After Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu, Lord Dattatreya and the divine attendants of Narayana designed the entire Nath Sampradaya, the Nine Nathas took birth through non-physical forms as originally planned and completed their divine work.
Once this phase was over, Lord Shiva decided to take birth through a human family — a normal household lineage — to give the Nath tradition a new direction suitable for Kali Yuga. This was the beginning of the transformation of the Nath path from pure Hatha Yoga toward a more accessible way for ordinary people.
As predetermined in the divine plan, Lord Vishnu then took birth in a human family as Dnyan-Nath (Dnyaneshwar Maharaj) to continue this evolutionary work. His role was to guide the Nath Sampradaya toward Bhakti Yoga, the path of devotion.
The Hatha Yoga system—from Machhindranath to Gahininath—had served its purpose. But it was Lord Shiva himself, as Nivruttinath, who instructed that the Nath Sampradaya must now evolve for the needs of Kali Yuga. Only Lord Vishnu, in the form of Dnyan-Nath, was worthy of carrying forward this new direction.
Long ago, Lord Vishnu had promised Machhindranath: *“Understanding the greatness of this sacred lineage, I will personally become the servant of the disciple of your disciple’s disciple.”*
Thus, as Dnyan-Nath, he accepted the role of servant to Nivruttinath — who was none other than Lord Shiva incarnate — and became an active guide within the Guru–Shishya (Master–Disciple) tradition of the Nath Sampradaya.
In Dwapara Yuga, Krishna delivered the Bhagavad Gita on the battlefield. The people of that era could understand the Gita directly and effortlessly; their spiritual capacity was much greater.
But as the ages changed, human capability declined:
This symbolizes the reduction of physical strength, mental capacity, and spiritual sensitivity. Therefore, the same Gita that people understood easily in Dwapara Yuga became difficult to grasp in Kali Yuga.
Krishna knew this long before. So he planned to return in Kali Yuga — not as Krishna, but as Dnyaneshwar, to re-explain the Gita in a way ordinary people could understand.
Thus was born the Dnyaneshwari, the great commentary on the Gita that transformed Indian spirituality forever.
According to history, Dnyaneshwar was born in Apegaon and carried out his divine mission from Alandi. His life was filled with heartbreaking suffering:
Yet, he remained compassionate, peaceful and wise. He revived the spiritual spirit of the masses, inspired devotion, and brought fresh energy to a society that had become spiritually exhausted.
When we hear the words *“Alakh Niranjan”* or *“Aadesh”*, we feel a spiritual thrill — these are Nath Sampradaya mantras. Until Gahininath, the Nath line remained rooted in Hatha Yoga.
But Dnyan-Nath, following the divine blueprint created by Shiva, Vishnu and Machhindranath, shifted the Nath Sampradaya toward the Bhakti Path.
People today often identify Dnyaneshwar as belonging only to the Varkari tradition, but in truth, he was a Nath Yogi — specifically the fifth Nath in the continuous lineage from Machhindranath — and the one who transformed the Nath Sampradaya forever.
He did not act according to personal choice; he followed the divine plan.
By writing the Dnyaneshwari, Dnyaneshwar brought Krishna’s teachings into the heart of everyday life. He inspired devotion to Panduranga (Vithoba) and taught people to:
His message was simple: Do good deeds continuously. Keep your heart pure. Hold deep faith in God.
This made spiritual life accessible to everyone — not just ascetics.
The Nath Sampradaya changed its outer form to suit the new age:
Yet the inner spiritual power remained exactly the same.
The Nath lineage is still supported by divine forces — gods, deities, celestial beings, spirits and protectors — all working toward the upliftment of living beings.
The Nath Sampradaya does not belong to any caste or sect. Its purpose is the upliftment of the soul, regardless of who the seeker is.
A complete shift from Hatha Yoga to Bhakti Yoga was necessary because:
Thus, the very creator of the universe — Lord Vishnu — reincarnated as Dnyan-Nath (Dnyaneshwar) and redesigned the path so that every person could progress spiritually.
The Nath Sampradaya continues today under this divine guidance.