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According to Wikipedia, Natha Sampradaya is a subsect within Shaivism. However, I recently found an adherent of this Sampradaya who claims to be a devotee of Lord Krishna.

Now, how is it possible that a Vaishnava be an adherent of a Shaivite subsect? Or does it mean that, Wikipedia is wrong in saying that the Natha Sampradaya is a tradition within Shaivism?

Note: By ''Vaishnava'' here, I am referring to devotees of Shriman Narayana.

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    The word 'Vaishnava' has a definite meaning. All vishnu devotees are not Vaishnavas and not all Shiva devotees are Shaivas. – Sarvabhouma Dec 26 '17 at 10:45
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    Like the word 'Muslim' has a definite meaning. All Allah devotees are not Muslim. @NogShine ? – ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ Dec 26 '17 at 11:28
  • See the discussion here: https://chat.stackexchange.com/rooms/70815/discussion-between-swiftpushkar-and-rickross. According to Swiftpushkar, the Nathas are Vaishnavas only. So, in that case u can take Natha Diksha. – Rickross Dec 26 '17 at 16:45
  • @Rickross Not possible. Many Natha Sampradaya adherents worship Shiva. Maybe they accept both Shiva and Vishnu devotees. –  Dec 26 '17 at 18:16
  • I have also heard (read) that some of the Natha Yogis were incarnations of Shiva while others were that of Vishnu. So, seems like they were beyond petty sectarianism? @SuryaKantaBoseChowdhury – Rickross Dec 27 '17 at 06:26
  • @Rickross Yes, some people believe some Natha Yogis were incarnations of Shiva while some were of Vishnu. Take a look at this question, Adinath is thought by some to be incarnation of Shiva while some believe he is incarnation of Vishnu. – Pinakin Dec 27 '17 at 06:30
  • @Rickross I guess Vaishnavas can join the Sampradaya then. –  Dec 27 '17 at 07:58

1 Answers1

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Actually for a Vaishnava it's better to go for a Vaishnava Guru. And, the same for others.

Quoting Lord Shiva's words from the KulAchudAmani Tantram:

UdAsino hyudAsinAm vanastha vanavAsinah |
YatinAncha yatih prokta grihasthAnam gurugrihi ||
Vaishnave vaishnavo grAhyo shaive shaivasthApunah |
ShAktike vidyAd dikshAswAmi na samshayah ||



An UdAsina should accept another UdAsina as his Guru, a forest-dweller a forest-dweller, a Yati (an ascetic basically) a Yati, a householder a householder, a Vaishnava a Vaishnava, a Shaiva a Shaiva. But in ShAkta DikshAs all of them (i.e a ShAkta, Shaiva and Vaishnava) can be the Guru (DikshAswAmi).


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BTW, note that I am not discouraging you from doing anything.

Meaning of "Vaishnave Vaishnavo grAhyo" --- In Vaishnava DikshA (Vaishnave) a Vaishnava Guru (Vaishnavo) is acceptable (grAhyo).

A Vaishnavo Guru - One who is part of a Vaishnava Parampara by DikshA; one who is practicing Vaishnava SAdhanas and Mantras.

UPDATE:

This website says that the 9 NAthas are Lord Vishnu's avatAras.

Kavi Narayan as Machindranath
Hari Narayan as Gorakshanath
Antariksha Narayan as Jalandharnath
Prabuddha Narayan as Kanifnath
Pipalayan Narayan Charpatinath
Avirhotra Narayan as Nagesh nath
Drumila Narayan as Bhartarinath
Chamas Narayan as Revannath.
“Karbhajan Narayan” as Gahininath.

EDIT:

A similar verse from the MahAnirvAna Tantram's chapter 10:

ShAkte shAkto guruh shastah shaive shaivo gururmato |
Vaishnave vaishnavah saure sauro guru rudAhritah ||
GAnape gAnapaschaiva kaulah sarvarta sathguruh |


For the ShAktas (devotees of Shakti) a ShAkta Guru is recommended, for the Shaivas a Shaiva Guru, for the Vaishnavas a Vaishnava Guru and the for the Sauras (devotees of Surya) a Saura Guru is apt. For the GAnapatyas, a GAnapatya Guru is recommended, but a Kaula is fit to be the Sathguru for all of them. (Verses: 200,201)

Rickross
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  • Here is Kulachudamani Tantra ,Can you please point me towards the exact verse you quoted from that? Also the OP's concern is of joining Vaishnava Sampradaya. Not necessarily taking guru. – SwiftPushkar Dec 26 '17 at 11:48
  • http://www.shivashakti.com/kulachu.htm – SwiftPushkar Dec 26 '17 at 11:48
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    @SwiftPushkar One belongs to a Sampradaya by taking Guru Diksha only. What are other ways u know? So u mean Natha Sampraday is a Vaishnava Samradaya? – Rickross Dec 26 '17 at 11:50
  • @SwiftPushkar That is Kulachudamani Tantram ? LOL that small text? That is just an overview. You won't find it online. – Rickross Dec 26 '17 at 11:51
  • Kulachudamani Tantram is only available with Bengali publishers. @SwiftPushkar That too hard to obtain somewhat, coz it will be out of print mostly. – Rickross Dec 26 '17 at 11:54
  • Ok , have seen your one comment about availability of tantra books both online as well as hard copy one. And I think nobody publishing or translating them , that's why they are not much widely known .. – SwiftPushkar Dec 26 '17 at 11:57
  • They are not widely known because of Lord Shiva's orders and not because none are translating them. Tantras are meant to be GuhyAtiguhya as per ShivAjna. Can not be made public.@SwiftPushkar – Rickross Dec 26 '17 at 12:01
  • Let us continue this discussion in chat. – SwiftPushkar Dec 26 '17 at 16:19
  • I think the 9 nathas you mentioned belong to another Sampradaya: Navnath Sampradaya –  Dec 28 '17 at 10:23
  • https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navnath –  Dec 28 '17 at 10:23
  • Hmm ok.. so u are not joining them? @SuryaKantaBoseChowdhury BTW did ur friend tell u what mantras they give? i think the Shabar Mantras right? – Rickross Dec 28 '17 at 13:50
  • @Rickross No no, don't assume whether I am joining or not. I may or may not join depending on my destiny. All depends on Shriman Narayana. –  Dec 28 '17 at 15:28
  • it is shaivite sect so its unlikely that they are incarnations of vishnu – Rakesh Joshi Feb 10 '18 at 02:55