Cauranginatha is one of the 84 Siddhas accepted and revered by the Natha sect. There are different versions about his life. Life history of Cauranginatha is found in the Navanatha Katha Sara.
The text states that Cauranginatha was the prince of Vidarbha, in the city of Kaunsinyapura at the confluence of Krishna and Tungabhadra rivers and was born to Sasunagara and Mandakini. His stepmother cut his hands and feet. He was abandoned, but a couple Mitrachaya and Sarayu became his guardians and he was saved. Once a Natha ascetic, Minanatha, came visiting and seeing the child, initiated him into the sect. After twelve years of penance, his hands and feet were restored.
Another version states that he was the son of king Devapala of the far eastern region.
The Telugu poet Gouranna Ganni, in his Navanatha Caritram, narrates the story of one Sarangadhara Siddha. Another Telugu poet, Cemkara Venkata, states that Sarngadhara was the son of Raja Raja Chola.
His stepmother, Citrangi, loves him and tried to entice him. When he did not respond, out of revenge, she got his hands and feet severed. His body was tied to Cauranga (a wooden four-footed, colored, small stool) and was abandoned. A Brahmin coupleMitracharya and Sarayu saved his life and later Matsyendranatha restored the hands and feet and he was initiated into the Natha sect. Because he was tied to a Cauranga, he came to be known as Cauranginatha.