nath sect, Jalandharnath is included in the Navnaths, who are born from the wrath of Lord Shiva and are considered to be the sons of the ocean. Siddha Spirituality is of the opinion that these great Yogis incarnated only for the welfare of humanity and to raise their spiritual levels.

Incarnation of Jalandharnath

Incarnation

King Brahadravaa was ruling the kingdom of Hastinapur. He was the seventh generation of Janamejaya.

Two thousand years of Kali Yuga had passed. The King commenced the Somayaga. Brahmins and Master of the Vedas were called from various regions. The solemnization went on for a year. God Agni was contented. Among the Navnarayanas, Antariksha Narayan took birth in the Agni from the altar. While removing the ash from the altar, an illuminated good looking child was found. In a surprising state, the Brahmin gave the Child to the King. The King and the Queen Sulochana got very happy. The Queen said, “He is my second son!” Her first son was Meenaketh. They named this child, Jalandhar and everyone admired him as he was the younger brother of the Prince. 

Jalandharnath ran away from the palace

Jalandhar wanted to do generous benefactions for mankind. When asked by God Agni he gave the same answer. God Agni took him to meet Lord Dattatreya. He welcomed them both. The child that I manifested in the Somayaga of King Brahadrava, as a subtle illumination with the inheritance of Antariksha Rishi, is, Jalandhar.

Jalandharnath’s spiritual journey

The King nurtured him. I have got him here to learn Aatmavidya from you.” Dattaguru asked Jalandharnath, “Are you willing to stay with me for twelve years? I will give you all the knowledge required.” Jalandhar agreed and stayed there. God Agni left. Lord Dattatreya kept him in constant company. Bathing in River Ganga at dawn followed by Lord Vishweshwar’s worship, soliciting alms in Kolhapur, repast at Panchaleshwari, and resting at Mahurgadh, was their daily routine.

Declaration by Lord Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh as ascetic

Twelve years later when he had acquired all the knowledge, Lord Datta took him along to worship all Gods. All of them gave him various boons. He also summoned the Agni God and told him, “Your son has now become a learned and an accomplished Yogi. You can take him along!” but instead God Agni kept him in Badrikavan for another twelve years to practice asceticism. After those twelve years, Lord Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh, and also Badrinath declared him an ascetic. The son of God Agni, Jalandhar had now become Jalandharnath.

Mention of Jalandharnath in Nath-Puranas, Shivpuran, and other Hindu scriptures

Yogiraj Jalandharnath’s personality and creativity have a prominent place in the Nath sect. The glories of Maharishi Yogi Jalandharnath are described in Nath literature (in Nath-Puranas, Shivpuran, and some other Hindu scriptures). It is said that he had attained many miraculous accomplishments from his penance. Gorakshanath and Jalandharnath were the disciples of Macchindranath.

Nath-Yogi and Kanifnath’s Guru

Proven one of the proofs with the thieves. One of the Navanathas is Nath-Yogi and Kanifnath’s Guru. Jalandharnath is also known as Jalandhari, Jalandharipa, Hadipa, Jwalendra, Balnath, Balgundai, and Jaan Peer.

He taught Kaanifa everything except the Sanjeevani Vidya and the Vaataakarshan Vidya because he was not sure if Kaanif was prudent enough to use them the right way. At Lord Shankar’s command, he solicited all Gods of Astravidya* from Heaven and Hades to grant Kanif a boon. He also took a promise that they will accomplish his mantra of Sabari Vidya. Then all God’s went in situ.

Different opinions about the origin of Jalandharnath

Born in Sindh

Scholars differ on the origin of Jalandharnath. According to the pilgrim Taranath, Jalandharnath was born in Sindh province. After that, he lived for many years in a place called ‘Jwalamukhi’ in Kangra valley.

Tibet tradition: Birth of Jalandharnath at Nagarbhog

According to Tibetan tradition, he was born into a Brahmin clan in Nagarbhog. The same is true of their caste. According to the Tibetan tradition, they are called ‘Brahman’ and ‘Shudra’. 

In the Tibetan tradition, he is considered to be Macchindranath‘s guru, and in some places, Macchindranath’s guru-brother.  

Vimuktamanjari

Mahapandit Rahul Sankrityayan (1893–1963) considers him as ‘Adinath’ as ​​proof of Bhotia translation of Jalandharnath’s Vimuktamanjari.

Direct disciples of Adinath

According to reports from Bengal, Macchindranath and Jalandharnath were direct disciples of Adinath. Vinayotosh Bhattacharya has described the tradition of his guru-disciples as Sarah-Nagarjuna-Shabaripa-Luipa-Vajraghanta-Kachchhapa-Jalandharipa-Krishnacharya-Guhya-Vijayapa-Tailopa-Naropa.

Disciple of Kurmapada

According to Sankrityayan, Jalandharnath became a disciple of Kurmapada, while Macchindranath and Tantipa became disciples of Jalandharnath. Among his other disciples were Mainavati, Krishnapad (Kanifnath), and Govindchandra (Gopichand).

Navnath Bhaktisar

The earliest known historical reference to Jalandharnath is found in Kanha’s Charyapada. In this, Kanha has considered him as his guru. There is a story about him in the book ‘ Lilacharitra’ of the Mahanubhav sect in Marathi in the thirteenth century. He is also mentioned in Skanda Purana and Navnath. In Navnath Bhaktisar, he is called the incarnation of Antarikshanarayana. This book also tells a story about him. At the beginning of the book Gorakshasiddhantasangraha, Jalandharnath is worshiped.

Tanjur is a collection of Tibetan texts that contain critiques of Buddhist formulas and techniques. Tanjur mentions seven texts written by Jalandharnath; Two of them are Vimuktamanjari Geet and Hoonkarachittabindubhavnakrama in the Magahi language. 

Various stories about Jalandharnath

Hospitality to Govind Chandra

There are many stories about Jalandharnath. Lilacaritra written lila no. Also, there is a story that the statue of Govind Chandra was burnt by Jalandharnath in 507 AD. The story describes Jalandharnath’s hospitality to Govind Chandra in his hometown, the sermon he gave to Govind Chandra, the growing anger among them after that, and the mention of Jalandharnath being buried in the ground, Kanh’s release of his guru a few years later, and so on. Such a story is also prevalent in Bengal.

Place of his samadhi

Some of Jalandharnath’s ‘Thanka’ type paintings can be seen in the Tibet House Museum as well as in the archeological collection compiled by Rahul Sankrityayan. His sculptures are still unrecognizable today. Apart from this, in the Jodhpur area of ​​Rajasthan, there is a large number of devotees who consider him. The ‘Sire Mandir’ of Jalandharnath in the Jalore district is famous.

Tantric Buddhism and Shaivism

He is associated with the ‘Jalandhar’ and ‘Uddiyan’ bonds in Hatha Yoga. It is mentioned that in the thirteenth century, two Tibetan pilgrims visited the famous Jalandhar Peetha. Although the philosophy of the Kapalik sect of Jalandharipad and Krishnapad is based on Buddhism, that sect is considered to be the mediator of Tantric Buddhism and Shaivism.

Miracle of Jalandharnath

Feeding grass to the cow

The most amazing thing was that a huge bundle of grass used to run in a balance forcefully high above his head. There was no point in the weight of the bundle of grass on his head. The miracle of Yogi’s yoga practice was everywhere in the city of Hailaptan. The discussion of the miracle of Yogi Jalandharnath even reached the palace, that a perfect saint who has reached our city has come. Above the whose head, a bundle of grass-feeding the cows runs in the balance. 

Mainavati’s desire for initiation

One day Yogi was going from the side of Jalandharnath Rajmahal. King Gopichand’s mother, Mainavanti, had heard the praises of the miracle, in the same way. He thought in his mind that this yogi is indeed a reached saint. Mainavanti, after seeing him, why should I not take initiation, he called his special maid and said – “You go after this yogi and see where he is staying? Find that place and come and tell me.” The maid immediately obeyed the order of Raj Mata and following the yogi, she went back and forth to the place where he was staying and told all the whereabouts of Mainavanti.

Concern about Gopichand

She wished for his upliftment of Gopichand. One day the female servants were bathing Gopichand with essential oils, milk, honey, etc on the porch of the palace. Mainavati was watching all this from the balcony. Seeing the King’s intemperance Mainavati felt sad, two tears dropped from her eyes and fell on Gopichand. The King jolted as he sensed hot tears. He saw up and seeing his mother cry he immediately went to her and asked “Mother, why are you crying? What has made you so sad?”

Making life meaningful by worshiping God

Mainavati replied “Child, I cried for you. Your father was also as handsome as you are, but time swooped on him. Today you are busy in your intemperance, but whatever you have is also going to remain here! Make your life meaningful by worshiping God.”

Gopichand asked, “But mother, where will I find a master who will give genuine Atman Dnyana and guide me towards the path of renunciation?” Mother answered, “A Yogi named Jaalandhar, of the Nath community has arrived on the outskirts of the city. You capitulate to him! Understanding wealth is perishable; you must concentrate on your upliftment.” Gopichand said, “I shall take initiation after twelve years.” On this, his mother said, “Time waits for no one and so you should hurry up.” Lumavanti, the King’s principal wife heard their conversation. Gopichand was telling his mother that he will start preparing for the initiation.

Plan to deter the King

She called some of her friends, raised the matter in front of them, and discussed the plan to deter the King from his decision. All the twenty-eight wives of the King got together but no one could think of any plan. At last, Lumavanti got an idea and she gestated it. After dinner, the King went to Lumavanti’s palace.

She attended to him very well and pleased him. As the King got into a good mood, tactfully she took a promise from him that he would not get angry and asked “Is it true that mother-in-law has decided to take you to the saint Jaalandhar for initiation of Yoga?” The King replied, “Yes, at least so is in my mind.”

Jaalandhar was thrown into an abandoned well

Then Lumavanti said, “Maybe you don’t have an idea, but mother-in-law has a different intention. She wants to expel you and make Jaalandhar the King. Hence she wants to turn you into a Yogi. There is no doubt that she will enjoy all the worldly pleasures with him. Once you leave God knows how miserable they will make our life. You must do something to cease this now.” Listening to this Gopichand got furious. But he maintained his calmness.

He did not speak a single word with Lumavanti and left the palace. He met his extremely faithful ministers in private and told them his plan. The same night everyone along with the King left from a secret route. Only a few heedful ministers knew the King’s whereabouts. They found Jaalandhar and threw him in a nearby abandoned well. Besides which was a heap of horse dung, garbage, and cow dung collected from the entire town. They threw that heap inside the well and buried Jaalandhar.

Jalandharnath created the Vajrastra and Aakashastra

The King took a promise from the ministers to maintain confidentiality and returned to the palace at midnight. The next day everyone was passing by looking surprisingly at the well. “Who must have filled the ruined well with the heap of garbage? Anyways, good for us! Now there is no fear of anyone falling in the well. And that young Yogi, the one who roamed around with a bale of hay suspended over his head has left the village, it seems! No one can predict these Yogi’s whereabouts. But he was great!”

People were passing by talking about him. All wives of the King were happy as they came to know about the missing Yogi. Mainavati lost hope. He had hidden from Lumavanti what he had done to Jalandharnath. Jalandharnath created the Vajrastra and Aakashastra with the help of a Mantra and suspended the garbage in the air. He sat inside the well in the state of Samadhi. He didn’t do anything against the King.

Samadhi temples of Jalandharnath

• Jalandharnath is one of navnath. Yewale wadi is the place ” sanjeevan samadhi ” Chaitanya Jalindhar nath 35 km. from Beed city in Maharashtra. The nearest village is Raimoha. 
• In the Jalore Fort, Jalore in Rajasthan, there is an old Shiva temple, a temple devoted to Lord Shiva. A triple temple dedicated to Amba Mata, Ashapuri, and Hanuman is also located within the fort premises.
• Jalandharnath Samadhi Mandir at Shirur, Beed

Chaitanya Jalindarnath Sanjeevan Samadhi Mandir,  Yevalwadi, Beed

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