Pandharpur is a very holy town in Maharashtra, about four hundred kilometers southeast of Mumbai. Devotees lovingly call it Bhu-Vaikuntha, meaning Vaikuntha on earth. Some also call it Dakshina Dwaraka, the Dwaraka of South India.

Pandharpur is situated on the banks of a sacred river called Bhima. Near the town, the river curves like a crescent moon, so it is known as Chandrabhaga. For devotees of Lord Vitthal, this river is as holy as the Ganga.

Pandharpur is also called Nadabrahma, a place where devotion flows through bhajans, kirtans, and music day and night. Saints and devotees sing the Lord’s name here with great love.

Pandharpur – The Village of the Saints

The great saint Tukaram Maharaj often said,
“Amhi jatoh amchya gava” — “I am going back to my own village.”
People thought he meant Pandharpur. But when Tukaram Maharaj left his body and never returned, devotees understood that he meant Vaikuntha, the eternal home of Lord Vitthal. Still, Tukaram always considered Pandharpur as Vaikuntha on earth.

Why Did Lord Krishna Come to Pandharpur?

The Padma Purana and Skanda Purana tell a beautiful story of how Lord Krishna came to Pandharpur and stayed there forever.

Once, Srimati Radharani visited Dwaraka, where Lord Krishna lived as a king. At that time, Rukmini Devi, Krishna’s queen, noticed that Krishna showed deep affection to Radharani. Feeling sad and hurt, Rukmini left Dwaraka and went into the forest of Dindirvan, near Pandharpur.

Lord Krishna followed Rukmini to comfort her, but she did not forgive Him immediately. So Krishna went ahead to Pandharpur, to visit His devotee Pundalika.

The Transformation of Pundalika

In his younger days, Pundalika was not a good son. He treated his elderly parents, Janudev and Satyavati, very badly. Though his parents were great devotees of Lord Krishna, Pundalika did not care for them.

Unable to bear the suffering, the parents decided to go to Kashi (Varanasi), believing that dying there would give them liberation. Pundalika and his wife joined them, but he behaved cruelly—making his old parents walk, while he and his wife rode on a horse.

On the way, they stayed at the hermitage of Sage Kukkut Muni. One night, Pundalika witnessed something wonderful. He saw some beautiful women in dirty clothes come into the hermitage early in the morning. They cleaned the place, washed clothes, fetched water, and then went to pray. When they came out, their clothes were shining clean, and they disappeared.

The next night, Pundalika spoke to them. They said,
“We are the holy rivers like Ganga and Yamuna. People bathe in us to wash away their sins, and that is why our clothes become dirty.”

Then they told Pundalika,
“You are a bigger sinner than all, because you do not serve your devoted parents.”

This shook Pundalika deeply. He realized his mistake. From that moment, he completely changed. He lovingly served his parents, took care of their needs, and treated them with devotion.

Lord Vitthal Stands on a Brick

Pleased with Pundalika’s devotion, Lord Krishna Himself came to his home.

At that moment, Pundalika was busy serving his aged parents. He did not want to stop his service. So he quickly gave the Lord a brick to stand on and said,
“Please wait, my Lord.”

And the Lord did wait.

He stood there, hands on His hips, patiently smiling. Later, Rukmini Devi also came there, forgetting her sorrow, and joined the Lord. From that day, Lord Vitthal and Rukmini stayed in Pandharpur in the form of deities.

Even today, Lord Vitthal stands on the same brick, waiting—not for Pundalika alone—but for all His devotees.

By placing His hands on His hips, the Lord seems to say,
“Do not fear. I have made the ocean of suffering very shallow for those who surrender to Me.”

 

 

The Beautiful Form of Lord Vitthal

Lord Vitthal wears yellow garments and a Vaijayanti garland with sacred tulasi leaves. He holds a lotus in one hand and a conch in the other. On His chest is the mark of Srivatsa. His smiling face fills devotees with peace and joy. Seeing Him is considered the perfection of life.

Pundalika Temple

The Pundalika Temple is located about half a kilometer from the Vitthal Temple, on the banks of the Chandrabhaga River. This is where Pundalika spent his final years and attained samadhi.

Pundalika’s Previous Life

In his previous birth, Pundalika was King Muchukunda, mentioned in the Srimad Bhagavatam. Lord Krishna blessed him with long rest and later gave him liberation. That same king was reborn as Pundalika, to show the world the greatness of serving one’s parents.

Pandharpur Today

Pandharpur remains a place of love, music, surrender, and waiting—where the Lord Himself waits for His devotees, standing patiently on a brick, with a gentle smile.