Matsyendra, also known as
Matsyendranatha was a saint and yogi in a number of Buddhist and Hindu
traditions. He is traditionally 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 especially associated with kaula shaivism. He is also one of the eighty-four mahasiddhas and considered the guru of
Gorakshanath, another important figure in early hatha yoga. He is revered by both Hindus and Buddhists and is
sometimes regarded as an incarnation of Avalokitesvara.
Works
Matsyendra is credited with composing Hatha and Tantric works such as the Kaulajnananirnaya ("Discussion of the Knowledge Pertaining to the Kaula Tradition"), the Matsyendrasamhita and "Akula-Viratantra", some of the earliest texts on hatha yoga in Sanskrit in the eleventh century.