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If we accept the theory that the time between a guru and his disciple is about a hundred years, considering their longevity which was well-known, we may place Gorakh in the eleventh century on the following grounds:-
Nivrtti's date of birth - 1273 A. D.
Jnanesvar's date of birth - 1275 A. D
Gaininath's time - C. 1175 A. D.
Gorakhnath - C. 1075 A. D.
If we accept this date for Gorakhnath, Matsyendranath can be placed a century earlier, i. e., in the tenth century and then the facts mentioned before as to the composition of Kaula-jnana and the salutation of Matsyendra by Abhinava in the eleventh century, can all be admitted.
Gopichandra was the king of Bengal, his father was Manikchandra Raja, the brother of Dharmapala. The Pala dynasty came to an end in Bengal in the eleventh century. The Yogis rose to power under the Palas in Bengal; and Manikchandra's wife Maynamati was a disciple of Gorakhnath. So Gorakhnath must belong to the eleventh century also.
Maynamati is spoken of as the sister of Bhartrhari, who abdicated his throne in favour of his brother Vikramaditya (Chandragupta II.) of Ujjain. Vikrama ruled from 1079 to 1126 A. D. Bhartrhari became a Yogi. One of the sub-sects of Kanphatas is named after him. Bhartrhari was a disciple of Gorakhnath, so we can place Gorakh in the eleventh century.
The tradition in Bengal of Maynamati's supporting Ramai Pandit in the worship of Dharma gives us the historical data of the eleventh century. The treatise on Dharma composed by Ramai and known as Sunya Purana points to a sufficiently archaic language, determined by scholars as of the eleventh century.
Gorakhnath accepted both Hindus and Mohammedans as his disciples. Baba Ratan Haji was probably a Moha- mmedan follower of Gorakhnath and is said to have converted a number of Mohammedans to the Yogi's creed. In Kabul they are known as faqirs of Ratan Haji. Kafirbodha was perhaps written by Ratan Haji but was known as the work of Gorakhnath. Ratan Haji belonged to the eleventh century by tradition, so Gorakhnath may be placed in the same century.
