Gahininath, fifth of the Navnaths: his birth legend, work and samadhi in Beed

Shri Sant Gahininath Maharaj (Gainath) is regarded as a deeply revered, accomplished and radiant mahayogi of the Navnath tradition. He is seen as the main link between the Nath sampradaya and the Warkari sampradaya of Maharashtra.

According to the traditional list of the Navnaths and references in the text "Navnath Bhaktisar", Gahininath is the fifth of the Navnaths. He is considered a form of Karabhajan Narayan, an avatar of Vishnu. He was a principal disciple of Guru Gorakshanath. No definite historical period is available for him, but he is said to have lived in the 12th to 13th century.

The story of his birth is mysterious and miraculous. According to the account in the text, Guru Gorakshanath was once practising the Sanjeevani mantra. At that time, children playing nearby had made a clay figure. By the power of Gorakshanath's mantra, the figure came to life and a beautiful child was born. Because he was born of mud, that is, clay, he got the name "Gahininath". The name is said to mean one who has come from deep or muddy water.

Machhindranath and Gorakshanath entrusted the child to a childless Brahmin couple, Madhusharma (Madhubrahmin) and Gangabai, of Kanakagiri village. They brought up Gahininath. At the age of seven, Gorakshanath took him to the Garbhagiri mountain and gave him all learning and initiation.

Gahininath is regarded as the original inspirer of the Warkari sampradaya. His greatest work was to give anugraha, or initiation, to Sant Nivruttinath, the elder brother of Sant Dnyaneshwar, on a hill at Trimbakeshwar. He taught Nivruttinath not only yoga practice but also instructed him to spread devotion to Krishna among the people. Nivruttinath passed that initiation on to Sant Dnyaneshwar, and from it the foundation of the large Warkari sampradaya in Maharashtra was later laid.

Along with the science of yoga, Gahininath acquired vast knowledge of Ayurveda and medicinal plants, and used it for the welfare of the people. He simplified the difficult yoga practice of the Nath path and joined it with devotion. This made the spiritual path easy for ordinary people as well.

Shri Kshetra Gahininath Gad is the main sanjeevan samadhi site of Gahininath Maharaj. It is at Chincholi in Patoda taluka of Beed district, Maharashtra. Some records also mention the site as lying on the border of Ahilyanagar and Beed.

The original samadhi temple of the Maharaj is at this fort. It is said that during the Mughal period, to protect it from foreign invaders, the samadhi was given the form of a platform, that is, a grave. Aurangzeb is said to have named the place "Gairipir" or "Gaibipir", but it is originally the sacred samadhi site of Gahininath Maharaj himself. Today the fort is known as "Gahininath Gad" and is a major place of faith for Nath and Warkari followers.