As a yoga teacher, Guru Goraksh Nath always emphasised the practical side of yoga and was always against creating any kind of sophisticated philosophical doctrines. Instead, he created the Nath Panth, which presents within itself the living body of his teaching. His followers, the Nath Yogis, reach their goals not by proving the superiority of their doctrines over the doctrines of others or by arguments in the philosophical disputes, but achieve it practically, as a way of life, by following in his footsteps. The Siddha yogis (another name under which members of Nath Sampradaya are sometimes known) consider any attempts to grasp and express the Absolute Reality with words or comprehend it by the mind as useless. 

He always stayed away from creating too many theoretical conceptions, and even his most philosophical book Siddha Siddhanta Paddhati is counted by modern researchers as only a semi-philosophical work. This is not a matter of big wonder because he states that it is impossible to express Absolute Truth by written words at the beginning of this book. Yet, to bring ideas of Enlightened Siddha Yogis in front of the masses, he attempts to express them. In such a way, he steps away from all possible future disputes by accepting that from the point of Absolute truth, all that he is going to narrate is only relative truth and only one of many points of view. He insisted that Higher Spiritual Reality can only be realised and experienced individually through Yogic practices and can’t be defined by debates.

Instead of indulging in different discussions and attempts to prove the superiority of his doctrine over others through argumentation, he practically realised the essence of his teaching and became an actual example of the perfect yogi. His teachings are straightforward, based on correct knowledge of subtle structures existing inside the body, and laws existing in the universe. It is so logically interconnected that even today, his teachings appear most wonderful. Life as yoga [living in union with the Supreme] and to be a real example of what a yogi should be like constitutes the core of his teachings. 

Conceptions are always only conceptions, and however refined and well-argued they are, he felt that they lead us nowhere in the end. Moreover, with yoga advising restraining the mind from all possible kinds of sensual activities, submersing the mind in philosophy appears as nothing but as a form of intellectual indulgence. Conforming ourselves with well-balanced arguments will not save us from the inevitably coming death. It can be compared with the ostrich, who, when he sees approaching danger, puts his head deep into sand in the hope of avoiding it. 

The metaphysical doctrine, which Gorakshanath preached along with his instructions on yogic discipline, was not purely the result of any logical reasoning, nor did he attempt to put his doctrine in exact logical forms. The ultimate basis of his philosophy was his supra-mental and supra-intellectual experience in the samadhi [self-realised] state of his consciousness. It was an intellectual expression of his transcendent experience, presented as an enlightening way of thinking and meditation to seekers of truth, peace, and freedom from bondage and sorrow. 

He taught people that Truth was the same, in whatever forms of language it might be expressed, and in whatever paths the intellect might approach it. The mind must seek for the Truth with sincerity and earnestness and must not be led away by undue attachment to particular forms of language or particular methods of thinking.

Gorakshanath’s contributions to the world can be found in the following texts;

• Gorakh Samhita (“Collections of Gorakh”)
• Goraksha Gita
• Siddha Siddhanta Paddhati
• Yoga Martanda
• Yoga Siddhanta Paddhati
• Yoga-Bija
• Yoga Chintamani
• Goraksha Shataka
• Gorakh Bodh
• Goraksha Vijaya
• Amanaska Yoga
• Amaraughaprabodha, Amaraughoshasana

   

Gorakh Bodh (‘Illumination of Gorakh’) is an obscure ancient Hindi text, written as an intense dialog between Gorakshanath and his teacher, Matsyendranath. In it, he is described as the founder of the Nath Sampradaya.  It is stated that the nine Naths and 84 Siddhas are all human forms created as yogic manifestations to spread the message of yoga and meditation to the world. It is they who reveal samadhi [self-realisation] to humanity.

The Siddha Siddhanta Paddhati is a Hatha Yoga Sanskrit text attributed to Gorakshanath. According to George Feuerstein, it is one of the earliest hatha yoga scriptures, containing many verses that describe the state of an Avadhuta or fully liberated yogi. This text is based on the framework of advaita (non-duality), where the yogi sees ‘himself in all beings and all in himself’, including the identity of the individual soul (Atman) with the universal (Brahman). This idea appears in the text in various forms, such as in the following example.

The caste system as viewed by the Naths:

The four varnas (castes) are perceived as part of the nature of the individual, i.e., Brahmana in sadachara (righteous conduct), Kshatriya in shaurya (bravery and courage), Vaishya in vyavasaya (business), and Shudra in seva (service). A yogi experiences all men and women of all races and castes within himself. Therefore he has no hatred for anybody. He has love for every being.

— Gorakshanath, Siddha Siddhanta Paddhati III.6-8 (Translator: D Shastri)

A story of Gorakshanath:

One man told Goraksha that he was thinking of committing suicide. 

Gorakhsha said: ‘Go and commit it, but I tell you, afterward you will be amazed.‘ 

That man said: ‘What do you mean? I came to you so that you would tell me, “Don’t do it!” I went to other sadhus. They all cautioned me: “Brother, don’t do it, suicide is a great sin.”

Gorakhsha replied: ‘Are you mad? No one can commit suicide. No one can even die. Dying is not possible. I warn you, do it, and you will be very surprised. After committing suicide, you will discover, “What! The body is left behind, but I am exactly as I was!”… If you want to commit real suicide, then stay with me. If you want to play nonsense games, then it’s up to you  —  jump from some mountain, put your neck in a noose. But if you want the real death, then stay by my side. I will give you the art which brings on the great death. Then there will be no possibility of coming back again.’