of the subtle bodyas the means to final
liberation of the soul. The Naths believe
that liberation is physical immortality,
rather than escape from the cycle of
transmigration, which is more com-
monly accepted. The subtle body is an
alternate physiological system, believed
to exist on a different plane than gross
matter, but corresponding to the mater-
ial body. It is visualized as a set of six
psychic centers (chakras) running
roughly along the spine; above and
below these centers reside two divine
principles, Shiva (awareness) and
Shakti (power). The aspirant aims to
join these two principles at the crown
of the head, thus transforming the
perishable elements in the gross body
into immortality.
Among the Nathpanthis, the domi-
nant metaphor for talking about this
process is the union of sunand moon.
The sun, identified with Shakti, stands
for the processes of change and destruc-
tion, whereas the moon, identified with
Shiva, symbolizes stability and immor-
tality. In some cases this union of sun
and moon is described in very abstract
terms; for example, in the definition of
hatha yoga“ha” refers to the sun and
“tha” refers to the moon. Other abstract
descriptions of this process speak of
gaining equilibrium of the vital winds
(prana), or yogic union in the subtle
body. In other cases this union is sym-
bolized in concrete ways, as in the prac-
tice of vajroli mudra. This sexual
practice uses urethral suction or the
“fountain-pen technique,” by which a
man, having ejaculated into his female
partner, draws his semenback into his
body. The semen has been refined
through contact with the woman’s uter-
ine blood.
The Nathpanthis have been impor-
tant both as an ascetic community in
their own right, and as an influence on
many of the northern Indian bhakti
poet-saints, particularly Kabir. Their
religious practice has consistently
stressed internal religion, in which
individual realization has been deemed
far more important than performing
social duties or established worship.
The most complete source on
Gorakhnath and his followers is George
Weston Briggs, Gorakhnath and the
Kanphata Yogis, 1973.Natya
The word natyarefers to the genre in
classical Indian dancein which the
dancer’s movements convey a story to
the audience. Natya is one of the two
most basic dance genres. The other
genre, nrtya, is “pure” dance, in which
the dance conveys nothing more than
the dancer’s skill.Natyashastra
Prescriptive manual (shastra) for the per-
forming arts written during the second
century, whose authorship is ascribed to
the mythical sage Bharata. The text is
divided into thirty-seven sections, detail-
ing every aspect of the three major per-
formance forms: music, drama, and
dance(which combines both music and
drama). Some sections of the text are
devoted to aesthetics and poetics, help-
ing to create and convey the correct
atmosphere for the appreciation of the
arts. Other parts of the text discuss con-
crete, practical issues, such as the con-
struction of the stage. The text is still an
authority for these three performing arts,
but it is particularly important for dance.
Many of the positions and gestures found
in Indian dance were first codified in this
text; the Natyashastraremains the ulti-
mate authority for any dance form that
claims to be “classical” dance, rather than
“folk” dance.Navadurga
(“Nine Durgas”) Collective name for
nine differing forms of Durga, a power-
ful and dangerous form of the Goddess.
One of the “nine Durgas” is worshiped
each of the nine nights during the festi-
valof Navaratri, which usually falls in
October or November. Each goddess has
her own identity, yet at the same time
is a form of Durga. This fluidity isNavadurga