Incarnation of Kanifnath

The story of Kanifnath’s birth

Twelve years later, Agni God returned to Lord Dattatreya to visit his son, Jalandhar. In twelve years, Jalandhar had become proficient in all disciplines. The Agni God was happy to see that. Later, when Agni God and Jalandharnath went to meet Shankara, who told them that it was time for Kanifnath to be born. He also said that he would be born from the ear of an elephant in the Himalayas. Jalandharnath also expressed his desire to make him his disciple. On hearing this, Agni God said, “But tell me where the elephant is. I’ll look at all the following arrangements.” Then Shankar took Jalandharnath and Agni God to a certain place in the Himalayas. There was a huge elephant wild and crazy. They all started thinking about how to get closer to him. Then Jalandharnath said that I have studied with Lord Dattatreya for twelve years. Believe in my knowledge and command me. Then Jalandharnath approached the elephant and he used Mohini Vidya (Hypnotism) to subdue it. The elephant became very quiet. Sixteen-year-old Kanifnath came out of the elephant’s ear as soon as Jalandharnath called closer to the elephant. Conflict with Gorakshanath
In Nathas’ first version of Kanifnath’s story, he appears as a mighty but arrogant Nath Yogi, who gets into conflict with Gorakshanath and later tries to challenge him several times but always loses to him. There are various interpretations of the legend about him, varying in story details to a greater or lesser degree but having the same narration. In the second story of Kanifnath as Kanupa, he is shown as the Vajrayana Siddha, the disciple of Jalandharnath, who initiated him into Hevajra Mandala Sadhana. Hevajra’s name is composed of two syllables “he,” meaning compassion, representing the male aspect, and “Vajra,” wisdom, the female aspect, which together offers the path beyond the illusory world. After practicing Hevajra Sadhana, Kanifnath attained extraordinary yogic powers and became intoxicated by them, enjoying demonstrating them everywhere, indiscriminately. In the end, Kanifnath paid the price for his arrogance by a sorceress, whose fatal curse caused his death.

Birthplace of Kanifnath

A few less reliable books and texts are available about Kanifnath’s birthplace, parents, and family. According to Chaturashiti-Siddha-Pravritti, he was born at the place called Soma-puri and was from a caste of clerks (brahmin). In his early years, he became a monk at Somapuri Vihara (modern Paharpur, district Rajshahi of Bengal), built by Raja Deva Pala. Later, he was initiated into Hevajra Mandala Sadhana by his Guru Jalandharnath and practiced it for more than twelve years before attaining siddhis. He had a lot of disciples who he used to initiate ‘into mysteries of Varahi without a head,’ or Vajra-varahi with his consort Goddess Shri Heruka. The second geographical mention found in the book – Chaturashiti-Siddha-Pravritti, is that Kanifnath undertook a missionary trip to Sri Lanka, accompanied by three thousand disciples. After this, he went to Salaputra, according to the text (the place of Jalandharnath, where righteous king Dharmapala was ruler). Finally, about his death, it is said that he died in a city situated somewhere in the eastern region from Soma puri near the house of Dakini Mandhe. However, there are many more opinions about the details of his biography expressed by different scholars.