Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday said traces of India’s spiritual practices can be found from Tibet in the north to Sri Lanka in the south and from Indonesia and Bangladesh in the east to Afghanistan in the west.

Adityanath said this while addressing a national seminar here at Deendayal Upadhyaya Gorakhpur University.

He also emphasised the need to collect and digitally preserve the symbols and relics of the Nath panth’s ‘sadhana’ practices and by doing so, India’s rich spiritual heritage and knowledge can be passed on to present and future generations, the UP government said in a statement.

The chief minister said India’s knowledge tradition has always embraced technology and innovation.

“To say that Indian wisdom ignored technology is incorrect. Our sages were codifying knowledge over 5,000 years ago when the world was in darkness,” he stated.

He highlighted the contributions of Maharishi Ved Vyas, who systematised India’s knowledge for humanity’s benefit and is revered as the ‘Guru of Gurus’.

Adityanath pointed out that the Mahabharata, written by Ved Vyas, is the only scripture in the world that elaborates on all four pursuits of life -- Dharma (righteousness), Artha (wealth), Kama (desires) and Moksha (liberation).

“No other text in the world covers these aspects so comprehensively,” he said.

He said the Upanishads are the ultimate source of wisdom for understanding the mysteries of the universe.

Reflecting on India’s resurgence, Adityanath mentioned that the past decade has witnessed a transformed India. “Today, the world wants to connect with India. Those who know India feel a sense of pride,” he said.

He cited the global adoption of yoga, with 193 countries embracing it including China, a nation once known for its atheist stance.

“Even a country that once considered religion as opium is now researching Buddhist philosophy. If this is not India’s victory, then what is?” he remarked.

Discussing India’s spiritual strength, CM Yogi highlighted the grandeur of the Prayagraj Mahakumbh. He recalled how Prime Minister Narendra Modi performed the sacred Ganga Aarti and ritualistically sipped the holy water.

“After that, the world was drawn to it. People were eager to visit Prayagraj,” he said.

“India’s knowledge tradition has gone beyond materialism to explore the mysteries of the universe. The Nath panth’s sadhna practices have carried forward this spiritual legacy with a focus on public welfare,” he said.

He stressed the need to familiarise both the present and future generations with these sadhna practices and said, “To take pride in our heritage, it is essential that we introduce our spiritual traditions to the younger generation.”

He also warned that if these traditions are not preserved in time, there may be struggles similar to the patent issues seen with yoga. Referring to Maharashtra’s deep connection with the Nath panth, he mentioned that the tales of the Navnaths are narrated there with the same reverence as the recitation of the Sundarkand in North India.

He further said India’s knowledge traditions can be seen in three major dimensions — Buddhism, Adi Shankaracharya’s teachings and Mahayogi Gorakhnath’s practices.

The influence of the Nath panth has continued through various Nath yogis and siddhas over time. He pointed out that in Tibet, the spiritual tradition is closely linked to Gorakhnath, the Navnaths and the 84 Siddhas. Additionally, remnants of the Nath Panth’s legacy can still be found in monasteries, temples, caves and sacred sites across India.

The UP chief minister mentioned that the Nath panth tradition originates from Lord Shiva and was later systematised by Mahayogi Gorakhnath after Yogi Matsyendranath.

“It is believed that Mahayogi Gorakhnath is a yogic form of Lord Shiva himself. Gorakhnath made the Nath panth’s spiritual practices accessible to all, regardless of caste, region, or gender,” he said.

He further noted that Gorakhpur holds a special place in this tradition, as it became a centre for Mahayogi Gorakhnath’s meditation and spiritual pursuits. The city itself is named after him, he said.

Adityanath described Yogiraj Baba Gambhirnath as one such enlightened yogi, who arrived in Gorakhpur in the 1870s and took initiation from Mahant Gopalnath of the Gorakhnath Temple. After years of intense meditation and spiritual practice across places like Kashi, Prayagraj and the banks of the Narmada, he attained the highest level of yogic mastery. However, his powers were always used for the greater good of society, he said.

The chief minister also credited Baba Gambhirnath for playing a crucial role in the revival of the Gorakhnath Temple and guiding Mahant Digvijayanath to lead its restoration efforts.