Matsyendranath

Matsyendranath

Matsyendranātha, Mīnanātha, Macchindranāth, Macchand

• the founder of the tantric teachings of Kula;

• the protector of Nepal, the guru and father of Gorakshanath;

• one of the 84 Buddhist siddhas and one of the nava-nathas. 

He is considered to be Maya-svarupa, and also Matsya-svarupa in Vaishnava-matha (followers of Vishnu belief system), because Matsyendranātha from Sanskrit is "The Lord of fish". Fish symbolizes the Ocean of Existence that is also called kula (the relation of all manifested elements of Existence).

Maya is manifested through the ocean of samsara. Matsyendranātha is the Lord of kula and the founder of the tantric tradition of kaulas (those who follow the path of kula).