Matsyendranatha

Matsyendranātha, also known as Matsyendra, Macchindranāth, Mīnanātha and Minapa (fl. early 10th century) was a saint and yogi in a number of Buddhist and Hindu traditions. He is considered the revivalist of hatha yoga as well as the author of some of its earliest texts. He is also seen as the founder of the natha sampradaya, having received the teachings from Shiva. He is associated with Kaula Shaivism. He is also one of the eighty-four mahasiddhas and considered the guru of Gorakshanath, another known figure in early hatha yoga. He is revered by both Hindus and Buddhists and is sometimes regarded as an incarnation of Avalokiteśvara.

In the Siddhar tradition of Tamil Nadu, Matsyendranatha is revered as one of the 18 Siddhars of yore, and is also known as Machamuni. The Kasi Viswanathar Temple in Thiruparankundram, Madurai, Tamil Nadu is home to his Jiva Samadhi. In Nepal, Matsyendranatha is a highly revered deity, and the largest chariot festival in the world is dedicated to him in the valley of Kathmandu as a Buddhist-Hindu syncretic tradition.