The Sanskrit wor Nātha (Hindi Nath) is the proper name of a siddha sampradaya (initiatory tradition) and the word itself literally means "lord, protector, refuge". The related Sanskrit term Adi Natha means first or original Lord, and is therefore a synonym for Shiva, Mahadeva, or Maheshvara, and beyond these mental concepts, the Supreme Absolute Reality as the basis supporting all aspects and manifestations of consciousness.