GURU GORAKHNATH IN TIBETAN ART - 2026

Guru Gorakhnāth in Tibetan Art As the general public is becoming increasingly aware of the fascinating historical connections between Buddhism and the Nāth tradition, I’ve started to notice an abundance of AI-generated images of Guru Gorakhnāth in the style of Tibetan art. The ethics of AI image generation is a debate for another day, but as an art historian and public scholar, I am eager to share some images of Guru Gorakhnāth in actual Tibetan Buddhist art. Specifically, I have curated a small collection of Tibetan images that depict Guru Gorakhnāth (and other siddhas) wearing the conspicuous markers of an initiated Nāth yogī, such as the the sacred thread and whistle (sīṅgnād-janeū), large earrings (kuṇḍal, mudrā), and turban (pagṛī). Many of these sartorial markers of Nāth initiation developed over time, well after the medieval era of Gorakhnāth. In light of this fact, it is noteworthy to find these later markers of Nāth-ness appearing in Tibetan art, revealing that Tibetans did not just regard Guru Gorakhnāth as a siddha of the distant past, but actively maintained contact with Nāths and the ever-evolving Nāth tradition throughout the pre-modern period (and still today). In fact, several prominent Tibetan Buddhist figures were known to have taken initiation as Nāths themselves. For example, the 14th century Indian Buddhist abbot, Vajrāsana Śāriputra, who taught extensively in Nepal and Tibet, received initiation from his Nāth guru, Golenāth, into the lineages of Gorakhnāth and Virūpa. Likewise, Taktsang Repa received initiation from a troupe of Buddhist Nāths while on pilgrimage in northern India in the 1620s, receiving the name Śamonāth. Images of Taktsang Repa depict him with Nāth accoutrements like the kuṇḍal earrings, turban, and rudrākṣa prayer beads. Similarly, the 17th century Tibetan polymath, Jestun Tāranātha, received many initiations and transmissions from his Buddhist Nāth guru, Buddhaguptanāth, and many other Tibetan Buddhist figures identify Nāths among their teachers—such as Shakya Chokden, Jonang Kunga Drolchok, Drikung Rinchen Phuntsok, and Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, just to name a few. Collectively, the enduring historical dialogue between Buddhists, Nāths, and Buddhist Nāths challenges our very definition of what Buddhism can look like and undermines the enduring historical narrative claiming that Buddhism “died out” across South Asia after the 13th century. Om Adesh 🌺 #buddhism #nath #yoga #arthistory