Goraksha Samhita is composed by the great Yogī Gorakśanātha. Renowned spiritual masters in the East have highly acknowledged and honored him as a Siddha Yogī for many centuries. His name is mentioned by Svāmi Svātmārāma in his classical text Hatha Yoga Pradipīkā (Chapter One, Verses 4 and 5). He is also one of the Masters mentioned in the Purānas and yogic texts. He is well known as Guru Gorakhanāth, and a highly respected, revered and worshipped spiritual master in India and Nepal. The followers of the Nāth Tradition worship him as the incarnation of Lord Śiva, and say that the nine Nāths and eighty-four Siddhas belong to Adinātha, Lord Śiva. So, he is also called Śiva Gorakśa, the founder of the Natha Siddha tradition.
It is said that Gorakśanātha was an Eighth Century Siddha Yogī. But some say that his physical presence occurred somewhere from the 8th to 11th century. According to the Nath Siddha tradition, Guru Gorakhnāth is an immortal sage and takes care of human beings and their welfare.
It is said that Hatha Yogī Mastsyendranāth was the Guru of Gorakśanātha. Yogī Mastsyendranāth received Yoga Vidyā (knowledge/wisdom) directly from the mouth of Lord Śiva through Parvati. It was Guru Gorakśanātha who summarized the yogic subject matter in two hundred verses, which he had received from his Guru Mastsyendranāth, based on the teachings of Śri Ādinātha (Lord Śiva). This summarized text by Gorakśanātha is called Gorakśa Samhitā (compendium) which is also known as Gorakhsa Paddhati: Yogic Path of Guru Gorakhanātha.
Gorakśa Samhitā highly emphasizes the purification of the body, prāna and the mind. It is believed that total purification of all impurities on both the physical and prānic levels is absolutely necessary in order to purify the mind. When these impurities are eliminated from the body and the energy blocks are removed, then the foundation for the awakening of the Śakti is prepared.
Vishnuswaroop, Swami: -
Swami Vishnuswaroop (Thakur Krishna Uprety), B. A. (Majored in English & Economics), M. A. in Theravada Buddhism (Lumbini Buddhist University, Lumbini, Nepal) received his Diploma in Yogic Studies (First Class) from Bihar Yoga Bharati, Munger, Bihar, India. He was formally trained under the direct guidance and supervision of Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati in the Guru Kula tradition of the Bihar School of Yoga. He was initiated into the lineage of Swami Satyananda Saraswati, the founder of Bihar School of Yoga and the direct disciple of Swami Sivananda Saraswati of Rishikesh. His guru gave his spiritual name 'Vishnuswaroop' while he was initiated into the sannyasa tradition.
Swami Vishnuswaroop is a Life Member of World Yoga Council, International Yoga Federation. Divine Yoga Institute has published his nine books on classical yoga, meditation and tantra. He is one of the few yoga practitioners registered with Nepal Health Professional Council established by The Government of Nepal. He has been teaching on the theory and practice of traditional yoga and the yogic way of life to Nepalese and foreign nationals for more than twenty-five years.
