Listen O King: Lessons on True Power in Early Modern Nath Hindavi Poetry

Scholars of the Hindavi Nath sampraday have placed particular importance on the two largest and most comprehensive works attributed to Guru Gorakhnath: the Sabadi and the Pada. Engaging with Allison Busch's research, this essay investigates the significance of the lesser-known texts of the Gorakhbani, often called granths, and examines how they were composed to address specific audiences and topics. In particular, Marrewa-Karwoski considers the Narvai Bodh (Instructions to the King) and explore how the Nath sampraday negotiates power and sovereignty in a text that specifically addresses ruling elites.