How Lord Vithoba came to Pandharpur

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How Lord Vithoba came to PandharpurThis is the story of how Vithoba happened to

come to Pandharpur...Illustrations by Amarjeet Malik

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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 their 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, 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 their sins. Their

clothes were dirtied 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 of sons.

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 Lord

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, Lord Krishna set off in search of Rukmini. He first went to Mathura, then

to Gokul. He played with cows, the milkmaids and cowherd boys. They too joined

in the search. They went to Mount Govardhan also 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 His worship on 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."Gurur Brahma Gurur VishnuGurur Devoh Maheshwar;Gurur Shakshat

ParambramhaTashmai Shri Gurur Veh Namah"May the Merciful Sri Sai Baba always

shower His grace on us and our families and remove our problems and anxieties

by giving us all - strength , goodluck, success and happiness with peace of

mind.Sai bhakt,Deepa Hdebu7366

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