Shri Hari Vitthal, Jay Hari Vitthal

Lord Vitthal or Pandurang is an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Once upon a time there was a devotee named Pundalik, who was travelling to Kashi and on the way he reached the ashram of a Saint named Kukkut. Pundalik asked the saint the way to Kashi, to which he replied that he wasn't aware of the way as he had never been there. Hearing this Pundalik made fun of the Kukkut Rishi for not knowing the way, and further said “ a holy man like you should have already visited Kashi”. The Rishi kept quiet and din't react to Pundalik’s comments.

That night Pundalik stayed at the ashram. And suddenly he woke from his deep sleep hearing to women’s voice. He saw that 3 women were sprinkling water in the ashram and cleaning. On enquiry, Pundalik found that the 3 women were Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati, the three Holy rivers came down to clean the ashram of Rishi Kukkut. Pundalik was bit surprised how a saint like Kukkut who had not visited Kashi, was such holy and powerful that the 3 holy Rivers have come to His ashram!

The three women told to Pundalik that piousness, spirituality and devotion doesn't depend on visiting holy places or doing costly rituals. But depends on performing one's Karma correctly (fulfilling all the duties and responsibilities). They further added that Sage Kukkut, had served and nursed his parents most faithfully and devoted all his life to them. Thus he had accumulated virtue enough to earn Moksha, and thereby the 3 holy women came down to Earth to serve the Rishi.

On the contrast, Pundalik has left his old parents at home and was visiting Kashi to gain Moksha and blessing. Pundalik didn't bother to entertain the request of his parents to take them along with him to Kashi. Pundalik after hearing all this understood his mistake and rushed back home, and took his parents to Kashi and after return from the holy Kashi, started to take utmost care of his old parents. Shri Krishna was moved by the sincere devotion of Pundalik towards his parents and decided to test Pundalik.

Shri Krishna came to Pundalik’s home, but Shri Krishna saw that Pundalik was busy attending his parents. Pundalik saw Shri Krishna at the door, but his devotion towards his parents was so intense, that he wanted to finish his duties first and later attend to his guest. Pundalik has reached such a stage that it didn't matter to him, whether the guest was a mere mortal or God. All that mattered was service to his parents. Pundalik gave Shri Krishna a brick ( it is called Vit in Marathi, hence the God became Vitthal or Vithoba) to stand on , and asked Him to wait until his duty was completed.

And Shri Krishna moved by the devotion of Pundalik to his parents, waited for him patiently. Later, Pundalik came out and asked Shri Krishna for forgiveness for making Him wait. Shri Krishna asked for any desired boon, for which Pundalik said “ My lord , what can I ask for ? My lord himself waits for me”? Shri Krishna insisted that Pundalik ask for a boon, then he asked Krishna to remain on Earth to bless and take care of His devotees. Shri Krishna agreed to stay there and is known as Vithoba or the Lord who stands on a brick. This form of the Lord Vithoba is Swayambhu (which came into existence on its own).

In Maharashtra Karnataka , Vishnu is called Vitthal the one who is standing on vith (red rectangle stone ), he is also called Pandurang because when he came from Dwarika to Pandharpur though he was black the White sands were all over his face , so he was called panda (Pandurang). He is Narayana himself came to Pandharpur in search of Rukmini Devi as Rukmini Devi got angry on Shri Krishna and left Dwarika.

She had a motive in leaving Dwarika because everything is Vishnu and Lakshmi Devi's Leela , they wanted to see his one of his beloved bhakta Pundalik and their parents , when Krishna reached Pundalik house , Pundalik was busy serving his parents , he knew that sarveshwara jagatpita was standing outside but he thought serving his parents was greater than attending God , this nature of Pundalik gave paramanandam to Krishna so he stood there waiting with his two hands on his hips.

The two hands on his hips denotes two things. Once Pandurang was thinking what I should give to my devotees , something valuable, after searching throughout the universe , he thought is there anything greater than me, so he is lifting himself with his two hands and giving himself to his devotees. He is always waiting for devotees like Pundalik to come to him because he wants us to be with him always and he is asking with two hands on his hips “ how much time should I wait for you my dear Pundalik “ Then it follows with many devotees , sant Namdev , sant eknath , sant Dnyaneshwar , sant Tukaram , sant Purandara daas Vitthal , sant Sakhubai , sant Muktabai and Sant Janabai, Sant Chokhoba, Sant Gora Kumbar, Sant Savta Mali and many more.

Shri Vitthal/ Vitthal/ Vithoba is none other than Shri Vishnu, Shri Narayana or Shri Krishna. It is believed that Lord Krishna had incarnated at the end of Dwarpa Yuga on the eighth day of the dark fortnight in the holy month of Shravan (As per the Hindu calendar). He is lovingly called names like Pandharinath, Pandurang, Pandhairiraya, Vithai, Vithoba, Vithu-mauli, Vitthalgururao by his devotees. But the well-known and commonly used names are Pandurang / Pandurang and Shri Vitthal / Vitthal.

The word Vitthala is said to be derived from the Kannada (a language spoken in the southern parts of India ) word for Lord Vishnu. The worship of Lord Vitthala has been derived mainly from the Puranas. His worship has been made well-known by the teachings, poems, kirtans, and pads of great Vaishnava saints of Maharashtra from the 13th through the 17th centuries. They were saints like Sant Namdev /Namdev, Sant Dnyaneshwar, Sant Eknath and Sant Tukaram. Pundalik, a saint was closely associated with this shrine, and hence this shrine is also known as Pundarika Pura.

It is said that the devotee Pundalik founded Pandharpur. His father Janudeva and mother Satyavati lived in a thick forest called Dandirvan. Pundalik was a devoted son but soon after his marriage he began to ill-treat his parents. To escape from this misery, the parents decided to go on a pilgrimage to Kashi. When Pundalik's wife learnt about this, she also decided to go. She and her husband joined the same group of pilgrims on horseback. While the son and his wife rode on horseback, the old couple walked.

Every evening when the party camped for the night, the son forced his parents to groom the horses and do other jobs. The poor parents cursed the day they decided to go on a pilgrimage.Soon the party reached the ashrama of the great sage Kukkutswami. There they decided to spend a couple of nights. They were all tired and soon fell asleep-except Pundalik who could not sleep. Just before daybreak he saw a group of beautiful, young women, dressed in dirty clothes, enter the ashrama, clean the floor, fetch water and wash the swami's clothes. Then they entered the inner room of the ashrama, and came out in beautifully clean clothes and passing near Pundalik, they vanished.

Next night he saw the same sight again. Pundalik threw himself at their feet and begged them to tell who they were. They said they were Ganga, Yamuna and other holy rivers of India in which the Pilgrims bathed and washed off sins. Their clothes became dirty by the sins of the bathing pilgrims."And because of your ill-treatment of your parents," they said, "You are the greatest sinner."This brought about a complete change in him and he became the most devoted son. Now the parents' rode the horses while the son and his wife walked by their side. By their love and affection, the son and his wife urged the parents to give up the pilgrimage and return to Dandirvan.

One day it so happened that Shri Krishna, the King of Dwarka, while feeling lonely, was reminded of his early days in Mathura. He particularly remembered his sports with the milkmaids, the cowherd boys, and his love, Radha. Though she was dead, he longed to see her again. By his divine powers he brought her back to life and seated her by his side. Just then his queen, Rukmini, entered the room. When Radha did not rise to pay her respect, Rukmini left Dwarka in anger and hid herself in Dandirvan forest. After some days, Shri Krishna set off in search of Rukmini. He first went to Mathura, then to Gokul. He met the milkmaids and cowherd boys. They too joined in the search. They went to Mount Govardhan in her search.At last they reached the banks of the river Bhima in the Deccan. Krishna left his companions at Goplapura, and he himself entered Dandirvan forest alone in search of her. At last he found her and managed to calm her. Krishna and Rukmini came to Pundalik's ashrama.

But at that time Pundalik was busy attending to his parents. Though he knew Lord Krishna had come to see him, he refused to pay his respect to the god before his duty towards his parents was done. He, however, threw a brick outside for lord Krishna to stand upon. Impressed by Pundalik's devotion to his parents, Lord Krishna did not mind the delay. Standing on the brick he waited for Pundalik. When Pundalik came out and begged God's pardon, Lord Krishna replied that far from being displeased, he was pleased with his love for his parents. Lord Krishna then ordered him to worship Vithoba, or God who stood upon a brick.

An imposing temple was built at the place where Krishna and Pundalik had met. Inside the temple stands Krishna's image on a brick. By his side stands the image of Rukmini. This temple covering a vast area has a total of six gates. The eastern entrance to this temple is known as the Namdev gate (after the great 13th century Vaishnava saint). The sanctum enshrines the standing image of Vithoba also known as Pandurang, Pandhari or Vitthala. Stylistically the image dates back to the 5th century. There are inscriptions in this temple dating back to the 13th century which place origin of this shrine to the 6th century.

Pandharpur is a holy place of Shri Vitthal and Shrimati Rukmini. It is also known as the Southern Kashi of India and Kuldaivat of Maharashtra State. It is located at a distance of 72 km by road. from Solapur District headquarters. The Pandharpur Railway Station falls on the Miraj-Kurduwadi-Latur railway track. Shri. Lord Vitthal is the Supreme God of the Universe with incarnation of Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu. Lord Vitthal is also known by the names Shri Pandurang and Vithoba, Great Saints like Shri. Sant Dnyaneshwar, Shri. Sant Tukaram, Shri Sant Namdev, Shri. Sant Purandardas and others sung Abhangas in praise of Lord Vitthala.

'Padsparsha Darshan' is the unique feature of Vithoba Temple. Irrespective of the caste and creed every devotee can enter the Sanctum Sanctorum and can place his/her head on the feet of Lord Vitthala. This tradition is followed nowhere in India. The Bhagwat Dharma is being followed with full spirit in Pandharpur. Pandharinath Maharaj ki jay. Bola Pundalik Varada Hari Hari Vitthal, Shri Dnyandev Tukaram, Jay Sri Krishna