The Concept of Panduranga

Dr Uday Dokras

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 Why is Krishna called Panduranga?

In Maharashtra Karnataka , Vishnu is called vitthal the one who is standing on vith(red
rectangle stone ) , he is also called panduranga because when he came from dwaraka to
pandharpur though he was black the White sands were all over his face , so he was called
pandra-ranga (panduranga). The earliest Krishna literature, the Mahabharata, tells tales of
Krishna's adulthood. There, Draupadi is referred to as Krishna, the dark complexioned lady.
That would make Krishna, the dark complexioned man.According to Devdatt Pattnaik, In the
Sanskrit Valmiki’s Ramayana, Hanuman describes Ram as ‘shyama-varna’, which means one
of dark-complexion. In folk poetry, poets describe Krishna as ‘ghana-shyam’, as dark as

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monsoon clouds. Yet, in our most popular art, we find Ram and Krishna visualised in blue
colour. So, we wonder, are they black, and blue, or only blue? One is met with a stony
silence.

In the old temples in the Gangetic plains, such as the Banke Bihari temple in Vrindavan,
Krishna images are carved of black stone, and they stand in stunning splendour, bedecked
with flowers and fabric. Often, in stark contrast, the image of Radha is made of marble, or
bronze. He the dark-one; she the fair one. However, in many new temples, people are
increasingly choosing images of Krishna in marble over black stone.

There are cave paintings suggesting two men on a chariot. Is that Krishna and Arjuna? We
can only speculate. The earliest Krishna literature, the Mahabharata, tells tales of Krishna’s
adulthood. There, Draupadi is referred to as Krishna, the dark complexioned lady. That
would make Krishna, the dark complexioned man. This is about 2,000 years old. In Bhakti
literature, that is less than a thousand years old, Krishna’s beauty becomes the object of
veneration. He is increasingly linked to dark monsoon clouds and to blue lotuses. His dark
complexion in the full moon night is the subject of poetry.

The earliest images of Krishna are probably Indo-Greek coins, nearly 2,000 years old,
showing a man holding a wheel. Then come the Gupta stone statues, about 1,500 years old,
showing a hero fighting a horse, most probably Krishna fighting Keshin. The earliest
paintings of Krishna probably come from miniature art that flourished around temples, like
the patta-chitra around Jagannath Puri temple of Odisha. The image enshrined in the temple
is made of wood and covered with paint, refreshed almost daily. Here, Jagannath, who is
simultaneously Vishnu, Ram and Krishna, is painted with black soot. In the paintings made in
nearby villages by artisans, Krishna is depicted in black colour.

About 500 years ago, Persian miniature painting was introduced by the Mughals and became
widely popular in North India, influencing the Pahari school of painting and the Pichhvai
school of Nathdvara temples. Here, Krishna can be seen distinctly as blue: light blue of the
day sky, not the dark blue of the sapphire. The images of Krishna, Ram and Vishnu, on the
grand gopurams of South India, show them as blue, even though in early Tamil songs of the
Sangam period there is reference to the dark beloved pastoral god, Mayon, believed to be an
early form of Krishna.

Folk songs repeatedly refer to the contrast between the dark Krishna and the fair Radha, or
the dark Vishnu and the fair Shiva. When did the natural black become the supernatural blue?
Does this something have to do with India’s infamous discomfort with the dark complexion?
In China, the tanned complexion is seen as inferior, as it is indicative of the peasant who
works in the sun. India too is an agricultural country and may have shared such prejudices.
After all, the princess ‘untouched by the sun’ or a-surya-sparsha, is an object of fascination in
folk tales.

Wandering in the forest during exile, and wandering in pastures with his cows, may have
tanned Ram and Krishna. But, before the sun had its way, was their skin black, brown or
blue?

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 I
The Concept of Panduranga

A four-armed Vithoba, a 19th-century painting from Tiruchchirappalli, Tamil Nadu. Here, Vithoba is
depicted as an arms-akimbo Vishnu///The Vitthala temple in Hampi, Karnataka, was built
by Krishnadevaraya, whose guru Vyasatirtha was a key Haridasa figure/// This bronze image from a home
shrine inherits the traditional attributes of Vithoba's Pandharpur image like the conical headgear, the fish
shaped earrings, the gem stubbed necklace, and the brick. This image shows Vithoba's right hand making a
blessing gesture and his left hand holding a shankha.
Introduction: Many cities in South East India and in several countries bore Sanskrit names
inspired by Holy Hindu texts as well as legand. Not just to bring good fortunes to the |Kings
and his inhabitants but also to affirm that the trend of naming after Hindu Gods was not left
behing in their domain. Vithala is also another name of Krishna and th ere is no
difference between Krishna and Panduranga or Pundalik as he is fondly called.

When Krishna arrived at Pundaliks house. Pundalik was busy taking care of his parents.
Krishna announced his arrival to Pundalik. Pundalik knew it was Krishna but being devoted
to his parents, he could not leave them that instant. So Pundalik threw a brick outside and told
Krishna to stand on it. Krishna was pleased at Pundaliks ‘s devotion towards his parents . So
he stood on the brick.
I repeat Krishna stood on the brick.
Brick in Marathi is known as Vhit.
Thal is Ground.
Hence he is also known as God standing on Brick- Vitthal.

1. Dwarka has also been referred to throughout its history as “Mokshapuri”,

“Dwarkamati”, and “Dwarkavati”. It is mentioned in the ancient prehistoric epic
period of the Mahabharata. According to legend, Krishna settled here after he
defeated and killed his uncle Kansa at Mathura.

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 2. Panduranga or Prangdarang was a Cham Principality and later, the rump
state successor of the Champa kingdom, which was destroyed by Vietnamese
emperor Le Thanh Tong in 1471. It was located in present-day Southcentral Vietnam.
It stood until late 17th century as the Nguyễn lords of Đàng Trong, a powerful
Vietnamese clan, vassalized it and put the Cham polity under the name Principality of
Thuận Thành.

Was Krishna an avatar?

Krishna playing the flute

. Krishna, Sanskrit Kṛṣṇa, one of the most widely revered and most popular of all Indian
divinities, worshipped as the eighth incarnation (avatar, or avatara) of the Hindu
god Vishnu and also as a supreme god in his own right. Krishna became the focus of
numerous bhakti (devotional) cults, which have over the centuries produced a wealth of
religious poetry, music, and painting. The basic sources of Krishna’s mythology are the
epic Mahabharata and its 5th-century-CE appendix, the Harivamsha, and the Puranas,
particularly Books X and XI of the Bhagavata-purana. They relate how Krishna (literally
“black,” or “dark as a cloud”) was born into the Yadava clan, the son of Vasudeva and
Devaki, who was the sister of Kamsa, the wicked king of Mathura (in modern Uttar Pradesh).
Kamsa, hearing a prophecy that he would be destroyed by Devaki’s child, tried to slay her
children, but Krishna was smuggled across the Yamuna River to Gokula (or Vraja, modern
Gokul), where he was raised by the leader of the cowherds, Nanda, and his wife Yashoda.

The child Krishna was adored for his mischievous pranks; he also performed many miracles
and slew demons. As a youth, the cowherd Krishna became renowned as a lover, the sound of
his flute prompting the gopis (wives and daughters of the cowherds) to leave their homes to
dance ecstatically with him in the moonlight. His favourite among them was the
beautiful Radha. At length, Krishna and his brother Balarama returned to Mathura to slay the
wicked Kamsa. Afterward, finding the kingdom unsafe, Krishna led the Yadavas to the
western coast of Kathiawar and established his court at Dvaraka (modern Dwarka, Gujarat).
He married the princess Rukmini and took other wives as well.

Krishna refused to bear arms in the great war between the Kauravas (sons of Dhritarashtra,
the descendant of Kuru) and the Pandavas (sons of Pandu), but he offered a choice of his
personal attendance to one side and the loan of his army to the other. The Pandavas chose the
former, and Krishna thus served as charioteer for Arjuna, one of the Pandava brothers. On his

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return to Dvaraka, a brawl broke out one day among the Yadava chiefs in which Krishna’s
brother and son were slain. As the god sat in the forest lamenting, a huntsman, mistaking him
for a deer, shot him in his one vulnerable spot, the heel, killing him.

Krishna’s personality is clearly a composite one, though the different elements are not easily
separated. Vasudeva-Krishna was deified by the 5th century BCE. The cowherd Krishna was
probably the god of a pastoral community. The Krishna who emerged from the blending of
these figures was ultimately identified with the supreme god Vishnu-Narayana and, hence,
considered his avatar. His worship preserved distinctive traits, chief among them an
exploration of the analogies between divine love and human love. Thus, Krishna’s youthful
dalliances with the gopis are interpreted as symbolic of the loving interplay between God and
the human soul.

The rich variety of legends associated with Krishna’s life led to an abundance of
representation in painting and sculpture. The child Krishna (Balakrishna) is depicted crawling
on his hands and knees or dancing with joy, a ball of butter held in his hands. The divine
lover—the most common representation—is shown playing the flute, surrounded by
adoring gopis. In 17th- and 18th-century Rajasthani and Pahari painting, Krishna is
characteristically depicted with blue-black skin, wearing a yellow dhoti (loincloth) and a
crown of peacock feathers.

PANDURANG or PANGURANGA is a very Typical name of Lord Vishnu that caught my

attention years ago when studying the history of the Cham Brahmins of Vietnam.
This is lts story:
Champa, ancient Vietnam as it was called, was preceded in the region by a kingdom
called Lâm Ấp, that was in existence since 192 AD; although the historical relationship
between Linyi and Champa is not clear. Champa reached its apogee in the 9th and 10th
centuries AD. Thereafter, it began a gradual decline under pressure from Đại Việt, the
Vietnamese polity centered in the region of modern Hanoi. In 1832, the Vietnamese
emperor Minh Mạng annexed the remaining Cham territories.

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 Campa (Tsiompa) and Panduranga/Panrang (Padarang) RIGHT PIC Thai Dwaravati

Hinduism, adopted through conflicts and conquest of territory from neighboring Funan in the
4th century AD, shaped the art and culture of the Cham Kingdom for centuries, as testified by
the many Cham Hindu statues and red brick temples that dotted the landscape in Cham
lands. Mỹ Sơn, a former religious center, and Hội An, one of Champa's main port cities, are
now World Heritage Sites. Today, many Cham people adhere to Islam, a conversion which
began in the 10th century, with the ruling dynasty having fully adopted the faith by the 17th
century; they are called the Bani (Ni tục, from Arabic: Bani). There are, however, the Bacam
(Bacham, Chiêm tục) who still retain and preserve their Hindu faith, rituals, and festivals.
The Bacam is one of only two surviving non-Indic indigenous Hindu peoples in the world,
with a culture dating back thousands of years. The other being the Balinese Hinduism of
Balinese of Indonesia.

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Indian Dwarka

Historical Champa consisted of up to five principalities:Interesting to note the names –all

after Hindu Gods:

 Indrapura ("City of Indra", Foshi, Phật thành/Phật thệ thành) was the capital of
Champa from about 875 to about 1100 AD. It was located at the site of the modern
village of Đồng Dương, near the modern city of Da Nang. Also found in the region of Da
Nang is the ancient Cham city of Singhapura ("City of the Lion"), the location of which
has been identified with an archaeological site in the modern village of Trà Kiệu, and the
valley of Mỹ Sơn, where a number of ruined temples and towers can still be seen. The

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 associated port was at modern Hội An. The territory once controlled by this principality
included present-day Quảng Bình, Quảng Trị, and Thừa Thiên–Huế provinces.

Indrapura ruins in Champa

Amaravati was located in present-day Châu Sa citadel of Quảng Ngãi Province. The
earliest mention of Amaravati is from an AD 1160 inscription at Po Nagar. Amaravati,
meaning “Abode of the Gods,” was said to be the site where the mythical beings devas,
yakshas, and kinnaras performed penance to the Hindu god Shiva to vanquish the demon
Tarakasura.

Closeup of the inscription in Cham script on the Po Nagar stele, 965. The stele describes
feats by King Jaya Indravarman I (r. 960-972).Amravati Stupa,India

 Vijaya meaning Victory and could be the victory of Ram over Ravana or Pandavas over
Kauravas in Mahabharata.was located in present-day Bình Định
Province (Tumpraukvijaya). Early mention is made of Vijaya in an 1160 inscription at Po
Nagar. The capital has been identified with the archaeological site at Cha Ban. The
associated port was at present-day Qui Nhơn. Important excavations have also been
conducted at nearby Tháp Mắm, which may have been a religious and cultural centre.
Vijaya became the political and cultural centre of Champa around 1150s. It remained the

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 center of Champa until 1471, when it was sacked by the Việt and the center of Champa
was again displaced toward the south. In its time, the principality of Vijaya controlled
much of present-day Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Bình Định, and Phú Yên (Aia Ru)
Provinces.
 Kauthara was located in the area of modern Nha Trang (Aia Trang) in Khánh Hòa
Province (Yanpunagara). Its religious and cultural centre was the temple of Po Nagar,
several towers of which still stand at Nha Trang. Kauthara is first mentioned in an 784
AD inscription at Po Nagar. The word Kauthar is derived from the root Kathu , which has
meanings of "to increase in number, to outnumber, to happen frequently; to show
pride in wealth and/or children; to be rich, plentiful, abundance." The form Kawthar
itself is an intensive deverbal noun, meaning "abundance, multitude"
 Panduranga named after Vishnu, was located in the area of present-day Phan Rang–
Tháp Chàm (Pan Rang) in Ninh Thuận and Bình Thuận province. Panduranga with
capital Parik, was the last of the Cham territories to be annexed by the Vietnamese. It was
the most autonomous, sometimes independent, princedom/principality of
Champa. Panduranga is first mentioned in an 817 AD inscription at Po Nagar.

Panduranga or Prangdarang or Pandharpur ( the city “pur” of Pandhari)

Panduranga or Prangdarang was a Cham Principality and later, the rump state successor of
the Champa kingdom, which was destroyed by Vietnamese emperor Le Thanh Tong in 1471.
It was located in present-day Southcentral Vietnam. It stood until late 17th century as the
Nguyen lords of Cochinchina, a powerful Vietnamese clan, vassalized it and put the Cham
polity under the name Principality of Thuận Thành.
Previously, Pänduranga (known to medieval Chinese sources as Bīn Tónglóng or Bēntuólàng
was an autonomous princedom inside Champa. From the 13th century onward, it had been
ruled by local dynasties that relatively independent from the court of the king of kings
at Vijaya, central Champa.

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 In the map, Panduranga is at lower right

In the Bhakti tradition, there is a highly revered Saint known as Pundalik. Pundalik has come
to be known as a symbol for Supreme, Unconditional Love. His heart was so open and his
Love forgot no one. Pundalik’s devotion caused God to go looking for him.

Champa, Chinese Lin-yi, ancient Indochinese kingdom lasting from the 2nd to the 17th
century AD and extending over the central and southern coastal region of Vietnam from
roughly the 18th parallel in the north to Point Ke Ga (Cape Varella) in the south. Established
by the Cham, a people of Malayo-Polynesian stock and Indianized culture, Champa was
finally absorbed by the Vietnamese, who in turn were strongly influenced by Cham culture.

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Champa was formed in AD 192, during the breakup of the Han dynasty of China, when the
Han official in charge of the region established his own kingdom around the area of the
present city of Hue. Although the territory was at first inhabited mainly by wild tribes
involved in incessant struggles with the Chinese colonies in Tonkin, it gradually came under
Indian cultural influence, evolving into a decentralized country composed of four small
states, named after regions of India—Amaravati (Quang Nam); Vijaya (Binh Dinh); Kauthara
(Nha Trang); and Panduranga (Phan Rang)—whose populations remained concentrated in
small coastal enclaves. It had a powerful fleet that was used for commerce and for piracy.

In about AD 400 Champa was united under the rule of King Bhadravarman. In retaliation for
Cham raids on their coast, the Chinese invaded Champa in 446, bringing the region under
their suzerainty once again. Finally, under a new dynasty in the 6th century, Champa threw
off its allegiance to China and entered into an era of great independent prosperity and artistic
achievements. The centre of the nation began to shift from north to south; around the middle
of the 8th century Chinese sources cease to mention Lin-yi and begin to refer to the kingdom
as Huan-wang, a Sinicization of the name of the northernmost province, Panduranga (Phan
Rang). In the late 8th century the Chams were distracted by attacks from Java, but in the 9th
century they renewed their pressure on the Chinese provinces to the north and the growing
Khmer (Cambodian) Empire to the west. Under Indravarman II, who established the
Indrapura dynasty (the sixth in Champan history) in 875, the capital of the country was
moved back to the northern province of Amaravati (Quang Nam), near present Hue, and
elaborate palaces and temples were constructed.

In the 10th century the Vietnamese kingdom of Dai Viet began to exert pressure on Champa,
forcing it to relinquish Amaravati in 1000 and Vijaya in 1069. Harivarman IV, who in 1074
founded the ninth Cham dynasty, was able to stave off further Vietnamese and Cambodian
attacks, but in 1145 the Khmers, under the aggressive leadership of Suryavarman II, invaded
and conquered Champa. Two years later a new Cham king, Jaya Harivarman I, arose and
threw off Khmer rule, and his successor, in 1177, sacked the Cambodian capital at Angkor.
Between 1190 and 1220 the Chams again came under Cambodian suzerainty, and later in the
13th century they were attacked by the Tran kings of Vietnam, as well as by the Mongols in
1284. By the late 15th century, incessant wars of aggression and defense had for all practical
purposes wiped out the Champa kingdom; one by one their provinces were annexed until
Champa was entirely absorbed in the 17th century.

Its end marked the demise of the only culture of mainland Asia with Oceanian features. Cham
painting is known only from the inscriptions on the temples. Cham sculptors, under the
influence of Indian Gupta art, evolved a very personal style, characterized by forms springing
with wild energy. Architecture generally was confined to tiered brick towers.

Early period
From 1060 to 1074, Panduranga was the capital of king Rudravarman III (r. 1061–1074).
During the 12th century when Khmer Empire invaded Champa and occupied most of the
kingdom in 1145–1150, prince Sivänandana or Jaya Harivarman I (r. 1147–1162), son of
refugee king Rudravarman IV, fled to Panduranga, then led a rebellion that resisted the
Khmer and inflicted defeats on the invaders, forcing them to make a withdrawal in 1149. In
1151, province of Amaravarti (Quảng Ngãi province) revolted against Harivarman, followed
by Panduranga in 1155. In 1190, Cham Prince Vidyanandana (r. 1192–1203) who had
defected to the Khmer was nominated as puppet king of Pänduranga. Revolts ousted Khmer

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Prince In of Vijaya in 1191, which prompted Vidyanandana to rebel against the Khmer in
1192 and then reunified Champa. He faced massive retribution from Jayavarman VII of
Angkor in the next year, but Vidyanandana's struggle for Champa lasted until 1203 when the
capital of Vijaya fell to the Khmer and Vidyanandana himself fled and died in Dai Viet.
According to the Sakarai dak rai patao (Panduranga annals), the first king of Panduranga
Principality was Sri Aragang. His rule lasted between 1195/1205 to 1235/1247. The king of
kings at Vijaya still wrested certain suzerainty over Panduranga. Sri Aragang was succeeded
by Cei Anâk, who reigned between 1235/1247 - 1269/1281. After the Aragang dynasty,
Panduranga continued maintaining its sovereignty under the Dobatasuar dynasty (1269-
1373).
By the late 14th century, the whole of Champa had been unified again under the rule of a
single strong dynasty, founded by Jaya Simhavarman VI (r. 1390–1400). Panduranga
remained autonomous but asymmetrical and maintained a tributary relationship with the
Simhavarmanids in Vijaya.

Collapse of Vijaya and the beginning of Panduranga period

When the Vietnamese under Le Thanh Tong attacked Champa in early 1471, the whole
northern part of the kingdom was razed, cities ransacked, and tens of thousand people were
killed, either massacred or enslaved by the invaders. The Vietnamese king also captured the
Cham king Tra Toan and Vijaya clansmen, deporting them to the north, ending the dynasty's
reign. This event is widely recognized as the end of the Champa Kingdom, according
to Georges Maspero's logics.[13] However, it is noteworthy to know that the fall of Vijaya was
not a "shift" of Champa power to the south or the end of the kingdom, but rather, reflects the
multicentric nature of Champa, a confederation of semiindependent kingdoms which now
were no longer under the prestige of the Vijaya king of kings.
Unsurprisingly, a massive wave of Cham emigration radiated across Southeast Asia: In
Cambodia, Cham refugees were welcomed, but the sources do not provide how they arrived
in Cambodia and where they settled. In Thailand, there were records of Cham presence since
Ayudhaya period. In the Malay archipelago, the Sejarah Melayu (Malay Annals) states that
after the collapse of Vijaya in 1471, two Cham princes named Indera Berma Shah and Shah
Palembang sought asylum in Melaka and Aceh. Shortly after his conversion to Islam, Indera
Berma Shah was appointed minister at the court of Sultan Mansur Shah. The Sejarah
Melayu also mentions Cham presences in Pahang, Kelantan, where the Kampung Laut
Mosque is said to be built by Champa sailors, on their way to Java and Aceh.
According to Vietnamese sources, on 22 March 1471, after the loss of the capital Vijaya to
the Vietnamese force under Le Thanh Tong, a Cham general named Bố Trì Trì (T'chai Ya Ma
Fou Ngan in Chinese annals) fled to Panduranga's capital Pa Rang and set up his own rule
and submitted to Le Thanh Tong seven days later. Thanh Tong agreed, but he divided the
Cham remnants into three smaller polities: Kauthara, Panduranga, and the northern part
of Central Highlands.[19] Champa was reduced in six regions: Aia Ru (Phú Yên), Aia Trang
(Khánh Hòa), Panrang (Phan Rang), Kraong (Long Hương), Parik (Phan Rí Cửa) and Pajai
(Phú Hài [vi]). The Chinese Ming Shilu provides another deviation of the timeline: Although
the Vietnamese sacking of Vijaya in March 1471, T'chai Ya Ma Fou Ngan still facilitated
token diplomacy with Ming Empire in unoccassional years, in 1478, 1505, and 1515, the son
of Fou Ngan received succession prescription from the Ming; their last contact occurred in
1543.

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According to the Cham annal, from 1421/1448 to 1567/1579, the capital of Panduranga was
Biuh Bal Batsinâng. From 1567/1579 to 1653, it had been relocated to Bal Pangdarang
(present day Phan Rang).[23] From the late 17th century until 1832, the capital of Panduranga
was once again moved south to Phan Rí Cửa.
The Cham stopped paying tribute to the Viet court when the Le was usurped by the Mac
dynasty in 1526.

Revival

Temple of King Po Rome (r. 1627-1651)///The Boxer Codex depiction of Chamcia

(Cham) couple, c. 1595
During the sixteenth century, as Dai Viet fragmented in the north, Panduranga Champa again
gained prosper from the rise of the international trade. Throughout the seventeenth century,
Cham merchants traded actively in Siam, Manila, Macao, Malacca, Johor, Pahang, Patani,
and Makassar. A Spanish record reported that "many Muslims live in Champa, whose Hindu
king wanted Islam to be spoken and taught, resulted in many mosques existed along with
Hindu temples.
In 1578, Panduranga assaulted Nguyen lord's domain near Đà Rằng River. In 1594,
Panduranga king sent a fleet of 400 warships to aid the Johor Sultanate in its struggles against
the Portuguese in Melaka
Panduranga also helped its neighbor Cambodia during the Cambodian–Spanish War, which
resulted in delivering a fiasco to the Spanish conquistadors. Governor of Malina, Luis Pérez

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Dasmariñas (fl. 1593–96) sent a letter to the court of king Philip II in late 1595, antagonizing
the Cham king as "a vicious dangerous tyrant who was treacherous and full of evil deeds,"
while his second letter suggested that just around 200–300 Spanish soldiers and 500 local
mercenaries would be needed to conquer Champa. During that time, the Cham were
remembered by Spanish, Portuguese, and Dutch merchants and seamen as ferocious pirates of
the South China Sea who numerously boarded merchant ships, plundering cargos, kidnapping
crew members, and routinely took European hostages to slavery. Cham kings were described
to be at least involved or actively encouraging raids against foreign ships.
In 1611, in an attempt to retake land from the Nguyen lord, Champa mounted an attack in
Phu Yen, but gained no success, and the Kauthara principality was lost to the Nguyen after a
counterattack.
Later period under Po Rome dynasty
With the rise of nearby Hội An, most foreign traders now were leaving Champa. Japanese
seal trade ships ceased to trade with Champa in 1623. [30] In 1611, lord Nguyen Phuc
Nguyen sent an army led by Văn Phong, a Cham defector, attacking Panduranga, annexing
the entire Kauthara Principality. Nguyen lord then resettled 30,000 Trinh POWs in Phu Yen.
Notable Cham king of this period, Po Rome (r. 1627-1651), was known for his great
erudition of Islam after having a sojourn study in Kelantan, Malay Peninsula, and the mass
conversion to Islam by his people. He encouraged trade, granting the Dutch permission to
arrange free trade in his country unless they do not attack Portuguese merchants at his ports.
[32]
To resolve discontents between Muslims and Balamon, Po Rome ordered the Cham Bani
to have their religion more integrated with Cham customs and beliefs, while pressing the
Ahier to accept Allah as the most supreme God but allowed them to retain their worships of
traditional Cham divinities, excellently reforging peace and cohesion in his kingdom. King
Po Rome is an important deity that is being venerated by the Cham people today.
Connections between Pandaranga and the extra Malay/Islamic world blossomed. Syncretism
was widely practiced at all levels, best known for incorporating cosmopolitan Islamic
doctrines into existing indigenous Cham beliefs and Hindu pantheons. The multipurpose
lunisolar sakawi calendar, was likely Po Rome's best combination of previous Cham Śaka
era with the Islamic lunar calendar.
European missionaries described Champa in the 1670s as having the majority of its
population being Muslims, a Muslim sultan, and a Muslim court. In 1680 Panduranga
king Po Saut (r. 1659–1692) styled himself with Malay horrific Paduka Seri Sultan in his
hand letter to the Dutch in Java. In 1686, the Cham and Malay Muslim communities in Siam
reportedly joined the Makassars rebellion against king Narai of Ayudhya.
WARS
Under Po Rome's dynasty, Panduranga suffered several incursions from the Southern
Vietnamese Nguyen kingdom which centered around trading centers Hue-Hoi An, the old
center region of Champa which had been recently Vietnamized. Lords Nguyễn Phúc
Nguyên, Nguyễn Phúc Tần, and Nguyễn Phúc Chu repeatedly invaded Panduranga in 1611,
1629, 1653, 1692.[35] During the late 16th and early 17th centuries, the Nguyen of
Cochinchina were too preoccupied dealing with their northern enemies, the Trịnh, rather than
with the Cham. Though was not recorded in official chronicles, but in dynastic genealogy and
pseudonymous Cham sources, in 1631 Nguyễn Phúc Nguyên arranged the marriage of his
princess Nguyễn Phúc Ngọc Khoa to king Po Rome. Alexander de Rhodes describes
sometime in 1639, the Nguyen still placed several galleys in the port of Ran Ran (Phú Yên)
to prevent seaborne incursion from Champa.

16
Having successfully fended off the Trinh, the Nguyen thalassocracy turned its attention to the
south, dispatching their first interference in Cambodia, overthrowing its first and only
Muslim king Ramathipadi I in 1658. The Nguyen had periodically invaded Cambodia several
times from 1658 to 1692 on par with Siam. In 1682, Panduranga reportedly sent envoys led
by the king's brothers who had fled after the king's coronation to Ayudhya in a possible
search for Siamese protection.
In 1692, lord Nguyễn Phúc Chu invaded Panduranga, arresting King Po Saut and renaming
Panduranga to Trấn Thuận Thành (Principality of Thuận Thành). The lord established Bình
Thuận District inside the Principality as free lands for ethnic Viet settler colonialism,[40] but
Cham revolts in 1693–96 forced the Nguyen lord to mitigate the resentment by abolishing the
Binh Thuan county, restoring the Cham monarchy with full rights, however, becoming a
vassal of the Nguyen, according to a following treaty signed in 1712. In 1694 Panduranga
king Po Saktiraydapatih (r. 1695–1727) received the title King of Thuan Thanh From 1695
onward, Panduranga had been reduced to a client state of the Nguyen domain, known as
the Principality of Thuận Thành (Trấn Thuận Thành – Principality of 'Submissive Citadel').
Mercantile Role
During the 16th century, Cham merchants renewed their commercial links and actively traded
in Siam, Manila, Macao, Malacca, Johor, Pahang, Patani, and Makassar. Among their
exports, Cham textile was famously consumed.
The 17th-century Chinese compendium Xiyang Chao Gong Dian Lu (Tributes from the
countries of the Western Sea, c. 1650) describes a type of Cham brewed liquor that is made
from cooked rice, mixed with wine and medicines, contained in pottery, and is drunk by long
bamboo straws. People would sit around the container and take sips.
Proselytization of Islam increased sharply after the fall of Vijaya, as missionary Gabriel de
San Antonio wrote a description in 1585: "The locals (Chams) hated the Castilians and
believed prophecies made by the Moro, that there would be a king Mahoma, and many would
embrace the new faith."
Currently, there are two theories among academic consensus regard the apostle of Islam to
Champa, proposed by scholars Antoine Cabaton and Pierre-Yves Manguin. The first theory
states that Islam could have been introduced by Arab, Persian, Indian merchants, scholars,
religious leaders, during from the 10th to 14th century. The second theory argues that Islam
arrived in Champa through a later, shorter, indirectly way from the Malays (jawa, melayu,
chvea), according to Manguin, is more convincing and valid. Most historians agree that the
Cham only began converting to Islam en masse after the destruction of Vijaya. [44] In his
conclusion, Manguin attributes the Islamization of the Cham people to their active
participation in the regional maritime networks, and the Malay states and Malay traders
which also contributed great impacts to the process. Panduranga had its own revolt against
the court of king Jaya Paramesvaravarman I (r. 1044–1060) in 1050.[ In contrast with
scholars who view Champa as the kingdom exclusively of the Cham, recent scholars such
as Po Dharma and Richard O’Connor, rebrand Champa as a multiethnic kingdom. They note
that Champa was highly likely a coalition of the Cham lowlanders and the indigenous
inhabitants of the Central Highlands, although Cham culture is usually associated with the
broader culture of Champa

17
Panduranga is named after Panduiranga another toponym of Lord Vishnu
Vithoba, also known as Vi(t)thal(a) and Panduranga, is a Hindu deity predominantly
worshipped in the Indian state of Maharashtra and Karnataka. He is generally considered as a
manifestation of the god Vishnu, or his avatar, Krishna. Vithoba is often depicted as a dark
young boy, standing arms akimbo on a brick, sometimes accompanied by his
consort Rakhumai.
Vithoba is the focus of an essentially monotheistic, non-ritualistic bhakti-driven. Varkari faith
of Maharashtra and the Haridasa faith of Karnataka. Vithoba Temple, Pandharpur is his main
temple. Vithoba legends revolve around his devotee Pundalik who is credited for bringing the
deity to Pandharpur, and around Vithoba's role as a saviour to the poet-saints of the Varkari
faith. The Varkari poet-saints are known for their unique genre of devotional lyric,
the abhang, dedicated to Vithoba and composed in Marathi. Other devotional literature
dedicated to Vithoba includes the Kannada hymns of the Haridasa and the Marathi versions
of the generic aarti songs associated with rituals of offering light to the deity. The most
important festivals of Vithoba are held on Devshayani Ekadashi in the month of Ashadha,
and Prabodhini Ekadashi in the month of Kartik.
The historiography of Vithoba and his sect is an area of continuing debate, even regarding his
name. Though the origins of both his sect and his main temple are likewise debated, there is
clear evidence that they already existed by the 13th century.

18
 Most significant temples around Panduranga
The culturally most important temples of historical Champa were the temple of Bhadresvara
located at Mỹ Sơn near modern Da Nang, and the temple of the goddess known
as Bhagavati (her Hindu name) or Yan Po Nagar (her Cham name) located just outside
modern Nha Trang.

The temple of Po Nagar in Nha Trang.

19
 The temple of Bhadresvara was the principle religious foundations of northern Champa
(known as Campadesa, Campapura or nagara Campa in the inscriptions). Scholars have
identified the temple of Bhadresvara, a local incarnation of the universal deity Shiva,
with the edifice "A1" at Mỹ Sơn. Though today A1 is in the process of devolving into a
pile of rubble, it still existed as a magnificent tower when French scholars described it at
the beginning of the 20th century
 The temple of Yan Po Nagar was the principal religious foundation of southern Champa
(or Panduranga, a word that is the basis for the modern name "Phan Rang.") Its buildings
date from between the 8th and 13th centuries. The temple remains standing to this day
across the Cai River from Nha Trang, and is in relatively good condition.

Its present name is Phan Rang–Tháp Chàm.

Phan Rang–Tháp Chàm, commonly known as Phan Rang, is a city in Vietnam and the
capital of Ninh Thuận Province. The community has a population of 161,000 (2004), of
which 91,000 (2004) live in the main city.
The name Phan Rang' is the Vietnamese pronunciation of Panduranga (a Sanskrit word
of Hindu origin) or Parang. The name Tháp Chàm means "Cham Temple/Tower" and is
named after the Po Klong Garai Temple in the northern part of the city.
What is now Phan Rang was formerly known as Panduranga, the capital of the kingdom
of Champa.
The town of Phan Rang was established in 1917 during the Nguyễn dynasty, by edict of
Emperor Khải Định, and remained the provincial capital of Ninh Thuận Province until 1976,
when the province merged with Bình Thuận Province to form Thuận Hải Province.
When the Japanese occupied the country in World War II, they established an airfield and it
was later used by the French. During the Republic of Vietnam, Phan Rang was the site of
the United States Air Force's Phan Rang Air Base in the Vietnam War.
The town was divided into Phan Rang in the east, which became part of Ninh Hải District and
Tháp Chàm in the west, which became part of An Son district. The two were again combined
in 1992 to become Phan Rang–Tháp Chàm, the capital of Ninh Thuận Province, achieving
city status in 2007
Cham Culture
Tháp Chàm and Phan Rang district has become a center for the maintenance of Cham culture.
Much of the district is occupied by Cham people where they have rice paddies, orchards of
grapes and peaches, flocks of goats and Brahman cattle. Their towers (the 'Thap') are
beautiful memorials to their kings and queens. There are several Cham sites with dilapidated
towers along the central coast of Vietnam and major sites in Mỹ Sơn and Nha Trang.
However, there are two sites in the Phan Rang–Tháp Chàm being maintained and culturally
active. Two kilometers west of the Tháp Chàm Railway Station, there is excellent hilltop
Cham tower complex dedicated to the king Po Klong Garai, the last reigning king; his
likeness is depicted on a lingam in the sanctuary of the central tower. A second tower for the
king Po Re Do is located about 20 km south west of Tháp Chàm, via Phu Quy to Phouc Hou
and the village Hau Sanh; this tower is undergoing extensive renovation (July 2012).
The towers are currently used for the very colorful Cham festivals, particularly "Kate" in
October (Oct 15 in 2012) when they still sacrifice a bullock and other food offerings. Other

20
ceremonies for Ramadan, a Rain Festival (as required), weddings and other celebrations are
also held. Apart from the incorporation of Islam into their cultural and religious practice,
another point of cultural difference is that their heredity line is maternal. The animist
foundation of Cham culture, with fire motif on the towers, rustic traditions and very colorful
ceremonial dress makes the Cham culture an ideal tourist resource for Vietnam, as yet poorly
developed.
Architecturally, the towers are intricately built in small red bricks, almost dry stone
construction with very fine mortar lines. The towers are topped by calyx like minarets, arches
are rimmed by special bricks fired with tongue like extensions on the extremities to represent
flames; it is very intricate brick work requiring sophisticated engineering to deal with the
overhang.
Associated with the Po Klong Garai complex there is a cultural center, more functionally
built with concrete, bricks, mortar and render, but at least with some of the line of the Cham
architecture and housing a display of cultural and handi-works, and excellent photographs
and paintings by Cham artists.

Phan Rang Look Out

God Panduranga Vishnu Avatar

Vithoba, also known as Vi(t)thal(a) and Panduranga, is a Hindu god predominantly

worshipped in the Indian state of Maharashtra and Karnataka. He is generally considered as a
manifestation of the god Vishnu, or his avatar Krishna.Panduranga is known by many names,
including: Vithoba, Vitthala, Pandharinath, Hari and Narayan.
There are several theories about the origins and meanings of these names. Varkari tradition
suggests that the name Vitthala (also spelled as Vitthal, Viththal, Vittala and
Vithal; Marathi: विठ्ठल, composed of two Sanskrit-Marathi words: viṭ, which means
'brick'; and thal, which may have originated from the Sanskrit sthala, meaning 'standing'.
Thus, Vitthala would mean 'one standing on a brick'. The prescribed iconography of Vithoba
stipulates that he be shown standing arms-akimbo upon a brick, which is associated with the
legend of the devotee Pundalik.

21
Definition of Vittala: "Vidaa Jnanena Taan Shoonyan Laati Gruhnaati Yaha Swayam
AjnaanugrahaKruddevo Vittalah Kathyate Budhaiah" - Prikryaya Kaumudi Vyakhyana
However, the Varkari poet-saint Tukaram proposed a different etymology—that Vitthala is
composed of the words vittha (ignorance) and la (one who accepts), thus meaning 'one who
accepts innocent people who are devoid of knowledge'. [5] Historian Ramakrishna Gopal
Bhandarkar offers yet another possibility—that Vitthu (Viṭhu) is a Kannada corruption of the
name Vishnu adopted in Marathi. The suffixes -la and -ba (meaning 'father' in Marathi) were
appended for reverence, producing the names Vitthala and Vithoba. This corruption of
Vishnu to Vitthu could have been due to tendency of Marathi and Kannada people to
pronounce.
According to research scholar M. S. Mate of the Deccan College, Pundalik—who is assumed
to be a historical figure—was instrumental in persuading
the Hoysala king Vishnuvardhana alias Bittidev to build the Pandharpur temple dedicated to
Vishnu. The deity was subsequently named as Vitthala, a derivative of Bittidev, by the
builder-king. Other variants of the name include Viṭhurāyā (King Vitthala),
and Viṭhāī (Mother Vitthala). The people of Gujarat add the suffix -nath (Lord) to Vitthala,
which yields the name Vitthal-nath. The additional honorific suffix -ji may be added, giving
the name Vitthalnathji. This name is generally used in the Pushtimarg sect.
Panduranga also spelt as Pandurang and Pandaranga, is another popular epithet for Vithoba,
which means 'the white god' in Sanskrit. The Jain author-saint Hemachandra (1089–1172
AD) notes it is also used as an epithet for the god Rudra-Shiva. Even though Vithoba is
depicted with dark complexion, he is called a "white god". Bhandarkar explains this paradox,
proposing that Panduranga may be an epithet for the form of Shiva worshipped in
Pandharpur, and whose temple still stands. Later, with the increasing popularity of Vithoba's
cult, this was also transferred to Vithoba. [10] Another theory suggests that Vithoba may
initially have been a Shaiva god (related to Shiva), only later identified with Vishnu, thus
explaining the usage of Panduranga for Vithoba. Crooke, however, proposed that
Panduranga is a Sanskritised form of Pandaraga (belonging to Pandarga), referring to the old
name of Pandharpur.[4] Another name, Pandharinath, also refers to Vithoba as the lord of
Pandhari (yet another variant for Pandharpur).
Finally, Vithoba is also addressed by the names of Vishnu like Hari and Narayana, in
the Vaishnava sect

DVARAVATI in INDIA
Dvārakā, in India is also known as Dvāravatī (Sanskrit द्वारका "the gated [city]",
possibly meaning having many gates, or alternatively having one or several very grand
gates), is a sacred historic city in the sacred literature of Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism. It
is also alternatively spelled as Dvarika. The name Dvaraka is said to have been given to the
place by Krishna, a major deity in Hinduism. Dvaraka is one of the Sapta Puri (seven sacred
cities) of Hinduism.
In the Mahabharata, it was a city located in what is now Dwarka, formerly called
Kushasthali, the fort of which had to be repaired by the Yadavas. In this epic, the city is
described as a capital of the Anarta Kingdom. According to the Harivamsa the city was
located in the region of the Sindhu Kingdom.

22
In the Hindu epics and the Puranas, Dvaraka is called Dvaravati and is one of
seven Tirtha (pilgrimage) sites for spiritual liberation. The other six
are Mathura, Ayodhya, Kashi, Kanchipuram, Avantika (Ujjain) and Puri

 In Harivamsa, Dvaraka is described as largely built on "submerged land", "released by

the ocean" (2.55.118 and 2.58.34).
 The city was the former "sporting ground of the King Raivataka" called "Dvāravāti",
which "was squared like a chess board" (2.56.29).
 Nearby was the mountain range Raivataka (2.56.27), "the living place of the gods"
(2.55.111).
 The city was measured by Brahmins; the foundations of the houses were laid and at least
some of the houses were built by the Yadavas (2.58.9 - 15).
 It was built by Vishwakarman in one day (2.58.40) "mentally" (2.58.41 and 44).
 It had surrounding walls (2.58.48 and 53) with four main gates (2.58.16).
 Its houses were arranged in lines (2.58.41) and the city had "high buildings" (2.58.50 and
54) (2.58.53), which "almost touched the sky" (2.58.50), and had "doors that had the
colour of white clouds" (2.58.48).
 The fort walls of the city were "shining with the colour of the Sun and pots of gold" and
"sounds emanating from grand houses sparkling with golden colour" (2.58.53)
 It had a temple area with a palace for Krishna himself, which had a separate bathroom
(2.58.43).
 "The city is beautified on Earth by the ocean" like Indra's heavenly city is "beautified by
an assembly of important jewels" (2.58.47 - 66, (2.58.49).

Description

View of Dwaraka

The following description of Dvaraka during Krishna's presence there appears in

the Bhagavata Purana (Srimad-Bhagavatam; 10.69.1-12) in connection with the sage
Narada's visit.

23
The City was filled with the sounds of birds and bees flying about the parks and pleasure
gardens, while its lakes, crowded with blooming indivara, ambhoja, kahlara, kumuda, and
utpala lotuses, resounded with the calls of swans and cranes.
Dvaraka boasted 900,000 royal palaces, all constructed with crystal and silver and
splendorously decorated with huge emeralds. Inside these palaces, the furnishings were
bedecked with gold and jewels.
Traffic moved along a well laid-out system of boulevards, roads, intersections, and
marketplaces, and many assembly houses and temples of demigods graced the charming city.
The roads, courtyards, commercial streets, and residential patios were all sprinkled with
water and shaded from the sun's heat by banners waving from flagpoles.
In the city of Dvaraka was a beautiful private quarter worshiped by the planetary rulers. This
district, where the demigod Vishvakarma had shown all his divine skill, was the residential
area of Lord Hari Krishna, and thus it was gorgeously decorated by the sixteen thousand
palaces of Lord Krishna's queens. Narada Muni entered one of these immense palaces.
Supporting the palace were coral pillars decoratively inlaid with vaidurya gems. Sapphires
bedecked the walls, and the floors glowed with perpetual brilliance. In that palace Tvashta
had arranged canopies with hanging strands of pearls; there were also seats and beds
fashioned of ivory and precious jewels. In attendance were many well-dressed maidservants
bearing lockets on their necks, and also armor-clad guards with turbans, fine uniforms, and
jeweled earrings.
The glow of numerous jewel-studded lamps dispelled all darkness in the palace. My dear
king, on the ornate ridges of the roof danced loudly crying peacocks, who saw the fragrant
aguru incense escaping through the holes of the latticed windows and mistook it for a cloud.
Events

 Pandu's sons lived in Dwaraka during their exile to woods. Their servants headed by
Indrasena lived there for one year (the 13th year) (4,72).
 Bala Rama mentioned about a sacrificial fire of Dwaraka, before he set for his pilgrimage
over Sarasvati River (9,35).
 One should proceed with subdued senses and regulated diet to Dwaravati, where by
bathing in "the holy place called Pindaraka",one obtaineth the fruit of the gift of gold in
abundance (3,82).
 King Nriga, in consequence of a single fault of his, had to dwell for a long time at
Dwaravati, and Krishna became the cause of his rescue from that miserable plight.
(13,72).
 Sage Durvasa resided at Dwaravati for a long time (13,160).
 Arjuna visited Dwaravati during his military campaign after the Kurukshetra
War (14,83).
 When the Pandavas retire from the world they visit the place where Dvaraka once used to
be and see the city submerged under water.
During 1983-1990, the Marine Archaeology Unit of India's National Institute of
Oceanography (NIO) carried out underwater excavations at Dwarka and Bet Dwarka.
[14]
According to S. R. Rao "The available archaeological evidence from onshore and offshore
excavations confirms the existence of a city-state with a couple of satellite towns in 1500
B.C." He considered it reasonable to conclude that this submerged city is the Dvaraka as
described in the Mahabharata.

24
In the Mausala Parva of the Mahabharata, Arjuna witnesses the submergence of Dvaraka
and describes it as follows:
The sea, which had been beating against the shores, suddenly broke the boundary that was
imposed on it by nature. The sea rushed into the city. It coursed through the streets of the
beautiful city. The sea covered up everything in the city. I saw the beautiful buildings
becoming submerged one by one. In a matter of a few moments it was all over. The sea had
now become as placid as a lake. There was no trace of the city. Dvaraka was just a name; just
a memory.

— Mausala Parva of Mahabharata

II
Toponym of Lord Vishnu-
Panduranga and its impact on Indrapura (CHAMPA)
by Dr Uday Dokras

25
26
 Concept of Panduranga

Panduranga or Prangdarang or Pandharpur ( the city “pur” of Pandhari)

Panduranga or Prangdarang was a Cham Principality and later, the rump state successor of
the Champa kingdom, which was destroyed by Vietnamese emperor Le Thanh Tong in 1471.
It was located in present-day Southcentral Vietnam. It stood until late 17th century as the
Nguyen lords of Cochinchina, a powerful Vietnamese clan, vassalized it and put the Cham
polity under the name Principality of Thuận Thành.
Previously, Pänduranga (known to medieval Chinese sources as Bīn Tónglóng or Bēntuólàng
was an autonomous princedom inside Champa. From the 13th century onward, it had been
ruled by local dynasties that relatively independent from the court of the king of kings
at Vijaya, central Champa.

In the map, Panduranga is at lower right

In the Bhakti tradition, there is a highly revered Saint known as Pundalik. Pundalik has come
to be known as a symbol for Supreme, Unconditional Love. His heart was so open and his
Love forgot no one. Pundalik’s devotion caused God to go looking for him.

Panduranga is known by many names, including: Vithoba, Vitthala, Pandharinath, Hari and
Narayan.
There are several theories about the origins and meanings of these names. Varkari tradition
suggests that the name Vitthala (also spelled as Vitthal, Viththal, Vittala and

27
Vithal; Marathi: विठ्ठल, composed of two Sanskrit-Marathi words: viṭ, which means
'brick'; and thal, which may have originated from the Sanskrit sthala, meaning 'standing'.
Thus, Vitthala would mean 'one standing on a brick'. The prescribed iconography of Vithoba
stipulates that he be shown standing arms-akimbo upon a brick, which is associated with the
legend of the devotee Pundalik.
Definition of Vittala: "Vidaa Jnanena Taan Shoonyan Laati Gruhnaati Yaha Swayam
AjnaanugrahaKruddevo Vittalah Kathyate Budhaiah" - Prikryaya Kaumudi Vyakhyana
However, the Varkari poet-saint Tukaram proposed a different etymology—that Vitthala is
composed of the words vittha (ignorance) and la (one who accepts), thus meaning 'one who
accepts innocent people who are devoid of knowledge'. [5] Historian Ramakrishna Gopal
Bhandarkar offers yet another possibility—that Vitthu (Viṭhu) is a Kannada corruption of the
name Vishnu adopted in Marathi. The suffixes -la and -ba (meaning 'father' in Marathi) were
appended for reverence, producing the names Vitthala and Vithoba. This corruption of
Vishnu to Vitthu could have been due to tendency of Marathi and Kannada people to
pronounce.
According to research scholar M. S. Mate of the Deccan College, Pundalik—who is assumed
to be a historical figure—was instrumental in persuading
the Hoysala king Vishnuvardhana alias Bittidev to build the Pandharpur temple dedicated to
Vishnu. The deity was subsequently named as Vitthala, a derivative of Bittidev, by the
builder-king. Other variants of the name include Viṭhurāyā (King Vitthala),
and Viṭhāī (Mother Vitthala). The people of Gujarat add the suffix -nath (Lord) to Vitthala,
which yields the name Vitthal-nath. The additional honorific suffix -ji may be added, giving
the name Vitthalnathji. This name is generally used in the Pushtimarg sect.
Panduranga also spelt as Pandurang and Pandaranga, is another popular epithet for Vithoba,
which means 'the white god' in Sanskrit. The Jain author-saint Hemachandra (1089–1172
AD) notes it is also used as an epithet for the god Rudra-Shiva. Even though Vithoba is
depicted with dark complexion, he is called a "white god". Bhandarkar explains this paradox,
proposing that Panduranga may be an epithet for the form of Shiva worshipped in
Pandharpur, and whose temple still stands. Later, with the increasing popularity of Vithoba's
cult, this was also transferred to Vithoba. Another theory suggests that Vithoba may initially
have been a Shaiva god (related to Shiva), only later identified with Vishnu, thus explaining
the usage of Panduranga for Vithoba. Crooke, however, proposed that Panduranga is a
Sanskritised form of Pandaraga (belonging to Pandarga), referring to the old name of
Pandharpur.[4] Another name, Pandharinath, also refers to Vithoba as the lord of Pandhari (yet
another variant for Pandharpur).
Finally, Vithoba is also addressed by the names of Vishnu like Hari and Narayana, in
the Vaishnava sect

28
 Vithoba-Devanagari = विठोबा-
Sanskrit_Transliteration = Viṭhobā
Affiliation = Form of Vishnu or Krishna
Abode = Pandharpur
Consort = Rakhumai (Rukmini)
Mount = Garuda, when associated with Vishnu

Vithoba ( Marathi: Viṭhobā, विठोबा ),

Vitthala ( Sanskrit: Viṭṭhala, विठ्ठल,
Kannada: Viṭṭala, and Panduranga

Vithoba ( Marathi: Viṭhobā, विठोबा ), also known as Vitthala ( Sanskrit: Viṭṭhala, विठ्ठ
ल, Kannada: Viṭṭala, and Panduranga, is the Hindu god Vishnu
worshiped predominately in the Indian states of Maharashtra and Karnataka . Generally consi
dered a manifestation of the Hindu deities Vishnu or Krishna, he is sometimes associated wit
h the god Shiva . He is often depicted as a dark young boy, standing arms-
akimbo on a brick, sometimes accompanied by his main consort Rakhumai.

Vithoba is
sect of Maharashtra and the Haridasa sect of Karnataka. Vithoba's main temple stands at Pand
harpur in Maharashtra, close to the Karnataka border. The legends of Vithoba revolve around
the devotee Pundalik – who is credited with bringing the deity to Pandharpur –
and around Vithoba's role as a savior to the saint- of the Varkari faith. Poets have written vari
ous Marathi devotional compositions called abhangas dedicated to Vithoba. Other devotional
literature includes Kannada hymns by the Haridasas and Marathi aratis. The most important f
estivals of Vithoba are Ashadhi Ekadashi (Shayani Ekadashi) and Kartik Ekadashi (Prabodini
Ekadashi).
Like the origins of his names, the historicity of Vithoba and his cult is contested. In the proce
ss of his final identification with Vishnu, Vithoba – at different stages – was lin
ked with a cattle-god, a hero stone, a Jain saint, Shiva and even Buddha. Though the origins o
f his cult and his main temple are unclear, there is clear evidence that they existed in the 13th
century.
Etymology and other names
There are many conflicting theories about the origins of the names of the deity. Varkari etym
ology suggests that the word "Vitthala", also spelled as "Vitthal", "Viththal",
"Vittala" and "Vithal", is composed of two Sanskrit-Marathi words,
"Viṭ" meaning "brick" and "thal", which may have originated from the Sanskrit "sthala", mea
ning "standing". Thus "Vitthala" means "one standing on a brick". It could be
Kannada corruption of the word "Vishnu", which was adopted in Marathi, and the suffixes 'la'
and 'ba' -meaning "father" in Marathi

Pundalik is an historical figure rather than a mythical one, the devotee Pundalik was instrume
ntal in coaxing the Hoysala king Vishnuvardhana to build the Pandharpur temple to Vishnu.
The deity Vitthala was named by the builder king "Bittidev", the alias of Vishnuvardhana.
Other variants of the name include "Viṭhurāyā" ("King Vitthala"), and "Viṭhāī"
("Mother Vitthala"). The people of Gujarat add the suffix "Nath"

29
("Lord") to Vitthala, which yields the name "Vitthal-nath), the other popular epithet for Vitho
ba,
"Panduranga" or "Pandaranga", meaning "the white god" in Sanskrit, is an epithet for the god
Rudra-Shiva. It is an
epithet for the form of Shiva, worshipped in Pandharpur and whose temple still stands.

Another theory suggests that Vithoba may initially be a Shaiva (related to the cult of the god
Shiva) god and later identified with Vishnu, thus the name Panduranga of Vithoba.
Crooke suggests that Panduranga is a Sanskritised term of "Pandaraga" –
"belonging to Pandarga – the old name of Pandharpur." Another name "Pandharinath"
relates to Vithoba being "the lord of Pandhari (a name of Pandharpur)". Vithoba is also addre
ssed by universal Vaishnava names like "Hari" and "Narayana", which are related to the cult
of the god Vishnu

The Lord Vithal, or Panduranga Vittala, is an incarnation of Lord Vishnu and is worshipped in the world famous Pandarpur
Rukmini Vi- thal Temple at Pandarpur in Maharashtra. There is an interesting story that explains about the incarnation of Lord
Vithal at Pandarpur.

Origins and development

The hymn "Panduranga Stotra" by Adi Shankaracharya, if genuine, establishes that Vithoba worship e
xisted as early as the ninth century AD, the period of its author.The image of Vithoba was first worshi
pped as a pastoral god as early as the sixth century and is similar to Bir Kuar, the cattle-god of the Ahi
rs of Bihar, who is now also associated with Krishna.
Vithoba was later assimilated in the Shaiva pantheon and identified with the god Shiva like most other
pastoral gods. The temple at Pandharpur is surrounded by Shaiva temples, most notably of the devote
e Pundalik himself, and that the headgear of Vithoba is a Linga, the symbol of Shiva. However in the
13th century, the saints Namdev, Eknath and Tukaram recognized Vithoba as a form of Vishnu. It is
suggested that the worship is from1000 CE.
Under the possible influence of a Krishna- Mahanubhava sect, the town was transformed into a Vaish
nava center of pilgrimage, though there are still remnants of Shaiva worship in the town.

30
Otherd suggest Vithoba worship is more ancient than the worship of Krishna, "Vedic or pre-
edic", about 6th century BCE. According to Dhere, Vithoba is an amalgam of various local h
eroes, who gave their lives to save their cattle, and was worshiped first as a Dhangar (a sheph
erd, cowherd community) deity. Dhere thinks the rise of the Yadava dynasty, which had cow
herd ancestry, led to the glorification of Vithoba as Krishna, who is often depicted as a cowhe
rd. This also led to conversion of the Shaiva Pundarika shrine to the shrine of the devotee Pun
dalik, who brought Vithoba to Pandharpur. Vithoba is also assimilated in Buddhism as a form
of Buddha, who in turn in Hinduism is viewed as a form of Vishnu.cite encyclopedia.( "Sri-
Vitthal: Ek Mahasamanvay (Marathi)" by R.C. Dhere
volume = 5) Despite assimilation in Vaishnavism as Krishna-
Vishnu, Vithoba does not inherit the erotic overtones of Krishna such as his dalliance with th
e milkmaids. Vithoba is associated more with "compassion, an infinite love and tenderness fo
r his "bhaktas"
(devotees) that can be compared to the love of the mother for her children...pining for the pre
sence of his devotees the way a cow pines for her far-away calf.
G. A. Deleury proposes that the image of Vithoba is a "Viragal"
(hero stone), which was later identified with Vishnu in his form as Krishna, and that Pundalik
transformed the Puranic, ritualistic puja worship into the bhakti-focused "interiorized adoratio
n prescinding caste distinction and institutional priesthood... [Deleury in Sand p. 38]

Tilak suggests that Vithoba emerged as "an alternative to existing panthenon" of Brahminica
l (related to classical, ritualistic Hinduism) deities. The emergence of Vithoba was concurrent
with rise of a "new type of lay devotee", the Varkari. While Vishnu and Shiva were bound in
rigid ritualistic worship and Brahmin (priest class) control, Vithoba,
"the God of the subaltern, became increasingly human". Vithoba is often praised as the protec
tor of the poor and needy.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

31
 III

The Ancient CHAM City of PANDURANGA

PANDURANG or PANGURANGA is a very Typical name of Lord Vishnu that caught my
attention years ago when studying the history of the Cham Brahmins of Vietnam.
This is lts story:
Champa, ancient Vietnam as it was called, was preceded in the region by a kingdom
called Lâm Ấp, that was in existence since 192 AD; although the historical relationship
between Linyi and Champa is not clear. Champa reached its apogee in the 9th and 10th
centuries AD. Thereafter, it began a gradual decline under pressure from Đại Việt, the
Vietnamese polity centered in the region of modern Hanoi. In 1832, the Vietnamese
emperor Minh Mạng annexed the remaining Cham territories.
Hinduism, adopted through conflicts and conquest of territory from neighboring Funan in the
4th century AD, shaped the art and culture of the Cham Kingdom for centuries, as testified by
the many Cham Hindu statues and red brick temples that dotted the landscape in Cham
lands. Mỹ Sơn, a former religious center, and Hội An, one of Champa's main port cities, are
now World Heritage Sites. Today, many Cham people adhere to Islam, a conversion which
began in the 10th century, with the ruling dynasty having fully adopted the faith by the 17th
century; they are called the Bani (Ni tục, from Arabic: Bani). There are, however, the Bacam
(Bacham, Chiêm tục) who still retain and preserve their Hindu faith, rituals, and festivals.
The Bacam is one of only two surviving non-Indic indigenous Hindu peoples in the world,
with a culture dating back thousands of years. The other being the Balinese Hinduism of
Balinese of Indonesia.

32
 Historical Champa consisted of up to five principalities:Interesting to note the names –all
after Hindu Gods:

 Indrapura ("City of Indra", Foshi, Phật thành/Phật thệ thành) was the capital of
Champa from about 875 to about 1100 AD. It was located at the site of the modern
village of Đồng Dương, near the modern city of Da Nang. Also found in the region of Da
Nang is the ancient Cham city of Singhapura ("City of the Lion"), the location of which
has been identified with an archaeological site in the modern village of Trà Kiệu, and the
valley of Mỹ Sơn, where a number of ruined temples and towers can still be seen. The
associated port was at modern Hội An. The territory once controlled by this principality
included present-day Quảng Bình, Quảng Trị, and Thừa Thiên–Huế provinces.

Indrapura ruins in Champa

 Amaravati was located in present-day Châu Sa citadel of Quảng Ngãi Province. The
earliest mention of Amaravati is from an AD 1160 inscription at Po Nagar. Amaravati,
meaning “Abode of the Gods,” was said to be the site where the mythical beings devas,
yakshas, and kinnaras performed penance to the Hindu god Shiva to vanquish the demon
Tarakasura.

33
Closeup of the inscription in Cham script on the Po Nagar stele, 965. The stele describes
feats by King Jaya Indravarman I (r. 960-972).Amravati Stupa,India

 Vijaya meaning Victory and could be the victory of Ram over Ravana or Pandavas over
Kauravas in Mahabharata.was located in present-day Bình Định
Province (Tumpraukvijaya). Early mention is made of Vijaya in an 1160 inscription at Po
Nagar. The capital has been identified with the archaeological site at Cha Ban. The
associated port was at present-day Qui Nhơn. Important excavations have also been
conducted at nearby Tháp Mắm, which may have been a religious and cultural centre.
Vijaya became the political and cultural centre of Champa around 1150s. It remained the
center of Champa until 1471, when it was sacked by the Việt and the center of Champa
was again displaced toward the south. In its time, the principality of Vijaya controlled
much of present-day Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Bình Định, and Phú Yên (Aia Ru)
Provinces.
 Kauthara was located in the area of modern Nha Trang (Aia Trang) in Khánh Hòa
Province (Yanpunagara). Its religious and cultural centre was the temple of Po Nagar,
several towers of which still stand at Nha Trang. Kauthara is first mentioned in an 784
AD inscription at Po Nagar. The word Kauthar is derived from the root Kathu , which has
meanings of "to increase in number, to outnumber, to happen frequently; to show
pride in wealth and/or children; to be rich, plentiful, abundance." The form Kawthar
itself is an intensive deverbal noun, meaning "abundance, multitude"
 Panduranga named after Vishnu, was located in the area of present-day Phan Rang–
Tháp Chàm (Pan Rang) in Ninh Thuận and Bình Thuận province. Panduranga with
capital Parik, was the last of the Cham territories to be annexed by the Vietnamese. It was
the most autonomous, sometimes independent, princedom/principality of
Champa. Panduranga is first mentioned in an 817 AD inscription at Po Nagar.

Plo kong Garai

34
Within the four principalities were two main clans: the "Dừa" (means "coconut" in
Vietnamese) and the "Cau" (means "areca catechu" in Vietnamese). The Dừa lived in
Amravati and Vijaya, while the Cau lived in Kauthara and Panduranga. The two clans
differed in their customs and habits and conflicting interests led to many clashes and even
war. But they usually managed to settle disagreements through intermarriage.
Indrapura and Vijaya, Two notable examples of this multi-centric nature of Champa were the
principalities of Kauthara and Pāṇḍuraṅga. When Northern Champa and Vijaya fell to the
Vietnamese in 1471, Kauthara and Pāṇḍuraṅga persisted existing untouched. Kauthara fell to
the Vietnamese 200 years later in 1653, while Panduranga was annexed in 1832. Pāṇḍurṅga
had its full list of kings ruled from the 13th century until 1832, which both Vietnamese and
European sources had verified. So Pāṇḍuraṅga remained autonomous and could conduct its
foreign affairs without permission from the court of the king of kings
Panduranga or Prangdarang or Pandharpur ( the city “pur” of Pandhari)

Panduranga or Prangdarang was a Cham Principality and later, the rump state successor of
the Champa kingdom, which was destroyed by Vietnamese emperor Le Thanh Tong in 1471.
It was located in present-day Southcentral Vietnam. It stood until late 17th century as the
Nguyen lords of Cochinchina, a powerful Vietnamese clan, vassalized it and put the Cham
polity under the name Principality of Thuận Thành.
Previously, Pänduranga (known to medieval Chinese sources as Bīn Tónglóng or Bēntuólàng
was an autonomous princedom inside Champa. From the 13th century onward, it had been
ruled by local dynasties that relatively independent from the court of the king of kings
at Vijaya, central Champa.

35
 In the map, Panduranga is at
lower right

In the Bhakti tradition, there is a highly revered Saint known as Pundalik. Pundalik has come
to be known as a symbol for Supreme, Unconditional Love. His heart was so open and his
Love forgot no one. Pundalik’s devotion caused God to go looking for him.

Champa, Chinese Lin-yi, ancient Indochinese kingdom lasting from the 2nd to the 17th
century AD and extending over the central and southern coastal region of Vietnam from
roughly the 18th parallel in the north to Point Ke Ga (Cape Varella) in the south. Established
by the Cham, a people of Malayo-Polynesian stock and Indianized culture, Champa was
finally absorbed by the Vietnamese, who in turn were strongly influenced by Cham culture.

Champa was formed in AD 192, during the breakup of the Han dynasty of China, when the
Han official in charge of the region established his own kingdom around the area of the
present city of Hue. Although the territory was at first inhabited mainly by wild tribes
involved in incessant struggles with the Chinese colonies in Tonkin, it gradually came under
Indian cultural influence, evolving into a decentralized country composed of four small
states, named after regions of India—Amaravati (Quang Nam); Vijaya (Binh Dinh); Kauthara

36
(Nha Trang); and Panduranga (Phan Rang)—whose populations remained concentrated in
small coastal enclaves. It had a powerful fleet that was used for commerce and for piracy.

In about AD 400 Champa was united under the rule of King Bhadravarman. In retaliation for
Cham raids on their coast, the Chinese invaded Champa in 446, bringing the region under
their suzerainty once again. Finally, under a new dynasty in the 6th century, Champa threw
off its allegiance to China and entered into an era of great independent prosperity and artistic
achievements. The centre of the nation began to shift from north to south; around the middle
of the 8th century Chinese sources cease to mention Lin-yi and begin to refer to the kingdom
as Huan-wang, a Sinicization of the name of the northernmost province, Panduranga (Phan
Rang). In the late 8th century the Chams were distracted by attacks from Java, but in the 9th
century they renewed their pressure on the Chinese provinces to the north and the growing
Khmer (Cambodian) Empire to the west. Under Indravarman II, who established the
Indrapura dynasty (the sixth in Champan history) in 875, the capital of the country was
moved back to the northern province of Amaravati (Quang Nam), near present Hue, and
elaborate palaces and temples were constructed.

In the 10th century the Vietnamese kingdom of Dai Viet began to exert pressure on Champa,
forcing it to relinquish Amaravati in 1000 and Vijaya in 1069. Harivarman IV, who in 1074
founded the ninth Cham dynasty, was able to stave off further Vietnamese and Cambodian
attacks, but in 1145 the Khmers, under the aggressive leadership of Suryavarman II, invaded
and conquered Champa. Two years later a new Cham king, Jaya Harivarman I, arose and
threw off Khmer rule, and his successor, in 1177, sacked the Cambodian capital at Angkor.

37
Between 1190 and 1220 the Chams again came under Cambodian suzerainty, and later in the
13th century they were attacked by the Tran kings of Vietnam, as well as by the Mongols in
1284. By the late 15th century, incessant wars of aggression and defense had for all practical
purposes wiped out the Champa kingdom; one by one their provinces were annexed until
Champa was entirely absorbed in the 17th century.

Its end marked the demise of the only culture of mainland Asia with Oceanian features. Cham
painting is known only from the inscriptions on the temples. Cham sculptors, under the
influence of Indian Gupta art, evolved a very personal style, characterized by forms springing
with wild energy. Architecture generally was confined to tiered brick towers.

Early period
From 1060 to 1074, Panduranga was the capital of king Rudravarman III (r. 1061–1074).
During the 12th century when Khmer Empire invaded Champa and occupied most of the
kingdom in 1145–1150, prince Sivänandana or Jaya Harivarman I (r. 1147–1162), son of
refugee king Rudravarman IV, fled to Panduranga, then led a rebellion that resisted the
Khmer and inflicted defeats on the invaders, forcing them to make a withdrawal in 1149. In
1151, province of Amaravarti (Quảng Ngãi province) revolted against Harivarman, followed
by Panduranga in 1155. In 1190, Cham Prince Vidyanandana (r. 1192–1203) who had
defected to the Khmer was nominated as puppet king of Pänduranga. Revolts ousted Khmer
Prince In of Vijaya in 1191, which prompted Vidyanandana to rebel against the Khmer in 1192 and
then reunified Champa. He faced massive retribution from Jayavarman VII of Angkor in the next
year, but Vidyanandana's struggle for Champa lasted until 1203 when the capital of Vijaya fell to the
Khmer and Vidyanandana himself fled and died in Dai Viet.
According to the Sakarai dak rai patao (Panduranga annals), the first king of Panduranga Principality
was Sri Aragang. His rule lasted between 1195/1205 to 1235/1247. The king of kings at Vijaya still
wrested certain suzerainty over Panduranga. Sri Aragang was succeeded by Cei Anâk, who reigned
between 1235/1247 - 1269/1281. After the Aragang dynasty, Panduranga continued maintaining its
sovereignty under the Dobatasuar dynasty (1269-1373).
By the late 14th century, the whole of Champa had been unified again under the rule of a single strong
dynasty, founded by Jaya Simhavarman VI (r. 1390–1400). Panduranga remained autonomous but
asymmetrical and maintained a tributary relationship with the Simhavarmanids in Vijaya.

Collapse of Vijaya and the beginning of Panduranga period

When the Vietnamese under Le Thanh Tong attacked Champa in early 1471, the whole northern part
of the kingdom was razed, cities ransacked, and tens of thousand people were killed, either massacred
or enslaved by the invaders. The Vietnamese king also captured the Cham king Tra Toan and Vijaya
clansmen, deporting them to the north, ending the dynasty's reign. This event is widely recognized as
the end of the Champa Kingdom, according to Georges Maspero's logics.[13] However, it is noteworthy
to know that the fall of Vijaya was not a "shift" of Champa power to the south or the end of the
kingdom, but rather, reflects the multicentric nature of Champa, a confederation of semiindependent
kingdoms which now were no longer under the prestige of the Vijaya king of kings.
Unsurprisingly, a massive wave of Cham emigration radiated across Southeast Asia: In Cambodia,
Cham refugees were welcomed, but the sources do not provide how they arrived in Cambodia and
where they settled. In Thailand, there were records of Cham presence since Ayudhaya period. In
the Malay archipelago, the Sejarah Melayu (Malay Annals) states that after the collapse of Vijaya in
1471, two Cham princes named Indera Berma Shah and Shah Palembang sought asylum
in Melaka and Aceh. Shortly after his conversion to Islam, Indera Berma Shah was appointed minister
at the court of Sultan Mansur Shah. The Sejarah Melayu also mentions Cham presences

38
in Pahang, Kelantan, where the Kampung Laut Mosque is said to be built by Champa sailors, on their
way to Java and Aceh.
According to Vietnamese sources, on 22 March 1471, after the loss of the capital Vijaya to the
Vietnamese force under Le Thanh Tong, a Cham general named Bố Trì Trì (T'chai Ya Ma Fou Ngan
in Chinese annals) fled to Panduranga's capital Pa Rang and set up his own rule and submitted to Le
Thanh Tong seven days later. Thanh Tong agreed, but he divided the Cham remnants into three
smaller polities: Kauthara, Panduranga, and the northern part of Central HighlandsChampa was
reduced in six regions: Aia Ru (Phú Yên), Aia Trang (Khánh Hòa), Panrang (Phan Rang), Kraong
(Long Hương), Parik (Phan Rí Cửa) and Pajai (Phú Hài [vi]). The Chinese Ming Shilu provides
another deviation of the timeline: Although the Vietnamese sacking of Vijaya in March 1471, T'chai
Ya Ma Fou Ngan still facilitated token diplomacy with Ming Empire in unoccassional years, in 1478,
1505, and 1515, the son of Fou Ngan received succession prescription from the Ming; their last
contact occurred in 1543. According to the Cham annal, from 1421/1448 to 1567/1579, the capital of
Panduranga was Biuh Bal Batsinâng. From 1567/1579 to 1653, it had been relocated to Bal
Pangdarang (present day Phan Rang). From the late 17th century until 1832, the capital of Panduranga
was once again moved south to Phan Rí Cửa.The Cham stopped paying tribute to the Viet court when
the Le was usurped by the Mac dynasty in 1526.
Revival

Temple of King Po Rome (r. 1627-1651)///The Boxer Codex depiction of Chamcia

(Cham) couple, c. 1595
During the sixteenth century, as Dai Viet fragmented in the north, Panduranga Champa again
gained prosper from the rise of the international trade. Throughout the seventeenth century,
Cham merchants traded actively in Siam, Manila, Macao, Malacca, Johor, Pahang, Patani,
and Makassar. A Spanish record reported that "many Muslims live in Champa, whose Hindu
king wanted Islam to be spoken and taught, resulted in many mosques existed along with
Hindu temples.
In 1578, Panduranga assaulted Nguyen lord's domain near Đà Rằng River. In 1594,
Panduranga king sent a fleet of 400 warships to aid the Johor Sultanate in its struggles against
the Portuguese in Melaka
Panduranga also helped its neighbor Cambodia during the Cambodian–Spanish War, which
resulted in delivering a fiasco to the Spanish conquistadors. Governor of Malina, Luis Pérez
Dasmariñas (fl. 1593–96) sent a letter to the court of king Philip II in late 1595, antagonizing
the Cham king as "a vicious dangerous tyrant who was treacherous and full of evil deeds,"
while his second letter suggested that just around 200–300 Spanish soldiers and 500 local
mercenaries would be needed to conquer Champa. During that time, the Cham were
remembered by Spanish, Portuguese, and Dutch merchants and seamen as ferocious pirates of

39
the South China Sea who numerously boarded merchant ships, plundering cargos, kidnapping
crew members, and routinely took European hostages to slavery. Cham kings were described
to be at least involved or actively encouraging raids against foreign ships.
In 1611, in an attempt to retake land from the Nguyen lord, Champa mounted an attack in
Phu Yen, but gained no success, and the Kauthara principality was lost to the Nguyen after a
counterattack.
Later period under Po Rome dynasty
With the rise of nearby Hội An, most foreign traders now were leaving Champa. Japanese
seal trade ships ceased to trade with Champa in 1623. [30] In 1611, lord Nguyen Phuc
Nguyen sent an army led by Văn Phong, a Cham defector, attacking Panduranga, annexing
the entire Kauthara Principality. Nguyen lord then resettled 30,000 Trinh POWs in Phu Yen.
Notable Cham king of this period, Po Rome (r. 1627-1651), was known for his great
erudition of Islam after having a sojourn study in Kelantan, Malay Peninsula, and the mass
conversion to Islam by his people. He encouraged trade, granting the Dutch permission to
arrange free trade in his country unless they do not attack Portuguese merchants at his ports.
[32]
To resolve discontents between Muslims and Balamon, Po Rome ordered the Cham Bani
to have their religion more integrated with Cham customs and beliefs, while pressing the
Ahier to accept Allah as the most supreme God but allowed them to retain their worships of
traditional Cham divinities, excellently reforging peace and cohesion in his kingdom. King
Po Rome is an important deity that is being venerated by the Cham people today.
Connections between Pandaranga and the extra Malay/Islamic world blossomed. Syncretism
was widely practiced at all levels, best known for incorporating cosmopolitan Islamic
doctrines into existing indigenous Cham beliefs and Hindu pantheons. The multipurpose
lunisolar sakawi calendar, was likely Po Rome's best combination of previous Cham Śaka
era with the Islamic lunar calendar.
European missionaries described Champa in the 1670s as having the majority of its
population being Muslims, a Muslim sultan, and a Muslim court. In 1680 Panduranga
king Po Saut (r. 1659–1692) styled himself with Malay horrific Paduka Seri Sultan in his
hand letter to the Dutch in Java. In 1686, the Cham and Malay Muslim communities in Siam
reportedly joined the Makassars rebellion against king Narai of Ayudhya.
WARS
Under Po Rome's dynasty, Panduranga suffered several incursions from the Southern
Vietnamese Nguyen kingdom which centered around trading centers Hue-Hoi An, the old
center region of Champa which had been recently Vietnamized. Lords Nguyễn Phúc
Nguyên, Nguyễn Phúc Tần, and Nguyễn Phúc Chu repeatedly invaded Panduranga in 1611,
1629, 1653, 1692.[35] During the late 16th and early 17th centuries, the Nguyen of
Cochinchina were too preoccupied dealing with their northern enemies, the Trịnh, rather than
with the Cham. Though was not recorded in official chronicles, but in dynastic genealogy and
pseudonymous Cham sources, in 1631 Nguyễn Phúc Nguyên arranged the marriage of his
princess Nguyễn Phúc Ngọc Khoa to king Po Rome.[36][37] Alexander de Rhodes describes
sometime in 1639, the Nguyen still placed several galleys in the port of Ran Ran (Phú Yên)
to prevent seaborne incursion from Champa.
Having successfully fended off the Trinh, the Nguyen thalassocracy turned its attention to the
south, dispatching their first interference in Cambodia, overthrowing its first and only
Muslim king Ramathipadi I in 1658. The Nguyen had periodically invaded Cambodia several
times from 1658 to 1692 on par with Siam. In 1682, Panduranga reportedly sent envoys led

40
by the king's brothers who had fled after the king's coronation to Ayudhya in a possible
search for Siamese protection.[39]
In 1692, lord Nguyễn Phúc Chu invaded Panduranga, arresting King Po Saut and renaming
Panduranga to Trấn Thuận Thành (Principality of Thuận Thành). The lord established Bình
Thuận District inside the Principality as free lands for ethnic Viet settler colonialism,[40] but
Cham revolts in 1693–96 forced the Nguyen lord to mitigate the resentment by abolishing the
Binh Thuan county, restoring the Cham monarchy with full rights, however, becoming a
vassal of the Nguyen, according to a following treaty signed in 1712. In 1694 Panduranga
king Po Saktiraydapatih (r. 1695–1727) received the title King of Thuan Thanh From 1695
onward, Panduranga had been reduced to a client state of the Nguyen domain, known as
the Principality of Thuận Thành (Trấn Thuận Thành – Principality of 'Submissive Citadel').
Mercantile Role
During the 16th century, Cham merchants renewed their commercial links and actively traded
in Siam, Manila, Macao, Malacca, Johor, Pahang, Patani, and Makassar. Among their
exports, Cham textile was famously consumed.
The 17th-century Chinese compendium Xiyang Chao Gong Dian Lu (Tributes from the
countries of the Western Sea, c. 1650) describes a type of Cham brewed liquor that is made
from cooked rice, mixed with wine and medicines, contained in pottery, and is drunk by long
bamboo straws. People would sit around the container and take sips.
Proselytization of Islam increased sharply after the fall of Vijaya, as missionary Gabriel de
San Antonio wrote a description in 1585: "The locals (Chams) hated the Castilians and
believed prophecies made by the Moro, that there would be a king Mahoma, and many would
embrace the new faith."
Currently, there are two theories among academic consensus regard the apostle of Islam to
Champa, proposed by scholars Antoine Cabaton and Pierre-Yves Manguin. The first theory
states that Islam could have been introduced by Arab, Persian, Indian merchants, scholars,
religious leaders, during from the 10th to 14th century. The second theory argues that Islam
arrived in Champa through a later, shorter, indirectly way from the Malays (jawa, melayu,
chvea), according to Manguin, is more convincing and valid. Most historians agree that the
Cham only began converting to Islam en masse after the destruction of Vijaya.In his
conclusion, Manguin attributes the Islamization of the Cham people to their active
participation in the regional maritime networks, and the Malay states and Malay traders
which also contributed great impacts to the process. Panduranga had its own revolt against
the court of king Jaya Paramesvaravarman I (r. 1044–1060) in 1050.[ In contrast with
scholars who view Champa as the kingdom exclusively of the Cham, recent scholars such
as Po Dharma and Richard O’Connor, rebrand Champa as a multiethnic kingdom. They note
that Champa was highly likely a coalition of the Cham lowlanders and the indigenous
inhabitants of the Central Highlands, although Cham culture is usually associated with the
broader culture of Champa

41
Panduranga is named after Panduiranga another toponym of Lord Vishnu
Vithoba, also known as Vi(t)thal(a) and Panduranga, is a Hindu deity predominantly
worshipped in the Indian state of Maharashtra and Karnataka. He is generally considered as a
manifestation of the god Vishnu, or his avatar, Krishna. Vithoba is often depicted as a dark
young boy, standing arms akimbo on a brick, sometimes accompanied by his
consort Rakhumai.
Vithoba is the focus of an essentially monotheistic, non-ritualistic bhakti-driven. Varkari faith
of Maharashtra and the Haridasa faith of Karnataka. Vithoba Temple, Pandharpur is his main
temple. Vithoba legends revolve around his devotee Pundalik who is credited for bringing the
deity to Pandharpur, and around Vithoba's role as a saviour to the poet-saints of the Varkari
faith. The Varkari poet-saints are known for their unique genre of devotional lyric,
the abhang, dedicated to Vithoba and composed in Marathi. Other devotional literature
dedicated to Vithoba includes the Kannada hymns of the Haridasa and the Marathi versions
of the generic aarti songs associated with rituals of offering light to the deity. The most
important festivals of Vithoba are held on Devshayani Ekadashi in the month of Ashadha,
and Prabodhini Ekadashi in the month of Kartik.
The historiography of Vithoba and his sect is an area of continuing debate, even regarding his
name. Though the origins of both his sect and his main temple are likewise debated, there is
clear evidence that they already existed by the 13th century.

42
 Most significant temples around Panduranga
The culturally most important temples of historical Champa were the temple of Bhadresvara
located at Mỹ Sơn near modern Da Nang, and the temple of the goddess known
as Bhagavati (her Hindu name) or Yan Po Nagar (her Cham name) located just outside
modern Nha Trang.

The temple of Po Nagar in Nha Trang.

43
 The temple of Bhadresvara was the principle religious foundations of northern Champa
(known as Campadesa, Campapura or nagara Campa in the inscriptions). Scholars have
identified the temple of Bhadresvara, a local incarnation of the universal deity Shiva,
with the edifice "A1" at Mỹ Sơn. Though today A1 is in the process of devolving into a
pile of rubble, it still existed as a magnificent tower when French scholars described it at
the beginning of the 20th century
 The temple of Yan Po Nagar was the principal religious foundation of southern Champa
(or Panduranga, a word that is the basis for the modern name "Phan Rang.") Its buildings
date from between the 8th and 13th centuries. The temple remains standing to this day
across the Cai River from Nha Trang, and is in relatively good condition.

Its present name is Phan Rang–Tháp Chàm.

Phan Rang–Tháp Chàm, commonly known as Phan Rang, is a city in Vietnam and the
capital of Ninh Thuận Province. The community has a population of 161,000 (2004), of
which 91,000 (2004) live in the main city.
The name Phan Rang' is the Vietnamese pronunciation of Panduranga (a Sanskrit word
of Hindu origin) or Parang. The name Tháp Chàm means "Cham Temple/Tower" and is
named after the Po Klong Garai Temple in the northern part of the city.
What is now Phan Rang was formerly known as Panduranga, the capital of the kingdom
of Champa.
The town of Phan Rang was established in 1917 during the Nguyễn dynasty, by edict of
Emperor Khải Định, and remained the provincial capital of Ninh Thuận Province until 1976,
when the province merged with Bình Thuận Province to form Thuận Hải Province.
When the Japanese occupied the country in World War II, they established an airfield and it
was later used by the French. During the Republic of Vietnam, Phan Rang was the site of
the United States Air Force's Phan Rang Air Base in the Vietnam War.
The town was divided into Phan Rang in the east, which became part of Ninh Hải District and
Tháp Chàm in the west, which became part of An Son district. The two were again combined
in 1992 to become Phan Rang–Tháp Chàm, the capital of Ninh Thuận Province, achieving
city status in 2007
Cham Culture
Tháp Chàm and Phan Rang district has become a center for the maintenance of Cham culture.
Much of the district is occupied by Cham people where they have rice paddies, orchards of
grapes and peaches, flocks of goats and Brahman cattle. Their towers (the 'Thap') are
beautiful memorials to their kings and queens. There are several Cham sites with dilapidated
towers along the central coast of Vietnam and major sites in Mỹ Sơn and Nha Trang.
However, there are two sites in the Phan Rang–Tháp Chàm being maintained and culturally
active. Two kilometers west of the Tháp Chàm Railway Station, there is excellent hilltop
Cham tower complex dedicated to the king Po Klong Garai, the last reigning king; his
likeness is depicted on a lingam in the sanctuary of the central tower. A second tower for the
king Po Re Do is located about 20 km south west of Tháp Chàm, via Phu Quy to Phouc Hou
and the village Hau Sanh; this tower is undergoing extensive renovation (July 2012).
The towers are currently used for the very colorful Cham festivals, particularly "Kate" in
October (Oct 15 in 2012) when they still sacrifice a bullock and other food offerings. Other

44
ceremonies for Ramadan, a Rain Festival (as required), weddings and other celebrations are
also held. Apart from the incorporation of Islam into their cultural and religious practice,
another point of cultural difference is that their heredity line is maternal. The animist
foundation of Cham culture, with fire motif on the towers, rustic traditions and very colorful
ceremonial dress makes the Cham culture an ideal tourist resource for Vietnam, as yet poorly
developed.
Architecturally, the towers are intricately built in small red bricks, almost dry stone
construction with very fine mortar lines. The towers are topped by calyx like minarets, arches
are rimmed by special bricks fired with tongue like extensions on the extremities to represent
flames; it is very intricate brick work requiring sophisticated engineering to deal with the
overhang.
Associated with the Po Klong Garai complex there is a cultural center, more functionally
built with concrete, bricks, mortar and render, but at least with some of the line of the Cham
architecture and housing a display of cultural and handi-works, and excellent photographs
and paintings by Cham artists.

Phan Rang Look Out

45
16 April Park Monument, Phan Rang
The Concept of Panduranga

Panduranga is known by many names, including: Vithoba, Vitthala, Pandharinath, Hari and
Narayan.
There are several theories about the origins and meanings of these names. Varkari tradition
suggests that the name Vitthala (also spelled as Vitthal, Viththal, Vittala and
Vithal; Marathi: विठ्ठल, composed of two Sanskrit-Marathi words: viṭ, which means
'brick'; and thal, which may have originated from the Sanskrit sthala, meaning 'standing'.
Thus, Vitthala would mean 'one standing on a brick'.The prescribed iconography of Vithoba
stipulates that he be shown standing arms-akimbo upon a brick, which is associated with the
legend of the devotee Pundalik.
Definition of Vittala: "Vidaa Jnanena Taan Shoonyan Laati Gruhnaati Yaha Swayam
AjnaanugrahaKruddevo Vittalah Kathyate Budhaiah" - Prikryaya Kaumudi Vyakhyana
However, the Varkari poet-saint Tukaram proposed a different etymology—that Vitthala is
composed of the words vittha (ignorance) and la (one who accepts), thus meaning 'one who
accepts innocent people who are devoid of knowledge'. [5] Historian Ramakrishna Gopal
Bhandarkar offers yet another possibility—that Vitthu (Viṭhu) is a Kannada corruption of the
name Vishnu adopted in Marathi. The suffixes -la and -ba (meaning 'father' in Marathi) were
appended for reverence, producing the names Vitthala and Vithoba. This corruption of
Vishnu to Vitthu could have been due to tendency of Marathi and Kannada people to
pronounce.
According to research scholar M. S. Mate of the Deccan College, Pundalik—who is assumed
to be a historical figure—was instrumental in persuading
the Hoysala king Vishnuvardhana alias Bittidev to build the Pandharpur temple dedicated to
Vishnu. The deity was subsequently named as Vitthala, a derivative of Bittidev, by the

46
builder-king. Other variants of the name include Viṭhurāyā (King Vitthala),
and Viṭhāī (Mother Vitthala). The people of Gujarat add the suffix -nath (Lord) to Vitthala,
which yields the name Vitthal-nath. The additional honorific suffix -ji may be added, giving
the name Vitthalnathji. This name is generally used in the Pushtimarg sect.
Panduranga also spelt as Pandurang and Pandaranga, is another popular epithet for Vithoba,
which means 'the white god' in Sanskrit. The Jain author-saint Hemachandra (1089–1172
AD) notes it is also used as an epithet for the god Rudra-Shiva. Even though Vithoba is
depicted with dark complexion, he is called a "white god". Bhandarkar explains this paradox,
proposing that Panduranga may be an epithet for the form of Shiva worshipped in
Pandharpur, and whose temple still stands. Later, with the increasing popularity of Vithoba's
cult, this was also transferred to Vithoba. [10] Another theory suggests that Vithoba may
initially have been a Shaiva god (related to Shiva), only later identified with Vishnu, thus
explaining the usage of Panduranga for Vithoba. Crooke, however, proposed that
Panduranga is a Sanskritised form of Pandaraga (belonging to Pandarga), referring to the old
name of Pandharpur. Another name, Pandharinath, also refers to Vithoba as the lord of
Pandhari (yet another variant for Pandharpur).
Finally, Vithoba is also addressed by the names of Vishnu like Hari and Narayana, in
the Vaishnava sect
00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

1. The Amazing Hindu Toponyms of Ancient Cham Principalities,

https://www.academia.edu/82516346/The_Amazing_Hindu_Toponyms_of_Ancient_
Cham_Principalities
2. The Many Pur(as )of the Khmer Empire Dr |Uday Dokras,
https://www.academia.edu/83916391/The_Many_Pur_as_of_the_Khmer_Empire_Dr_
Uday_Dokras
In my above mentioned papers I have already dealt in detail with
ancient cities of Cham and Cambodia

47
 V
Why Lord Vishnu is not Lord Vitthal or
Panduranga in Angkor Wat?
Vithoba-Devanagari = विठोबा-
Sanskrit_Transliteration = Viṭhobā
Affiliation = Form of Vishnu or Krishna
Abode = Pandharpur
Consort = Rakhumai (Rukmini)
Mount = Garuda, when associated with Vishnu

Vithoba ( Marathi: Viṭhobā, विठोबा ),

Vitthala ( Sanskrit: Viṭṭhala, विठ्ठल,
Kannada: Viṭṭala, and Panduranga

Names as per the Vishnu Sahasranama

1. Anish 500. Deveshah

2. Tharun 501. Devabhrit-Guruh
3. Vishant 502. Uttarah
4. Vishvam 503. Gopatih
5. Vishnuh 504. Goptaa
6. Vashatkaarah 505. Jnaanagamyah
7. Narayan 506. Puraatanah
8. Narada 507. Shareera-Bhootabhrit
9. Bhoota-Bhavya-Bhavat-Prabhu 508. Bhoktaa
10. Bhoota-Krit 509. Kapeendrah
11. Bhoota-Bhrit 510. Bhooridakshinah
12. Bhaavo 511. Somapah
13. Rangrajan 512. Amritapah
14. Bhootaatmaa 513. Somah
15. Bhoota-Bhaavanah 514. Purujit
16. Pootaatmaa 515. Purusattamah
17. Paramaatmaa 516. Vinayah
18. Muktaanaam Paramaa Gatih 517. Jayah
19. Avyayah 518. Satyasandhah
20. Aymaan 519. Daashaarhah
21. Avyaan 520. Saatvataam-patih
22. Purushah 521. Jeevah
23. Saakshee 522. Vinayitaa-saakshee

48
24. Kshetrajnah 523. Mukundah
25. Akshara 524. Amitavikramah
26. Yogah 525. Ambho-nidhir
27. Yoga-Vidaam 526. Anantaatmaa
28. Pradhaana-Purusheshvarah 527. Mahodadhishayah
29. Naarasimha-Vapuh 528. Antakah
30. Shreemaan 529. Ajah
31. Keshavah 530. Mahaarhah
32. Purushottamah 531. Svaabhaavyah
33. Sarvah 532. Jitaamitrah
34. Sharvas 533. Pramodanah
35. Shivah 534. Aanandah
36. Sthaanuh 535. Nandanah
37. Bhootaadih 536. Nandah
38. Nidhir-Avyayah 537. Satyadharmaa
39. Sambhavah 538. Trivikramah
40. Bhaavanah 539. Maharshih
41. Bhartaa 540. Kritajnah
42. Prabhavah 541. Medineepatih
43. Prabhuh 542. Tripadah
44. Ieshvara 543. Tridashaadhyaksho
45. Svayambhooh 544. Mahaashringah
46. Shambhuh 545. Kritaantakrit
47. Aadityah 546. Mahaavaraaho
48. Pushkaraakshah 547. Govindah
49. Mahaasvanah 548. Sushenah
50. Anaadi-Nidhanah 549. Kanakaangadee
51. Dhaataa 550. Guhyo
52. Vidhaataa 551. Gabheerah
53. Dhaaturuttamah 552. Gahano
54. Aprameyah 553. Guptah
55. Hrisheekeshah 554. Chakra-Gadaadharah
56. Padmanaabhah 555. Vedhaah
57. Amaraprabhuh 556. Svaangah
58. Vishvakarmaa 557. Ajitah
59. Manuh 558. Krishnah
60. Tvashtaa 559. Dridhah
61. Sthavishtah 560. Sankarshanochyutah
62. Sthaviro 561. Varunah
63. Agraahyah 562. Vaarunah
64. Shaashvatah 563. Vrikshah
65. Krishno 564. Pushkaraakshah
66. Lohitaksh 565. Mahaamanaah
67. Pratardanah 566. Bhagavaan
68. Prabhootas 567. Bhagahaa
69. Trikakub-Dhaama 568. Aanandee
70. Pavitram 569. Vanamaalee
71. Mangalam Param 570. Halaayudhah
72. Eeshanah 571. Aadityah
73. Praanadah 572. Jyotiraadityah

49
74. Praano 573. Sahishnuh
75. Jyeshthah 574. Gatisattamah
76. Shreshthah 575. Sudhanvaa
77. Prajaapatih 576. Khanda-Parashur
78. Hiranyagarbhah 577. Daarunah
79. Bhoogarbhah 578. Dravinapradah
80. Maadhavah 579. Divah-Sprik
81. Madhusoodanah 580. Sarvadrik-Vyaaso
82. Eeshvarah 581. Vaachaspatir-Ayonijah
83. Vikramee 582. Trisaamaa
84. Dhanvee 583. Saamagah
85. Medhaavee 584. Saama
86. Vikramah 585. Nirvaanam
87. Kramah 586. Bheshajam
88. Anuttamah 587. Bhishak
89. Duraadharshah 588. Samnyaasa-Krit
90. Kritajnah 589. Samah
91. Kritih 590. Shaantah
92. Aatmavaan 591. Nishthaa
93. Sureshah 592. Shaantih
94. Sharanam 593. Paraayanam
95. Jagatheeshwara 594. Shubhaangah
96. Visva-Retaah 595. Shaantidah
97. Prajaa-bhavah 596. Shrashtaa
98. Ahah 597. Kumudah
99. Samvatsarah 598. Kuvaleshayah
100. Vyaalah 599. Gohitah
101. Pratyayah 600. Gopatih
102. Sarvadarshanah 601. Goptaa
103. Ajah 602. Vrishabhaaksho
104. Sarveshvarah 603. Vrishapriyah
105. Siddhah 604. Anivartee
106. Siddhih 605. Nivrittaatmaa
107. Sarvaadih 606. Samksheptaa
108. Hadibandhu 607. Kshemakrit
109. Achyutah 608. Deva Deva
110. Vrishaakapih 609. Shreevatsa-Vakshaah
111. Ameyaatmaa 610. Shrevaasah
112. Sarva-Yoga-Vinissritah 611. Shreepatih
113. Vasuh 612. Shreemataam
114. Vasumanaah 613. Shreedah
115. Satyah 614. Shreeshah
116. Samaatmaa 615. Shreenivaasah
117. Sammitah 616. Shreenidhih
118. Samah 617. Shreevibhaavanah
119. Amoghah 618. Shreedharah
120. Pundareekaakshah 619. Shreekarah
121. Vrishakarmaa 620. Shreyah
122. Vrishaakritih 621. Shreemaan
123. Jaggathprani 622. Loka-Trayaashrayah

50
124. Bahushira 623. Svakshah
125. Babhrur 624. Svangah
126. Vishvayonih 625. Shataanandah
127. Shuchi-Shravaah 626. Nandih
128. Amritah 627. Jyotir-Ganeshvarah
129. Shaashvatah-Sthaanur 628. Vijitaatmaa
130. Varaaroho 629. Vidheyaatmaa
131. Mahaatapaah 630. Sat-Keertih
132. Sarvagah 631. Chinnasamshayah
133. Sarvavid-Bhaanuh 632. Udeernah
134. Vishvaksenah 633. Sarvatah-Chakshuh
135. Janaardanah 634. Aneeshah
136. Vedah 635. Shaashvata-Sthirah
137. Vedavid 636. Bhooshayah
138. Avyangah 637. Bhooshanah
139. Vedaangah 638. Bhootih
140. Vedavit 639. Vishokah
141. Kavih 640. Shoka-Naashanah
142. Lokaadhyakshah 641. Archishmaan
143. Suraadhyaksho 642. Architah
144. Dharmaadhyakshah 643. Kumbhah
145. Krita-Akritah 644. Vishuddhaatmaa
146. Chaturaatmaa 645. Vishodhanah
147. Chaturvyoohah 646. Anniruddhah
148. Chaturdamstrah 647. Apratirathah
149. Chaturbhujah 648. Pradyumnah
150. Bhraajishnur 649. Amitavikramah
151. Bhojanam 650. Kaalanemi-Nihaa
152. Bhoktaa 651. Veerah
153. Sahishnuh 652. Shauri
154. Jagadaadijah 653. Shoora-Janeshvarah
155. Anaghah 654. Trilokaatmaa
156. Vijayah 655. Trilokeshah
157. Jetaa 656. Keshavah
158. Vishvayonih 657. Keshihaa
159. Punarvasuh 658. Harih
160. Upendra 659. Kaamadevah
161. Vaamanah 660. Kaamapaalah
162. Praamshuh 661. Kaamee
163. Amoghah 662. Kaantah
164. Shuchih 663. Kritaagamah
165. Oorjitah 664. Anirdeshya-Vapuh
166. Ateendrah 665. Vishnuh
167. Samgrahah 666. Veerah
168. Sargah 667. Anantah
169. Dhritaatmaa 668. Dhananjayah
170. Niyamo 669. Brahmanyah
171. Yamah 670. Brahmakrit
172. Vedyah 671. Brahmaa
173. Vaidyah 672. Brahma

51
174. Sadaa-Yogee 673. Brahma-Vivardhanah
175. Veerahaa 674. Brahmavid
176. Maadhavo 675. Braahmanah
177. Madhuh 676. Brahmee
178. Ateendriyo 677. Brahmajno
179. Mahaamayo 678. Braahmana-Priyah
180. Mahotsaaho 679. Mahaakramo
181. Mahaabalah 680. Mahaakarmaa
182. Mahaabuddhir 681. Mahaatejaah
183. Mahaa-Veeryah 682. Mahoragah
184. Mahaa-Shaktih 683. Mahaakratuh
185. Mahaa-Dyutih 684. Mahaayajvaa
186. Anirdeshya-Vapuh 685. Mahaayajnah
187. Shreemaan 686. Mahaahavih
188. Ameyaatmaa 687. Stavyah
189. Mahaadri-Dhrik 688. Stavapriyah
190. Maheshvaasah 689. Stotram
191. Maheebhartaa 690. Stutih
192. Shrinivasa 691. Stotaa
193. Sataam 692. Ranapriyah
194. Aniruddhah 693. Poornah
195. Suraanando 694. Poorayitaa
196. Govindah 695. Punyah
197. Govidaam-patih 696. Punya-Keertir
198. Mareechih 697. Anaamayah
199. Damanah 698. Manojavah
200. Hamsah 699. Teerthakaro
201. Suparnah 700. Vasuretaah
202. Bhujagottamah 701. Vasupradah
203. Hiranyanaabhah 702. Vasupradah
204. Sutapaah 703. Vaasudevo
205. Padmanaabhah 704. Vasuh
206. Prajaapatih 705. Vasumanaah
207. Amrityuh 706. Havih
208. Sarva-drik 707. Sadgatih
209. Simhah 708. Satkritih
210. Sandhaataa 709. Satta
211. Sandhimaan 710. Sadbhootih
212. Sthirah 711. Satparaayanah
213. Ajah 712. Shoorasenah
214. Durmarshanah 713. Yadu-shresthah
215. Shaastaa 714. Sannivaasah
216. Visrutaatmaa 715. Suyaamunah
217. Suraarihaa 716. Bhootaavaaso
218. Guruh 717. Vaasudevah
219. Gurutamah 718. Sarvaasunilayah
220. Dhaama 719. Analah
221. Satyah 720. Darpahaa
222. Satya-Paraakramah 721. Darpadah
223. Nimishah 722. Driptah

52
224. Animishah 723. Durdharah
225. Sragvee 724. Athaaparaajitah
226. Vaachaspatir-Udaara-Dheeh 725. Vishvamoortih
227. Agraneeh 726. Mahaamortir
228. Graamaneeh 727. Deeptamoortir
229. Shreemaan 728. A-moortirmaan
230. Nyaayah 729. Anekamoortih
231. Netaa 730. Avyaktah
232. Sameeranah 731. Shatamoortih
233. Sahasra-Moordhaa 732. Shataananah
234. Vishvaatmaa 733. Ekah
235. Sahasraakshah 734. Naikah
236. Sahasrapaat 735. Savah
237. Aavartanah 736. Kah
238. Nivritaatmaa 737. Kim
239. Samvritah 738. Yat
240. Sam-Pramardanah 739. Tat
241. Ahassamvartakah 740. Padam-anuttamam
242. Vahnih 741. Lokabandhur
243. Anilah 742. Lokanaathah
244. Dharaneedharah 743. Maadhavah
245. Suprasaadah 744. Bhaktavatsalah
246. Prasanaatmaa 745. Suvarna-varnah
247. Vishva-dhrik 746. Hemaangah
248. Vishvabhuk 747. Varaangah
249. Vibhuh 748. Chandanaangadee
250. Satkartaa 749. Veerahaa
251. Satkritah 750. Vishama
252. Saadhur 751. Shoonyah
253. Jahnuh 752. Ghritaaseeh
254. Naaraayanah 753. Acalah
255. Narah 754. Chalah
256. Asankhyeyah 755. Amaanee
257. Aprameyaatmaa 756. Maanadah
258. Vishishtah 757. Maanyah
259. Shishta-Krit 758. Lokasvaamee
260. Shuchih 759. Trilokadhrik
261. Siddhaarthah 760. Sumedhaa
262. Siddhasankalpah 761. Medhajah
263. Siddhidah 762. Dhanyah
264. Siddhisaadhanah 763. Satyamedhah
265. Vrishaahee 764. Dharaadharah
266. Vrishabhah 765. Tejovrisho
267. Vishnuh 766. Dyutidharah
268. Vrishaparvaa 767. Sarva-Shastra-Bhritaam-Varah
269. Vrishodarah 768. Pragrahah
270. Vardhanah 769. Nigrahah
271. Vardhamaanah 770. Vyagrah
272. Viviktah 771. Naikashringah
273. Shruti-Saagarah 772. Gadaagrajah

53
274. Subhujah 773. Chaturmoortih
275. Durdurdharah 774. Chaturbaahuh
276. Vaagmee 775. Chaturvyoohah
277. Mahendrah 776. Chaturgatih
278. Vasudah 777. Chaturaatmaa
279. Vasuh 778. Chaturbhaavas
280. Naika-Roopo 779. Chatur-Vedavid
281. Brihad-Roopah 780. Ekapaat
282. Shipivishtah 781. Samaavartah
283. Prakaashanah 782. Nivrittaatmaa
284. Ojas-Tejo-Dyutidharah 783. Durjayah
285. Prakaashaatmaa 784. Duratikramah
286. Prataapanah 785. Durlabhah
287. Riddhah 786. Durgamah
288. Spashtaaksharo 787. Durgah
289. Mantrah 788. Duraavaasah
290. Chandraamshuh 789. Duraarihaa
291. Bhaaskara-Dyutih 790. Shubhaangah
292. Amritaamsoodbhavo 791. Lokasaarangah
293. Bhaanuh 792. Sutantuh
294. Shashabindhuh 793. Tantu-Vardhanah
295. Sureshvarah 794. Indrakarmaa
296. Aushadham 795. Mahaakarmaa
297. Jagatas-Setuh 796. Kritakarmaa
298. Satya-Dharma-Paraakramah 797. Kritaagamah
299. Bhoota-Bhavya-Bhavan- 798. Udbhavah
Naathah 799. Sundarah
300. Pavanah 800. Sundah
301. Paavanah 801. Ratna-Naabhah
302. Analah 802. Sulochanah
303. Kaamahaa 803. Arkah
304. Kaamakrit 804. Vaajasanah
305. Kaantah 805. Shringee
306. Kaamah 806. Jayantah
307. Kaamapradah 807. Sarvavij-Jayee
308. Prabhuh 808. Suvarna-Binduh
309. Yugaadi-krit 809. Akshobhyah
310. Yugaavartah 810. Sarva-Vaageeshvareshvarah
311. Naikamaayah 811. Mahaahradah
312. Mahaashanah 812. Mahaagartah
313. Adrishyah 813. Mahaabhootah
314. Vyaktaroopah 814. Mahaanidhih
315. Sahasrajit 815. Kumudah
316. Anantajit 816. Kundarah
317. Ishtah 817. Kundah
318. Visishtah 818. Parjanyah
319. Sishteshtah 819. Paavanah
320. Chaitanya 820. Anilah
321. Nahushah 821. Amritaashah
322. Vrishah 822. Amritavapuh

54
323. Krodhahaa 823. Sarvajna
324. Krodhakrit-Kartaa 824. Sarvato-mukhah
325. Visvabaahuh 825. Sulabhah
326. Maheedharah 826. Suvratah
327. Achyutah 827. Siddhah
328. Prathitah 828. Shatrujit
329. Praanah 829. Shatrutaapanah
330. Praanadah 830. Nyagrodhah
331. Vaasavaanujah 831. Udumbarah
332. Apaam-Nidhih 832. Ashvattas
333. Adhishthaanam 833. Chaanooraandhra-Nishoodanah
334. Apramattah 834. Sahasraarchih
335. Pratishthitah 835. Saptajihvah
336. Skandah 836. Saptaidhaah
337. Skanda-Dharah 837. Saptavaahanah
338. Dhuryah 838. Amoortih
339. Varadah 839. Anaghah
340. Vaayuvaahanah 840. Acintyo
341. Vaasudevah 841. Bhayakrit
342. Brihat-Bhaanuh 842. Bhayanaashanah
343. Aadidevah 843. Anuh
344. Purandarah 844. Brihat
345. Ashokah 845. Krishah
346. Taaranah 846. Sthoolah
347. Taarah 847. Gunabhrit
348. Shoorah 848. Nirgunah
349. Shaurih 849. Mahaan
350. Janeshvarah 850. Adhritah
351. Anukoolah 851. Svadhritah
352. Sataavarttah 852. Svaasyah
353. Padmee 853. Praagvamshah
354. Padmanibhekshanah 854. Vamshavardhanah
355. Padmanaabhah 855. Bhaarabhrit
356. Aravindaakshah 856. Kathitah
357. Padmagarbhah 857. Yogee
358. Shareerabhrit 858. Yogeeshah
359. Maharddhi 859. Sarvakaamadah
360. Riddhah 860. Aashramah
361. Vriddhaatmaa 861. Shramanah
362. Mahaakshah 862. Kshaamah
363. Garudadhvajah 863. Suparnah
364. Atulah 864. Vaayuvaahanah
365. Sharabhah 865. Dhanurdharah
366. Bheemah 866. Dhanurvedah
367. Samayajnah 867. Dandah
368. Havirharih 868. Damayitaa
369. Sarva-Lakshana-Lakshanyah 869. Damah
370. Lakshmeevaan 870. Aparaajitah
371. Samitinjayah 871. Sarvasahah
372. Viksharah 872. Aniyantaa

55
373. Rohitah 873. Niyamah
374. Maargah 874. Ayamah
375. Hetuh 875. Sattvavaan
376. Daamodarah 876. Saattvikah
377. Sahah 877. Satyah
378. Maheedharah 878. Satya-Dharma-Paraayanah
379. Mahaabhaago 879. Abhipraayah
380. Vegavaan 880. Priyaarhah
381. Amitaashanah 881. Arhah
382. Udbhavah 882. Priyakrit
383. Kshobhanah 883. Preetivardhanah
384. Devah 884. Vihaayasa-gatih
385. Shreegarbhah 885. Jyotih
386. Parameshvarah 886. Suruchih
387. Karanam 887. Hutabhuk
388. Kaaranam 888. Vibhuh
389. Kartaa 889. Ravih
390. Vikartaa 890. Virochanah
391. Gahanah 891. Sooryah
392. Guhah 892. Savitaa
393. Vyavasaayah 893. Ravilochanah
394. Vyavasthaanah 894. Anantah
395. Samsthaanah 895. Hutabhuk
396. Sthaanadah 896. Bhoktaaa
397. Dhruvah 897. Sukhadah
398. Pararddhih 898. Naikajah
399. Paramaspashtah 899. Agrajah
400. Tushtah 900. Anirvinnah
401. Pushtah 901. Sadaamarshee
402. Shubhekshanah 902. Lokaadhishthaanam
403. Raamah 903. Adbhutah
404. Viraamah 904. Sanaat
405. Virajo 905. Sanaatanatamah
406. Maargah 906. Kapilah
407. Neyah 907. Kapih
408. Nayah 908. Apyayah
409. Veerah 909. Svastidah
410. Shaktimataam-Shresthah 910. Svastikrit
411. Dharmah 911. Svasti
412. Dharmaviduttamah 912. Svastibhuk
413. Vaikunthah 913. Svastidakshinah
414. Purushah 914. Araudrah
415. Praanah 915. Kundalee
416. Praanadah 916. Chakree
417. Pranavah 917. Vikramee
418. Prituh 918. Oorjita-Shaasanah
419. Hiranyagarbhah 919. Shabdaatigah
420. Shatrughnah 920. Shabdasahah
421. Vyaaptah 921. Shishirah
422. Vaayuh 922. Sharvaree-Karah

56
423. Adhokshajah 923. Akroorah
424. Rituh 924. Peshalah
425. Sudarshanah 925. Dakshah
426. Kaalah 926. Dakshinah
427. Parameshthee 927. Kshaminaam-Varah
428. Parigrahah 928. Vidvattamah
429. Ugrah 929. Veetabhayah
430. Samvatsarah 930. Punya-Shravana-Keertanah
431. Dakshah 931. Uttaaranah
432. Vishraamah 932. Dushkritihaa
433. Vishva-Dakshinah 933. Punyah
434. Vistaarah 934. Duh-Svapna-Naashanah
435. Sthaavarah-Sthaanuh 935. Veerahaa
436. Pramaanam 936. Rakshanah
437. Beejamavyayam 937. Santah
438. Arthah 938. Jeevanah
439. Anarthah 939. Paryavasthitah
440. Mahaakoshah 940. Anantaroopah
441. Mahaabhogah 941. Anantashreeh
442. Mahaadhanah 942. Jitamanyuh
443. Anirvinnah 943. Bhayapahah
444. Sthavishthah 944. Chaturashrah
445. A-bhooh 945. Gabheeraatmaa
446. Dharma-Yoopah 946. Vidishah
447. Mahaa-Makhah 947. Vyaadishah
448. Nakshatranemir 948. Dishah
449. Nakshatree 949. Anaadih
450. Kshamah 950. Bhoor-Bhuvo
451. Kshaamah 951. Lakshmeeh
452. Sameehanah 952. Suveerah
453. Yajnah 953. Ruchiraangadah
454. Ijyah 954. Jananah
455. Mahejyah 955. Jana-Janmaadir
456. Kratuh 956. Bheemah
457. Satram 957. Bheema-Paraakramah
458. Sataam-Gatih 958. Aadhaaranilayah
459. Sarvadarshee 959. Adhaataa
460. Vimuktaatmaa 960. Pushpahaasah
461. Sarvajno 961. Prajaagarah
462. Jnaanamuttamam 962. Oordhvagah
463. Suvratah 963. Satpathaachaarah
464. Sumukhah 964. Praanadah
465. Sookshmah 965. Pranavah
466. Sughoshah 966. Panah
467. Sukhadah 967. Pramaanam
468. Suhrit 968. Praananilayah
469. Manoharah 969. Praanibhrit
470. Jita-krodhah 970. Praanajeevanah
471. Veerabaahur 971. Tattvam
472. Vidaaranah 972. Tattvavit

57
473. Svaapanah 973. Ekaatmaa
474. Svavashah 974. Janma-Mrityu-Jaraatigah
475. Vyaapee 975. Bhoor-bhuvah
476. Naikaatmaa 976. Taarah
477. Naikakarmakrit 977. Savitaa
478. Vatsarah 978. Prapitaamahah
479. Vatsalah 979. Yajnah
480. Vatsee 980. Yajnapatih
481. Ratnagarbhah 981. Yajvaa
482. Dhaneshvarah 982. Yajnaangah
483. Dharmagub 983. Yajnavaahanah
484. Dharmakrit 984. Yajnabhrid
485. Dharmee 985. Yajnakrit
486. Sat 986. Yajnee
487. Asat 987. Yajnabhuk
488. Ksharam 988. Yajnasaadhanah
489. Aksharam 989. Yajnaantakrit
490. Avijnaataa 990. Yajnaguhyam
491. Sahasraamshur 991. Annam
492. Vidhaataa 992. Annaadah
493. Kritalakshanah 993. Aatmayonih
494. Gabhastinemih 994. Svayamjaatah
495. Sattvasthah 995. Vaikhaanah
496. Simhah 996. Saamagaayanah
497. Bhoota-Maheshvarah 997. Devakee-Nandanah
498. Aadidevah 998. Srashtaa
499. Mahaadevah 999. Kshiteeshah
1000. Paapa-Naashanah
1001. Samkha-Bhrit
1002. Nandakee
1003. Chakree
1004. Shaarnga-Dhanvaa
1005. Gadaadharah
1006. Rathaanga-Paanih
1007. Akshobhyah
1008. Sarva-Praharanaayudhah
1009. Avyukt
1010. Roma

Vithoba ( Marathi: Viṭhobā, विठोबा ), also known as Vitthala ( Sanskrit: Viṭṭhala,

विठ्ठल, Kannada: Viṭṭala, and Panduranga, is the Hindu god Vishnu
worshiped predominately in the Indian states of Maharashtra and Karnataka . Generall
y considered a manifestation of the Hindu deities Vishnu or Krishna, he is sometimes
associated with the god Shiva .
Vithoba is often depicted as a dark young boy, standing arms-akimbo on a brick, som
etimes accompanied by his main consort Rakhumai.

58
Vithoba is the focus of the monotheistic non-Brahminical Varkari sect of Maharashtra
and the Haridasa sect of Karnataka. Vithoba's main temple stands at Pandharpur in M
aharashtra, close to the Karnataka border. The legends of Vithoba revolve around the
devotee Pundalik – who is credited with bringing the deity to Pandharpur &nd
ash; and around Vithoba's role as a savior to the saint-poets of the Varkari faith. The
Varkari saint-poets have written various Marathi devotional compositions called abha
ngas dedicated to Vithoba. Other devotional literature includes Kannada hymns by the
Haridasas and Marathi aratis. The most important festivals of Vithoba are Ashadhi Ek
adashi (Shayani Ekadashi) and Kartik Ekadashi (Prabodini Ekadashi).
Like the origins of his names, the historicity of Vithoba and his cult is contested. In th
e process of his final identification with Vishnu, Vithoba – at different stages
– was linked with a cattle-god, a hero stone, a Jain saint, Shiva and even Budd
ha. Though the origins of his cult and his main temple are unclear, there is clear evide
nce that they existed in the 13th century.
Etymology and other names
There are many conflicting theories about the origins of the names of the deity. Varka
ri etymology suggests that the word "Vitthala", also spelled as "Vitthal", "Viththal",
"Vittala" and "Vithal", is composed of two Sanskrit-Marathi words,
"Viṭ" meaning "brick" and "thal", which may have originated from the Sanskrit "sthal
a", meaning "standing". Thus "Vitthala" means "one standing on a brick". It could be
Kannada corruption of the word "Vishnu", which was adopted in Marathi, and the suf
fixes 'la' and 'ba' -meaning "father" in Marathi

Pundalik is an historical figure rather than a mythical one, the devotee Pundalik was i
nstrumental in coaxing the Hoysala king Vishnuvardhana to build the Pandharpur tem
ple to Vishnu. The deity Vitthala was named by the builder king "Bittidev", the alias o
f Vishnuvardhana. Other variants of the name include "Viṭhurāyā"
("King Vitthala"), and "Viṭhāī"
("Mother Vitthala"). The people of Gujarat add the suffix "Nath"
("Lord") to Vitthala, which yields the name "Vitthal-nath), the other popular epithet fo
r Vithoba,
"Panduranga" or "Pandaranga", meaning "the white god" in Sanskrit, is an epithet for
the god Rudra-Shiva. It is an
epithet for the form of Shiva, worshipped in Pandharpur and whose temple still stands
.

Another theory suggests that Vithoba may initially be a Shaiva (related to the cult of t
he god Shiva) god and later identified with Vishnu, thus the name Panduranga of Vith
oba. Crooke suggests that Panduranga is a Sanskritised term of "Pandaraga" –
"belonging to Pandarga – the old name of Pandharpur." Another name "Pandh
arinath" relates to Vithoba being "the lord of Pandhari (a name of Pandharpur)". Vitho
ba is also addressed by universal Vaishnava names like "Hari" and "Narayana", which
are related to the cult of the god Vishnu

59
The Lord Vithal, or Panduranga Vittala, is an incarnation of Lord Vishnu and is worshipped
in the world famous Pandarpur Rukmini Vi- thal Temple at Pandarpur in Maharashtra. There
is an interesting story that explains about the incarnation of Lord Vithal at Pandarpur.

Origins and development

The hymn "Panduranga Stotra" by Adi Shankaracharya, if genuine, establishes that Vi
thoba worship existed as early as the ninth century AD, the period of its author.The i
mage of Vithoba was first worshipped as a pastoral god as early as the sixth century a
nd is similar to Bir Kuar, the cattle-god of the Ahirs of Bihar, who is now also associa
ted with Krishna.
Vithoba was later assimilated in the Shaiva pantheon and identified with the god Shiv
a like most other pastoral gods. The temple at Pandharpur is also
surrounded by Shaiva temples, most notably of the devotee Pundalik himself, and that
the headgear of Vithoba is a Linga, the symbol of Shiva. However in the 13th century,
the saints Namdev, Eknath and Tukaram recognized Vithoba as a form of Vishnu. It is
suggested that the worship originated at
Pandharpur before 1000 CE. Under the possible influence of a Krishna-worshiping M
ahanubhava sect, the town was transformed into a Vaishnava center of pilgrimage, tho
ugh there are still remnants of Shaiva worship in the town. Otherd suggest
that Vithoba worship is more ancient than the worship of Krishna, "Vedic or pre-
Vedic", about 6th century BCE. According to Dhere, Vithoba is an amalgam of variou
s local heroes, who gave their lives to save their cattle, and was worshiped first as a D
hangar (a shepherd, cowherd community) deity. Dhere thinks the rise of the Yadava d
ynasty, which had cowherd ancestry, led to the glorification of Vithoba as Krishna, w
ho is often depicted as a cowherd. This also led to conversion of the Shaiva Pundarika

60
shrine to the shrine of the devotee Pundalik, who brought Vithoba to Pandharpur. Vith
oba is also assimilated in Buddhism as a form of Buddha, who in turn in Hinduism is
viewed as a form of Vishnu.cite encyclopedia.( "Sri-
Vitthal: Ek Mahasamanvay (Marathi)" by R.C. Dhere
volume = 5) Despite assimilation in Vaishnavism as Krishna-
Vishnu, Vithoba does not inherit the erotic overtones of Krishna such as his dalliance
with the milkmaids. Vithoba is associated more with "compassion, an infinite love an
d tenderness for his "bhaktas"
(devotees) that can be compared to the love of the mother for her children...pining for
the presence of his devotees the way a cow pines for her far-away calf.
G. A. Deleury proposes that the image of Vithoba is a "Viragal"
(hero stone), which was later identified with Vishnu in his form as Krishna, and that P
undalik transformed the Puranic, ritualistic puja worship into the bhakti-focused "inter
iorized adoration prescinding caste distinction and institutional priesthood...
[Deleury in Sand p. 38]

Tilak suggests that Vithoba emerged as "an alternative to existing panthenon" of Bra
hminical (related to classical, ritualistic Hinduism) deities. The emergence of Vithoba
was concurrent with rise of a "new type of lay devotee", the Varkari. While Vishnu an
d Shiva were bound in rigid ritualistic worship and Brahmin (priest class) control, Vit
hoba,
"the God of the subaltern, became increasingly human". Vithoba is often praised as th
e protector of the poor and needy.

Pandharpur temple
Scholars examine the history of Vithoba beginning with the dating of the chief temple
at Pandharpur, which is believed to be the earliest Vithoba temple. The oldest part of t
he temple dates to the Yadava period of the 12th and 13th centuries, but most of the te
mple is believed to have been built in the 17th century, and additions continue. The da
te of establishment of the temple is unclear there is clear evidence to suggest it existe
d in the 13th century.
A monument dated 1189 records establishment of a small Vithoba shrine at the presen
t location of the temple.
Another stone inscription in Pandharpur narrates a sacrifice at Pandurangapura due to
which "people and Vitthal (Vithoba) along with the gods were gratified".
Thus from the thirteenth century, the city is known as the city of Panduranga. Inside t
he temple, a stone inscription records gifts to the temple between 1272–77 AD
from various donors, notably minister Hemadri of Yadava king Ramachandra.

The two "murtis"

(images) of Vithoba must have existed at Pandharpur. The early one was a "tirtha-
murti", the image near a holy water body or tirtha, that faced west near the Pundalik s
hrine on the bed of the river Bhima. The other was a "kshetra-murti", the image at the
"kshetra" or holy place, where a temple faced east on the hill where the current temple
, built around 1189, stands. Thus, he proposes that the worship of Vithoba may predat
e the temple itself. Deleury suggests that although the temple may have been built in t

61
he 13th-century Hemadpanthi style of temple architecture, the statue of Vithoba is of
an earlier style and may have been carved when a smaller shrine existed in Pandharpu
r. The workmanship of the image is earlier than the style of the Anhivad Chalukyas.
Although no other existing Vishnu temple has iconography like Pandharpur's Vithoba,
Deleury finds similarities between the Pandharpur image and the third-century arms-
akimbo Vishnu images at Udaygiri Caves, but declares that they are from different sc
hools of sculpture.

Pundalik
The legendary figure of Pundalik is commonly perceived as an historical figure conne
cted with the establishment and propagation of the Vithoba-centric Varkari cult.
Pundalik to be the founder of the Varkari cult.
According to Bhandarkar, he was the one who promulgated the cult in Maratha countr
y.
Pundalik was an historical person, possibly a Jain or a Buddhist since Varkari traditio
n is a combination of Buddhist and Jain morals, and Vithoba is viewed as Vishnu in hi
s form as Buddha. Others think of
Pundalik, a Kannada saint, was not only the founder of the Varkari cult but also the fir
st great devotee or first high priest of the Pandharpur temple. Pundalik was instrument
al in coaxing the Hoysala king Vishnuvardhana to build the Pandharpur temple to Vis
hnu, placing him in the early 12th century.
Otherd have questioned the historicity of Pundalik and dismissed him as a mythical fi
gure.

Identifications
Varkaris consider Vithoba to be the "swarup" or original Vishnu himself, not an avata
r of Vishnu like Krishna, Others think
Vithoba is not Krishna as there is a Krishna temple in Pandharpur that the Mahanubha
vas, who are worshippers of Krishna, visit while they do not visit the Vithoba temple.
In some traditions though, Vithoba is also worshipped as a form of Shiva. Dhangars st
ill consider Vithoba to be a brother of the god Viroba and view Vithoba as a Shaiva g
od rather than a Vaishnava one.

Vithoba's consort is worshipped by the community as "Padubai", a protector of the co

mmunity and cattle in particular. Underhill proposes that the shrine of Pandharpur is a
combined form of Vishnu-Shiva established by the "Bhagavata" sect that worships Vi
shnu-Shiva.Underhill p. 171] For the Badva brahmins, the chief priests of the Pandhar
pur temple,
"Viṭhobā is neither Viṣṇu (Vishnu) nor Śiva (Shiva). Viṭhobā is Viṭhobā".
B. R. Ambedkar, an Indian political leader and Buddhist convert, suggested that Vitho
ba was Buddha.
Vithoba's image replaces the traditional representation of Buddha, when depicted as t
he ninth avatar of Vishnu, in some temple sculptures and Hindu astrological almanacs
in Maharashtra. Lokhnade suggested that the saint-poets praised Vithoba as a form of
Buddha.

62
Iconography
All Vithoba images are generally modeled on his central image in Pandharpur. The Pa
ndharpur image is a black basalt sculpture that is convert|3|ft|9|in|m| tall. He is depicte
d as a dark, often black young boy with a high, conical headgear or crown interpreted
as Shiva's symbol – a Linga. Thus, according to Zelliot, Vithoba represents Vis
hnu as well as Shiva.
[ Zelliot, Eleanor in Mokashi, p. 35–36] The first Varkari saint-poet, Dnyane
shwar, states that Vithoba (Vishnu) has lifted Shiva, who according to Vaishnavism is
Vishnu's first and foremost devotee, on his own head. [Ranade p.41]
Vithoba is shown standing arms-akimbo on the brick thrown by the devotee Pundalik.
He wears a tulsi-bead necklace with Kaustubha gem embedded in it and "Makara-
kundala" (fish-shaped earrings) that saint-
poet Tukaram relates to the iconography of Vishnu. Vithoba holds a conch in his left
hand and a discus or a lotus in his right, all of which are traditional attributes of Vishn
u. Other images depict the right hand making a gesture that has been traditionally mis
understood as a blessing; no blessing-gesture is present in the central image. The Pand
harpur image is either "digambhar"
(naked), or its loin cloth is present around the waist with a fold of the robe extending t
o the feet, through which the shape of genitals is visible. Other images and pictures de
pict him clothed usually with "Pitambhara", a yellow ") and "Yama" on the feet.
Consorts
Vithoba is usually depicted with his main consort, Rukmini, on his left side. Rukmini
is generally referred as "Rakhumai" or "Rakhamai"(literally "mother Rukmini"). Ruk
mini is traditionally viewed as the wife of Krishna and a form of the goddess Lakshmi
. Hindus generally consider Krishna as a form of Vishnu and his consort as a form of
Lakshmi. Rakhumai is depicted in the arms-akimbo posture, standing on a brick. She
has an independent cella in the Pandharpur temple complex. According to Ghurye, Ru
kmini – a princess of the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra kingdom – w
as elevated to main consort instead of Radha because of her affiliation with the region
. Apart from Rakhumai, two other consorts Satyabhama and Rahi, derived from Radh
a, are worshiped too. All three consorts are regarded as Krishna's in Hindu mythology
. [citebook|url=http://books.google.com/books?
id=P3uD22Ghqs4C&pg=PA367&dq=vithoba&as_brr=3&sig=qIV4f_iUr8b6zG3ny
G8oXqTYrOQ#PPA367,M1 |title=Indian Sociology Through Ghurye, a Dictionary|
author= Pillai, S. Devadas|pages=pp. 366–67|year = 1997|isbn = 8171548
075|publisher = Popular Prakashan|accessdate=2008-09-20]
Worship
The main temple of Vithoba and his consort Rakhumai (Rukmini) is located at Pandh
arpur (coord|17.67|N|75.33|E|) in Maharashtra, on the border of that state with Karnat
aka. Pandharpur is affectionately called "Bhu-Vaikuntha"
(the place of residence of Vishnu on earth) by devotees.
[Tagare in Mahipati: Abbott, Godbole p.xxxv] Vithoba is a popular deity in Maharas
htra and Karnataka; devotees exist in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu to a lesser exte
nt. Vithoba "is worshipped and revered by most Marathi people but he is not the famil
y deity of many people". [Karve in Singh: p. LIX]

63
Two distinct traditions revolve around the worship of Vithoba in Maharashtra: the ritu
al worship of the god by Badva brahmin priests in his temple and the spiritual worship
by the Varkaris. [ Engblom, Philip C. in Mokashi, pp. 7–
10, 15] The ritual worship of Vithoba by the Badva brahmins in the main temple of P
andharpur includes five daily rites. The rituals start with the "kākaḍāratī", an "arati" to
awaken the god at about 3 am. Next comes the "pañcāmṛtapūjā", a "puja" that include
s a bath with five sweet substances called Panchamrita. After dressing the image come
s "madhyāhṇapūjā", a "puja" for re-dressing and lunch at noon. Fourth is "aparāhṇapū
jā", a "puja" for dinner at sunset, and last comes "śerāratī", an "arati" for putting the g
od to sleep.
[Shima p.188] Apart from these traditions, the Haridasa tradition dedicated to Vitthala
flourished in Karnataka.
Varkari sect
"Varkari Panth" ("The Pilgrims' Path") or "Varkari sampradaya"
("The Pilgrims' tradition") is one of the most important Vaishnava sects in India.
[Flood (1996) p. 135] It is a monotheistic bhakti sect, focused on the worship of Vith
oba and based on traditional "Bhagavata dharma". The sect, according to Vaudeville, i
s "Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis" and "nominal Vaishnavism, containing a free mix of o
ther religions".
[Novetzke p. 116] The sect is believed to have originated in Karnataka and migrated t
o Maharashtra. This theory is based on Vitthala (Vithoba) being called "Kannada"
– belonging to Karnataka – by saint-poet Dnyaneshwar, citeencycloped
ia| url=http://books.google.com/books?
id=ObFCT5_taSgC&pg=PA966&dq=Vitthala&as_brr=3&sig=hivGSC1cTGWYEdIp
J-YadsBbbb4#PPA966,M1| title=Encyclopaedia of Indian literature|volume=1|
pages=pp. 966–8|publisher=Sahitya Akademi|year = 1987|isbn = 8126018038|
accessdate=2008-09-20] although the word is also interpreted as "difficult to understa
nd". [citebook| url=http://books.google.com/books?
id=jt4fJpkFEBsC&pg=PA17&dq=Vitthala&lr=&as_brr=3&sig=n8dymAaqo_1C0Z
hICK07o6kghao#PPA17,M1|title=Songs on Yoga: Texts and Teachings of the Mah
ārāṣṭrian Nāths|author= Kiehnle, Catharina|pages=p. 17| isbn = 3515069224| pub
lisher=Franz Steiner Verlag|year=1997| accessdate=2008-09-20] Varkaris and scho
lars who believe Pundalik to be an historical figure consider Pundalik the founder of t
he cult of Vithoba. This is evidenced by the glory cry "Pundalikavarada Hari Vitthala"
, which means "O Hari (Vishnu) Vitthala (Vithoba), who has given a boon to Pundali
k". According to Zelliot, the sect was founded by Dnyaneshwar, spelled also as "Jnan
eshwar", a Brahmin poet and philosopher of about 1275–1296.
[Zelliot, Eleanor in Mokashi, p. 38] Varkaris also give him credit with the saying "D
nyanadev rachila paya", which means "Dnyaneshwar laid the foundation".
Namdev, (c. 1270–1350) a shudra tailor, also wrote "abhangas"
(literally "unbroken", short Marathi devotional poems) in praise of Vithoba and used
Kirtana to sing the glory of his Lord. This led to the spread of the Vithoba faith, whic
h accepted women, shudras and outcaste "untouchables", something forbidden in class
ical Brahminical Hinduism. In the times of Muslim rulers, the faith faced stagnation.
After the decline of the Vijayanagara empire, when wars erupted in the Deccan region
, the Muslim rulers had to accept the faiths of Maharashtra in order to gather the supp

64
ort of its people. In this period, Eknath (c. 1533–99) revived the Varkari traditi
on. With the foundation of Maratha empire under Shivaji, the Vithoba-centric traditio
n was further propagated by Tukaram (c. 1568–1650, a shudra grocer) through
out the Maharashtra region. [Shima pp. 184–86]
All these saint-poets and others like Janabai, the maidservant of Namdev, wrote Marat
hi devotional poetry ("abhangas") dedicated to Vithoba. This poetry advocates pure de
votion to Vithoba and refers mostly to Vithoba as a father or in the case of female-
saint Janabai's poetry as a woman or mother ("Vithabai").
[Flood (1996) pp. 142–44] A wide variety of people from different castes and
backgrounds wrote "abhangas" in praise of Vithoba: Visoba Khechara, who was an or
thodox Shaiva (worshipper of Shiva) and teacher of Namdev; Sena the barber; Narhar
i the goldsmith; Savata the gardener; Gora the potter; Kanhopatra the dancing girl; Ch
okhamela the "untouchable" Mahar, and even the Muslim Sheikh Muhammad (1560&
ndash;1650).
[Zelliot, Eleanor in Mokashi, p. 40] Anyone born Shaiva or Vaishnava who consider
s Vithoba his "maya-baap" (mother-father) and Pandharpur his "maher"
(maternal house of a bride) is accepted as a Varkari by the sect irrespective of the barr
iers of caste. Varkaris often practice the japa (meditative repetition of a deity's name)
of Vithoba's name and observe a fast on all Ekadashis (11th lunar days).
[Tagare in Mahipati: Abbott, Godbole p. xxxvii]
Haridasa sect
According to Haridasa tradition, the Vaishnava "Haridasa"
("servants of Vishnu") or "Haridasa-kuta" movement centered on Vitthala (Vithoba)
was founded by "Achalananda Vitthala" (c. 888).citebook|accessdate=2008-09-20|
url=http://books.google.co.in/books?
id=qSfneQ0YYY8C&pg=PA257&dq=Haridasa+Pandharpur&as_brr=3&client=firefo
x-a&sig=ACfU3U3MnskV7uPEmLDDo3vrpdKy7-abaA#PPA252,M1 |title=The Bla
ckwell Companion to Hinduism|author= Flood, Gavin D.|pages= pp. 252–53|
publisher = Blackwell Publishing|isbn = 0631215352, 9780631215356|year = 2003|
accessdate=2008-09-20] According to Sharma, the Vithoba-centric devotion moveme
nt first emerged with the Haridasa tradition in Karnataka and later moved to Maharash
tra. He relates this to Vitthala being called "Kannada" by Dnyaneshwar. [citebook|
url=http://books.google.co.in/books?
id=FVtpFMPMulcC&pg=PA514&dq=Haridasa+Vithala&as_brr=3&client=firefox-
a&sig=ACfU3U0pRTV10TZUe5oP-rIGYu0vfAMhkA#PPA514,M1|title=History of th
e Dvaita School of Vedanta and Its Literature|author= Sharma, B.N.K.|pages= pp.
514–16|publisher = Blackwell Publishing|isbn = 8120815750, 97881208157
59|year = 2000|accessdate=2008-09-20] Lutgendorf credits the movement to Vyasat
irtha (1478–1539), the royal preceptor of Vijayanagara king Krishnadevaraya.
Vitthala enjoyed royal patronage in his era. Krishnadevaraya is credited with building
Vitthala's temple at Hampi (Vijayanagara).
[citebook|url=http://books.google.co.in/books?
id=Ue7eHAUOgrIC&pg=PA72&dq=Haridasa+Vithala&as_brr=3&client=firefox-
a&sig=ACfU3U1grXDFquVGWDwyGlOqjHYUVweHLQ#PPA72,M1|
title=Hanuman's Tale: The Messages of a Divine Monkey|author= Lutgendorf, Phil

65
ip|pages= pp. 69, 70, 72|publisher = Oxford University Press US|isbn = 01953092
19, 9780195309218|year = 2007|accessdate=2008-09-20]
Haridasas consider the temple of Pandharpur sacred as well that of Hampi and worshi
p Vitthala along with forms of Krishna. [cite web |
url= http://www.dvaita.org/haridasa/overview/hist.html|title= History of the Harida
sas|accessdate=2008-09-15|date= October 30, 1997, last updated on December 12,
2000|work= website http://www.dvaita.org/|publisher = Madhusudana Rao CR] Har
idasa literature generally dealt with praise dedicated to Vitthala and Krishna.
[cite web |url= http://www.dvaita.org/haridasa/overview/hdlit.html|title= Haridasa
Literature|accessdate=2008-09-15|date= October 30, 1997, last updated on Decem
ber 12, 2000|work= website http://www.dvaita.org/|publisher = Madhusudana Rao
CR] Haridasa poets like Vijaya Vitthala, Gopala Vitthala, Jagannatha Vitthala, Venug
opala Vitthala and Mohana Vitthala assumed pen-names ending with "Vitthala" as an
act of devotion. [cite web |url= http://www.dvaita.org/haridasa/overview/ankit.html|
title= Ankitha|accessdate=2008-09-15|date= October 30, 1997, last updated on De
cember 12, 2000|work= website http://www.dvaita.org/|publisher = Madhusudana
Rao CR] [cite web |url= http://www.dvaita.org/haridasa/general/das_map.html|
title= Haridasa Lineage|accessdate=2008-09-15|date= October 30, 1997, last upda
ted on December 12, 2000|work= website http://www.dvaita.org/|publisher = Madh
usudana Rao CR] The Haridasa poet Purandara Dasa or Purandara Vitthala (1484&n
dash;1564), "Father of Carnatic Music",cite book |last= Iyer|first= Panchapakesa A.S.|
title= Karnataka Sangeeta Sastra|origyear=2006|year=2006|publisher= Zion Printers|
location= Chennai|isbn= p. 93] often ended his Kannada compositions with a salutatio
n to Vitthala. [ citebook|url=http://books.google.com/books?
id=jt4fJpkFEBsC&pg=PA39&dq=Vitthala&lr=&as_brr=3&sig=n8dymAaqo_1C0Z
hICK07o6kghao#PPA17,M1|title=Songs on Yoga: Texts and Teachings of the Mah
ārāṣṭrian Nāths|author= Kiehnle, Catharina|pages=p. 39|isbn = 3515069224|
publisher = Franz Steiner Verlag| year=1997|accessdate=2008-09-20]
Festivals
The festivals associated with Vithoba correspond primarily to the bi-annual pilgrimag
es of the Varkaris to Pandharpur. The Varkari pilgrims travel from Alandi and Dehu, t
owns closely associated with saint-poets Dnayaneshwar and Tukaram respectively, to
Pandharpur. Along the way, they sing "abhanga"s (devotional songs) dedicated to Vit
hoba and repeat his name, carrying the palkhis (palanquin) of the saint-poets. Varkaris
do not engage in ritual worship but only take darshan of the deity. The ritual worship
by the priests is curtailed five days each around Ashadha (June – July) and Kar
tik (October – November) Ekadashis, the 11th day of the Hindu month, when t
he large number of Varkaris perform their yatra (annual pilgrimage) to Pandharpur. T
he Varkaris visit the temple on two more Ekadashis in the Hindu months of Magha an
d Chaitra too, but in smaller numbers.
[ Engblom, Philip C. in Mokashi, pp. 7–10, 15] Up to six hundred thousand
Varkaris travel to Pandharpur for an annual pilgrimage on Shayani Ekadashi, the 11th
of bright fortnight [Each of the 12 Hindu months such as Ashadha, Chaitra, Magha
, and Kartik etc. is divided into two fortnights of 15 days each. During the bright f
ortnight ("Shukla-paksha"), from day 1 to day 15 or full moon day, the moon waxe
s, and during the dark fortnight ("Krishna-paksha") it wanes til new moon day.] in

66
the Hindu month of Ashadha.
[Engblom, Philip C. in Mokashi, p. 2] Both Shayani Ekadashi and Prabodini Ekadas
hi, the 11th of bright fortnight in Kartik, are associated with the mythology of Vishnu.
Hindus believe that Vishnu falls asleep in Ksheersagar – a cosmic ocean of mil
k – on Shesha-nāga, the cosmic serpent, on Shayani Ekadashi (literally "sleepi
ng eleventh") and finally awakens from his slumber four months later on Prabodhini E
kadashi. The celebrations in Ashadha and Kartik continue until the full-moon in those
months, concluding with torchlight processions. [Shima p. 188] Inscriptions dating to
the 11th century mention the Ekadashi pilgrimages to Pandharpur. On Shayani Ekadas
hi and Prabodini Ekadashi, the chief minister or a minister of Maharashtra state perfor
ms the worship on behalf of the Government of Maharashtra ("sakari-mahapuja").
Apart from the four Ekadashis, a fair is held on Dussera night at Pandharpur, when de
votees dance on a large slab ("Ranga-shila") before Vithoba, accompanied with torchl
ight processions. Other observances at the Pandharpur temple include Ranga-
panchami, when gulal (red powder) is sprinkled on the god's feet and Krishna Janmas
htami, Krishna's birthday, when devotees dance and sing in front of Vithoba for nine
days.
[Shima p. 189] Other sacred days include Wednesdays, Saturdays and all other Ekada
shis, all of which are considered holy in Vaishnavism.
Devotional works
The texts of the Varkari sect are "Bhaktalilamrita" and "Bhaktavijaya" of Mahipati,
"Pundalika-mahatmya" by Bahinabai and a long abhanga by Namdev, all of which de
scribe the legend of Pudalik. Sanskrit texts from the Brahmin tradition include two ver
sions of "Panduranga-Mahatmya" from Skanda Purana, consisting of 900 verses;
"Panduranga-mahatmya" from Padma Purana, consisting of 1,200 verses, and a chapt
er, "Bhima-mahatmya", from Padma Purana. [Sand p. 33]
[For the complete English translation of "Bhaktavijaya", which narrates the legend
of Pundalik and also tells stories of reported interactions between the saints and V
ithoba, see "Stories of Indian Saints" by Mahīpati, Justin Edwards Abbott, and Nar
har R. Godbole.] According to Dhere, a third "Panduranga-mahatmya" is found in Vi
shnu Purana. [Sand p. 56] The Marathi "Panduranga-
mahatmya" by the Brahmin Sridhara and another work by the same name written by P
rahlada Maharaj in Marathi and consisting of 181 ovis (verses) originate from what R
aeside calls a "third tradition" between Varkari and Brahmin traditions. [Sand p. 34]
Apart from these and "abhangas", short Marathi devotional poems of the Varkaris, ma
ny "stutis" (praises) and "stotras"
(hymns) are dedicated to Vithoba, some of them from the Haridasa tradition. The best
known of these is "Pandurangastaka" or "Pandurangastrotra", attributed to Adi Shanka
racharya, although this attribution is questioned. [Sand p. 56] The text "Tirthavali-
gatha", attributed to Namdev or Dnyaneshwar but possibly a collection of writings of
saint-poets, is a text centered on the propagation of Varkari faith and worship of Vitho
ba. [Novetzke p. 120] Other devotional works include aratis like "Yuge atthavisa vitev
ari ubha" by Namdev and "Yei O Vitthala maje mauli re". These aratis sing of Vithob
a, who wears yellow garments and is served by Garuda (mount of Vishnu) and Hanu
man (the monkey god, devotee of Rama – an avatar of Vishnu).
Temples

67
 Many temples of Vithoba are in Maharashtra;
[Singh p. 13] and some are in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. The Vitho
ba temple, Pandharpur in Maharashtra is the main centre of worship of Vithoba. The t
emple's date of establishment is disputed, though it is clear that the temple was standi
ng at the time of Dnyaneshwar in the 13th century. Along with Vithoba and his conso
rts, Rukmini, Satyabhama and Radha, other Vaishnava deities are worshipped. These i
nclude Venkateshwara, a form of Vishnu; Mahalakshmi, a form of Vishnu's consort L
akshmi; Garuda, mount of Vishnu, and Hanuman, the monkey god, as well as Shaiva
deities such as Ganesha, the elephant-headed god of wisdom and beginnings; Khando
ba, a form of Shiva, and Annapurna, a form of Shiva's consort Parvati. The samadhis (
memorials) of saints like Namdev, Chokhamela, and Janabai and of devotees such as
Pundalik and Kanhopatra are in and around the temple.
[Shima pp. 189–96.] Other significant temples in Maharashtra are at Dehu, the
birthplace of Tukaram, which attracts visitors at all ekadashis of the year; Kole (Satar
a district), in memory of Ghadge Bova, which has a fair on the fifth day of the bright f
ortnight in Magha month; Kolhapur and Rajapur, which host fairs on Shayani Ekadas
hi and Prabodini Ekadashi,Underhill pp. 165–66, p. 172]
Legend
There are several versions of the Vithoba legend in
Skanda Purana. First version (verses 1.34–67), ascetic Pundarika (Pundalik), is descr
ibed as a devotee of Vishnu as well of his parents. Grazing his cows, the god Gopala-
Krishna comes from Govardhana to meet Pundarika. Krishna is described as in "digambara"
(naked) form, wearing "Makara-kundala" (fish-
shaped earrings), a Srivasta mark, and a head-dress of peacock feathers, resting his hands on
his hips and keeping his cow-stick between his thighs. Pundarika asks Krishna for a boon to
stay in that form at the place where the river Bhima flows, making it both a tirtha (holy plac
e near a water body) and a kshetra (holy place where a temple is situated).
This place is identified with modern-day Pandharpur, where the river Bhima flows, and the
description of Krishna resembles the characteristics of the Pandharpur.The second version
of the legend is-

 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.
o 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.
o 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.
o 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 !

68
 o 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).
o 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.
o 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.
o Lord Krishna was moved by the sincere devotion of Pundalik towards his
parents and decided to test Pundalik.
o Lord Krishna came to Pundalik’s home, but Krishna saw that Pundalik was
busy attending his parents.
o Pundalik saw Lord 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 Lord Krishna a brick to stand on , and asked Him to wait until his
duty was completed. And Lord Krishna moved by the devotion of Pundalik to his
parents, waited for him patiently.

Later, Pundalik came out and asked Krishna for forgiveness for making Him wait.
Krishna asked for any desired boon, for which Pundalik said “ My lord , what can I ask for ?
My lord himself waits for me”? Krishna insisted that Pundalik ask for a boon, then he asked
Krishna to remain on Earth to bless and take care of His devotees.Lord 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 panduranga because when he came from dwaraka to
pandharpur though he was black the White sands were all over his face , so he was called
pandra-ranga (panduranga). He is narayana himself came to pandharpur in search of rukmini
Devi as rukmini Devi got angry on Krishna and left dwaraka .
She had a motive in leaving dwaraka 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 pundaliks 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.

69
 1. Once panduranga 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.
2. 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 nyaneshwar , sant
tukaram , sant purandara dasa vitthal , sant sakhubai , sant muktabai and many more.

The “Vi” in Lord Vithoba’s name denotes knowledge and “Thoba” denotes shape. He is the
shape of knowledge or the idol of knowledge. Another interpretation is that the word
“Vitthala” is said to be derived from the Marathi word “Vit”, meaning brick. The reason
behind the brick will be explained later in this article. “Ba” is used to denote “father” in
Marathi.
Lord Vithal/ Vitthal/ Vithoba is none other than Lord Vishnu, Lord Narayana or Lord
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 Pandrinath, Panduranga, Pandhairiraya, Vithai, Vithoba, Vithu-
mauli, Vitthalgururao by his devotees. But the well-known and commonly used names are
Pandurang / Panduranga and Shri Vitthal / Vithal. 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
Namdeo /Namdev, Sant Jnaneshwar, Sant Eknath and Sant Tukaram. Pundalik, a saint was
closely associated with this shrine, and hence this shrine is also known as Pundarika Pura.

SECOND VERSION OF THE 2 nd VERSION

STORY OF PANDURANGA VITTALA ::--
***************************************************
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

70
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 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 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
Panduranga, 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 Pandharpur is a holy place of Shri.Vitthal and Shri.Rukmini. It is also

known as the Southern Kashi of India and Kuldaivat of Maharashtra State. It is located at a
distance of 72 kms 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.Panduranga 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 Sanctorium and can place his/her head on the feet

71
of Lord Vitthala. This tradition is followed nowhere in India. The Bhagawat Dharma is being
followed with full spirit in Pandharpur.

Honestly speaking , we all heard many Mysterious mythological stories , and we believed
them in childhood because it was told by our parents with faith behind it..same is happening
from ages and getting passed to next generation with alteration in narrative…I personally feel
its all mythological Stories… it might be real that person named Pundalik existed he had
extreme level of devotion that might lead him to see God (this could be mental
perception ) ..and people around him created it as gossip.. gossip become story…story beame
legend…legend got written form…this created strong belief…belief

Why is Lord Vitthala addressed as Mauli?

Mauli is a marathi word which means “Mother “

Vithoba was first worshiped as a pastoral god as early as the 6th century and is associated
mainly with Vishnu, Krishna (an avatar of Vishnu), Shiva, and sometimes Buddha who is the
ninth incarnation of Vishnu. Vithoba wears a cone shaped crown, which is widely interpreted
is the Shiva Linga symbol. Vitthala is depicted as a young black/dark boy standing on a brick
with arms in the “akimbo” position adorned with: a necklace made of tulsi beads(The tulsi
plant is dear to Krishna), fish shaped earrings, holding a conch (shankha) with his left hand,
and a lotus flower (chakra) with his right hand.

Vithoba is also known as Vitthala, Panduranga, Pandharinath, Hari and Narayan. The
derivation of the name “Vitthala” is a composite of “vittha” which means ignorance and
“la” which means accepts and together means a person who accepts innocent people who
are not very knowledgeable. The other theory is that that “Vitthu” is a derivation of Vishnu
and “la” meaning father. The alternative theory is that the name is composed of two Sanskrit
words for brick “vit” and standing “thal” and hence “one standing on brick. The brick
iconography represents the simple village life and Vithoba is often praised as the protector of
the poor.

Varkaris, devotees of Vitthala trek to see their very own vithai mauli (Mother Vithoba),
putting up cheerfully with all the difficulties and inconveniences of a long journey. The
Varkaris fondly address Vitthala as Vithoba Mauli (Mother Vithoba).

Kanhopatra was a 15th-century Marathi saint-poet, venerated by the Varkari sect of

Hinduism. She was a daughter of a rich prostitute and courtesan named Shama or Shyama,
who lived in the town of Mangalvedhe, near Pandharpur, the site of Vithoba's chief temple.
Most accounts declare that Kanhopatra was forced into the courtesan's life, though she
detested it, while some say that Kanhopatra firmly declined to become a courtesan. Some
authors believe that she may have also worked as a prostitute.

In some legends, Hausa—described as a Varkari—is credited for Kanhopatra's journey to

devotion. Other accounts credit the Varkari pilgrims who passed Kanhopatra's house on their
way to the temple of Vithoba in Pandharpur. According to one story, for example, she asked
a passing Varkari about Vithoba. The Varkari said that Vithoba is "generous, wise, beautiful
and perfect", his glory is beyond description and his beauty surpasses that of Lakshmi, the
goddess of beauty. Kanhopatra further asked if Vithoba would accept her as a devotee. The
Varkari assured her that Vithoba would accept her as he accepted the maid Kubja, the sinful

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king Ajamila and the so-called "untouchable" saint Chokhamela. This assurance strengthened
her resolve to go to Pandharpur. In versions of the legend where Sadashiva does not appear,
Kanhopatra immediately leaves for Pandharpur—singing the praises of Vithoba—with the
Varkari pilgrims or coaxes her mother to accompany her to Pandharpur. When Kanhopatra
first saw the Vithoba image of Pandharpur, she sang in an abhanga that her spiritual merit
was fulfilled and she was blessed to have seen Vithoba's feet. She had found the unparalleled
beauty she sought in her groom in Vithoba. She "wedded" herself to the god and settled in
Pandharpur. She withdrew from society. Kanhopatra moved into a hut in Pandharpur with
Hausa and lived an ascetic's life. She sang and danced at the Vithoba temple, and cleaned it
twice a day. She gained the respect of the people, who believed her to be a poor farmer's
daughter maddened by the love of Vithoba. In this period, Kanhopatra composed ovi poems
dedicated to Vithoba.

One of the meanings of the word “Mauli" is Wearer or Adorned.

Lord Shiva is called as “Chandra Mauli" as he wears the crescent moon (Chandra) over his
head.

Similarly Lord Krishna is called as “Sikhi Pincha Mauli" as he wears peacock feathers on his
head (Sikhi means the knot of hair on top of head and Pincha means peacock feathers)

Why are Lord Vitthal and Goddess Rukmini separated from each other in the temple of
Pandharpur?

We should understand the complete Story of Lord Vithal at Pandarpur or Story of

Panduranga Vittala .

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The Lord Vithal, or Panduranga Vittala, is an incarnation of Lord Vishnu and is worshipped
in the world famous Pandarpur Rukmini Vi- thal Temple at Pandarpur in Maharashtra. There
is an interesting story that explains about the incarnation of Lord Vithal at Pandarpur.

Once a devotee named Pundalik was traveling to Kashi and reached the Ashram of Saint
Kukkut. He asked the sage the way to Kashi. ...

It is a regular feature in most South Indian temples to have separate enclosures for the divine
couples. You will find it in almost all temples, be it Shiva or Vishnu, to be enshrined in
different enclosures in the South. Pandharapur used to be a part of the “South” untill the great
Marathi devotees of Lord Vitthala and Goddess Rukmini were born.

Why didn't Lord Krishna marry Sri Radha?

There has been a lot of confusion and misinterpretation regarding this topic .I have been
seeing this question almost everywhere on the internet and most of the articles don't show the
truth. At the same time, there are a few articles that reveals the truth. Before even people start
asking this kind of irreverent question, they need to understand the fact that-Radha and
Krishna are divine beings, they are not just humans like us, hence their story won't be
similar to human’s interpretation of love and marriage. But having said that, Radhe has
always been married to Krishna and only to Krishna-whether, it's in the spiritual realm
or in the material world. Radhe and Krishna are one. If Krishna is the body, then
Radhe is the soul. Yes, Radhe and Krishna might not have married in front of the society,
which is again due to the curse (in fact their marriage was conducted by Lord Brahma, which
is more significant and auspicious. According to Hindu mythology, Radha and Krishna live
in Goloka and it’s only due to a curse that she is separated from Krishna for a period of 100
years. But, as these are divine entities, no curse can separate them! There is no existence for
Krishna without Radha. And most importantly-Lord will never let anything separate them nor
Radha Devi (Laksmi devi) can marry anybody else.(Gods won't marry humans)-just like
Shiva and Shakti ! Read the article below:-

The Marital Status of Sri Radhaji – Whose Spouse Was RadhaRani ?

The question whether Sri Radha was unmarried or married, if so with whom? Has been
baffling many scholars, devotees for many centuries. Ashutosh Gowariker, famous film
director has inserted a dialogue in his film “Lagaan” where hero Aamir Khan says “Radha
was married to Anay (Ayan, Rayan)”. To set this controversy at rest, I would suggest
devotees and virtuous readers of ‘Speaking Tree’ to get a discerning picture by reading two
books, one Brahmavaivarta Puran, one of the 18 puranas composed by Vedvyasa
(reincarnation of Lord Krishna/Vishnu) and other famous treatise “Shri Garg Samhita”
written by Sage Gargacharya, royal priest of Mathura who conducted naming ceremony of
Krishna and Balrama although official Kulguru of Nand Baba was Shandilya Muni.

Incidentally , according to Swami Vivekananda (Volume 1, complete works of Vivekananda)

Sadhakas must study , read and rely upon scriptural texts written by realised souls/
enlightened masters as these only are reliable, authentic and grant incredible evidence on
spiritual matters.

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Scriptural text, realised souls or enlightened masters alone can be authority and arbiter on
Thelogical/Spiritual matters and put a stop on wrong notions/misconceptions and bring out
the subtle truth. The relationship between Lord Krishna and Radha, his divine potency,
ecstatic power (Alahadini Shakti), primordial power (matter), manifested form
“ShagunMaya” of Brahmtatwa is of divine nature and not physical or materialistic.

Krishna himself says that Radha is Krishna and Krishna is Radha. Although, their
relationship is neither amorous nor clandestine but astral and pure divine love which does not
require any legal stamp to tie them in matrimonial rites/knots, yet Parampita Lord Brahmaji
to grant social mores/status, moral and social sanctity solemnised and organised the divine
marriage between Radha and Krishna in childhood (Krishna Janam Khand, Ch 1, 3 & 15) at a
divine palace in Bhandir Van in Mant taluka of Mathura distt. UP directing both Radha and
Krishna to play their pastimes here in this astral palace (not visible to human eye) till
MahaRaasLila begins in Vrindavan.

Said Brahma - “Radha will leave her home keeping her shadow “Chhaya Radha/Maya
Radha” (her duplicate manifestation) with mother Keerti. Chhaya Radha will be married to
Rayan Gopa, younger brother of Yashoda (not Anay or Ayan) but fools will mistake her for
real Radha” ( who was truthfully married to Lord Krishna). I would suggest that devotees
must visit Bhandir Van / Vanshi Vat in Maat Taluka of Mathura district to have a
confirmation from the priest in the temple erected to commemorate the divine marriage/leela.

However, the formal engagement took place later in Saket village between Nandgaon and
Barsana blessed by parents of both.

The same astral supreme subtle story, an idyll, is narrated in Goloka Khand Ch 16 in
GargSamhita in a lucid dialogue between Devrishi Narada and Mithila King
Janak/Bahulashv. It was due to exchange of curses between Radhaji and Sridama (in charge
of sub Realm) in celestial goloka that Radha & Krishna suffered pangs of separation for 100
years and they later had a rendezvous at Siddhashram, in Kurukshetra during solar eclipse,
yagna ceremony. After prolonged meeting , Yogeshwar Bhagwan took Radha accompanied
by his queens and Gopis back to Dwarka where they all took part in Rajsuya Yagna
ceremony organised by King Ugrasen in Pindarak area, 50 kms away from dwarka (Chapter
49, Vishwajit Khand, Shri Garg Samhita).

Thus this settles once and for all the marital status that Radha was married to Lord Krishna
alone and none else. It is Chhaya Radha (shadow manifestation) who was married to Rayan
Gopa. A total faith and surrender towards God, enlightened masters, holy books and
scriptures is required to understand Param truth as the texts written by academicians cannot
be taken as authentic or reliable. The ignorance could be bliss in worldly matters but not in
spiritual field which needs rigorous study of scriptures and self-knowledge.

What is the history of Lord Vitthal (Pandurang)?

In Maharashtra Karnataka , Vishnu is called vitthal the one who is standing on vith(red
rectangle stone ) , he is also called panduranga because when he came from dwaraka to
pandharpur though he was black the White sands were all over his face , so he was called
pandra-ranga (panduranga).

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He is narayana himself came to pandharpur in search of rukmini Devi as rukmini Devi got
angry on Krishna and left dwaraka .

She had a motive in leaving dwaraka 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 pundaliks 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.

1. Once panduranga 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.
2. 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 nyaneshwar , sant
tukaram , sant purandara dasa vitthal , sant sakhubai , sant muktabai and many more.

Vitthal Temple, Pandharpur is believed to have been built during the Hoysala era.
According to one theory, the temple was built by the Hoysala king Vishnuvardhana, who was
also known as Bitti Deva. Apparently, Pundalika is assumed to be a historic figure and is said
to have convinced Vishnuvardhana or Bitti Deva to build the temple in Pandharpur. Another
theory is based on an inscription dating back to 1237, found on an overhead beam of the
present Vithoba temple, mentions that the Hoysala king Someshvara donated a village for the
expense of the bhoga (food offering) for "Vitthala".

However, some historians suggest that the Vitthala temple was built much before the 13th
century as the general opinion is. The name Pandaranga is found on a Rashtrakuta copper
plate inscription, dated 516. Citing this, some historians infer that Vithoba's temple was well
established in the 6th century itself. No one can definitely say as to who actually built the
temple in the first place but most people say that it was built by Vishnuvardhana.

After Malik Kafur’s raid in the 14th century and the destruction of the Hoysala and Yadava
empires, the temple and the Pandharpur town came first under the control of the Delhi and
later the Bahamani Sultanate. It is said that idol of Vitthala was taken to the Vijayanagara
Empire and placed in the capital of the empire for two reasons, one to protect it from the
Bahamanis and the Deccan Sultanates and to enhance the glory of the empire. This temple is
now famous as the Vijaya Vitthala temple in Hampi and was destroyed during the sack of
Hampi after the Battle of Talikota. But even in the ruined state, it is a magnificent piece of
architecture.

However, the idol of Vitthala had already moved back to Pandharpur after the emperor
Krishnadevaraya returned it back to Swami Bhanudas after realising that the temple now was
safe since the Bahamanis had been neutralised.

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Vitthala temple attracts thousands of visitors everyday and in the month of Ashada, lakhs of
people visit it and the ekadashi day is the most significant one in the month since it signifies
the shift from Uttarayana to Dakshinayana and also the commencement of Chaturmasya.

2 major sects of the Bhakti movement have always been associated with the worship of
Vitthala. These are the Varkari sect of Maharashtra and the Haridasa sampradaya of
Karnataka. Saints like Dnyaneshwar, Tukaram, Eknath, Namdev, Purandara Dasa, Vijaya
Dasa, Jagannatha Dasa all have been known devotees of Vitthala and have popularised the
worship of Vitthala in Maharashtra and Karnataka. All the songs created by the Haridasas
usually end with the suffix Vitthala and the Purandara Vitthala title in Purandara dasa is
widely believed to refer to the Vitthala idol in Pandharpur.

Worship of Vitthala is most common in Maharashtra and Karnataka. But it is present in the
states of Goa, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh also, although not
as widely practiced as it is done in Maharashtra and Karnataka.

What is the difference between Vitthal and Krishna?

No difference.

When Krishna arrived at Pundaliks house. Pundalik was busy taking care of his parents.

Krishna announced his arrival to Pundalik.

Pundalik knew it was Krishna but being devoted to his parents, he could not leave them that
instant. So Pundalik threw a brick outside and told Krishna to stand on it.Krishna was pleased
at Pundaliks ‘s devotion towards his parents . So he stood on the brick.

I repeat Krishna stood on the brick.

Brick in Marathi is known as Vhit.

Thal is Ground.

Hence he is also known as God standing on Brick . Vitthal.According to mythology, Vithoba

is believed to be the incarnation of Lord Krishna.
Moved by the sincere devotion of Rishi Pundalik towards his parents Lord Krishna decided to
visit Pundalik’s home.

He assumed the form of a small boy that of Gokula Krishna and visited Pundalik’s home.

Pundalik saw the Lord at his door but his devotion to his parents was so intense that he
wanted to finish his duties first and then attend to his guest. He had 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.

He gave the Lord a brick to stand on and asked him to wait until his duty was completed.
Moved by this devotion of Pundalik to his parents Lord Krishna blessed him and asked him
to ask a boon.

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Pundalik asked that the Lord should remain on earth and bless and take care of his
devotees. Lord Krishna agreed to stay there and is known as Vithoba or the Lord who
stands on a brick.

The present deity of Panduranga is in this posture, that of a small boy waiting patiently
on a piece of brick. The hands on the hip actually reflects the boyish nature of Lord
Krishna.

This form of the Lord Vithoba is Swayambhu which means that his deity has not been carved
or etched but it came into existence on its own.

, upvote phobiac, music lover and theological

Answered 4 years ago · Author has 115 answers and 94.7K answer views

Is the god Vitthal (depicted as male) in Maharashtra also called Mauli i.e. mother?
Why? What is the background for this?

Vitthal the supreme lord for warkari/Vaishnava in Maharashtra. Lord vitthal also called as
pandurang, is incarnation of lord Krishna/Vishnu.

Vitthal has many names which are given to him by his devoties like saint dhnyaneshwar,
saint tukaram, saint namdev, saint janabai and all those great souls who are the idols
of warkari. These saints have established such great culture of devotion from 1400 it was so
pure that Maratha king chatrapati shivaji Maharaja used to visit these great saints.

The term mauli means one who loves like mother, selfless and pure. Though vitthal is male
but his love is so much like a mother.

Q: What is the meaning of *Panduranga Vitthala*?

To know about Panduranga, you have to read the life and biography of Bhakta Thukaram.
His family was from the vaishya community — he attained the heights of bhakti and
eventually attained jeevanmukthi. Towards the end of his life on earth, he received a vision
that Panduranga (Sri Maha Vishnu) would send a vimana for him. In broad daylight, in a
crowd of several hundreds of people who had known him during his lifetime, he ascended
into a vimana and was taken to vaikuntha (the eternal abode of Vishnu). He was one of the
most famous recent Hindu sages, that lived during the present kali yuga. His hundreds of
musical compositions are renowned in our culture.

He was marathi, but a telugu movie was produced about Thukaram that chronicles his life
and the miracles his bhakti resulted in.

Those who are interested in the rule of Chatrapathy Shivaji Maharaj, should pay attention to
the life story of Thukaram. Many miracles surrounding Shivaji’s own life, are intricately
linked with Thukkaram’s bhakti. If you don’t know the backstory of these two, you don’t
know how Hinduism survived the invasions for 1000s of years.

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In this scene, Shivaji maharaj is forced to punish Tukkaram if the vigraha (main deity statue)
of Vitala is not returned to the temple in 24 hrs. For reasons I won’t elaborate, people thought
the statue was stolen. In response, Thukkaram ex tempore composes a song, in front of
hundreds of temple goers, the vigraha suddenly re-appears in its original place. Sivaji
Maharaj is stunned and becomes the disciple of Thukkaram thereafter.

In the subsequent scene, Shivaji tells Thukaram that he needs to leave to prepare for battle.
An invading muslim force riding on horseback is coming to slay the king and his army.
Thukkaram stops him and composes another ex tempore song which causes Vittala to appear
in the form of hundreds of clones of Shivaji maharaj on horseback, and each clone fights off a
battalion of muslim forces. Every where the muslim army looked, they saw another Shivaji
maharaj. They become terribly confused and went into disarray. Once the clones conquered
the invading forces, the entire clone army of Shivajis vanishes. Again, the real Shivaji who is
sitting in the temple is completely stunned and almost renounces his kingdom and rule to
become a full time disciple of Thukkaram. It is Thukaram who convinces him that the
country needs him and tells him to defend the country as his spiritual duty.

All these are not just stories. They truly happened. They are recorded history. Not only in our
own local historical narratives, but in the authentic chronicles of the invaders themselves!
Others speculate about God. We have seen that divinity many many times in many many
forms over many many thousands of years and thousands of miracles, by the grace of our
Sages, Rshis, and Bhaktas. Thus, Sanatana Dharma is not just some recorded history or
philosophy, but a real living experienced Truth.

Did Lord Shiva worship Lord Krishna?

Yes !

The Ramayana shows many instances where Sadashiv was eager to meet Rama and this is a
story from that Ramayana :-

Once Shiv and Sati went on a walk and Shiva expressed the will to meet lord Rama. Seeing
Shiva becoming mad behind Rama and chanting Rama Rama she asked that when Rama is a
normal human being then why worship him. Shiva felt hurt but asked Sati to test him.During
that time Rama and Laxman were searching for Sita. Sati went and took the form of Sita and
told Rama that I am here. Rama smiled and bowed - ‘ Devi Sati why are you in Sita’s form’

Sati understood her mistake but Shiva did not accept her as her wife then because she
offended his lord Rama Krishna.

This shows that Shiva can leave his wife for his lord Krishna

Brahma Murari Sura architha Lingam,

Nirmala bashitha Shobitha Lingam,

79
Janmaja dukha vinasaka lingam.
Tat pranamami sada shiva lingam.

This is from Lingashtakam and it states the one worshipped by brahma , vishnu , and
demigods .

Even Rama worships Shiva. Both are the same. There is no difference between them.
This is in the vedas , puranas and everything.

It is also said that in a Shiva temple if you chant Krishna Krishna then he becomes happy and
the vice versa in a Krishna temple.

Why did Radha marry Ayan and not Krishna?

Let's divide your question in two parts :—

• Why did Radharani married Ayan??

• Why didn't she married lord Krishna??

Why did Radharani married Ayan ?

Firstly , You need to know who is ayan !?

He is chaya of lord Krishna (shadow of lord Krishna)

80
So , The one who can marry Shadow of krishna is Shadow of Radharani ! So here Radharani
didn't married Ayan ! But her shadow married Ayan ( Shadow of lord Krishna )

Why didn't she married lord Krishna ?

So now , I would like to tell you that Radharani married lord Krishna . Radharani is
Mahalakshmi herself and Krishna is Narayana himself . They are eternally married . But But
But ,They did got married and Lord Brahma was the sage who got them married .

Garga Samhita

Canto One : Chapter Sixteen

Shri Radhika-vivaha-varnana
Description of Shri Radhika's Wedding

Text 32

sa vahayam asa harim ca radhikam

pradakshinam sapta-hiranya-retasah
tatash ca tau tam pranamayya veda-vit
tau paöhayam asa ca sapta-mantrakam[1]

Brahma performed the wedding-ceremony of Lord Hari and Shri Radhika. He had Them
circumambulate the sacred fire and bow down before it, and then Brahma, the knower of the
Vedas, recited the seven mantras.

Text 33

tato harer vakshasi radhikayah karam ca samsthapya hareh karam punah shri-
radhikayah kila prishöha-deshake samsthapya mantramsh ca vidhih prapaöhayan[¹]

Placing Shri Radhika's hand on Lord Hari's chest and Lord Hari's hand on Shri Radhika's
back, Brahma recited many mantras.

Text 34

radha karabhyam pradadau ca malikam

kinjalkinim krishna-gale 'linadinim
hareh karabhyam vrishabhanuja gale
tatash ca vahnim pranamayya veda-vit[1]

Then with both hands Shri Radha placed on Lord Krishna's neck a lotus garland filled the the
humming of bees. Then with both hands Lord Hari placed on Shri Radha's neck a similar
garland. Then Brahma had Them bow down before the sacred fire.

Text 35

samvasayam asa su-piöhayosh ca tau

kritanjali mauna-yutau pitamahah
tau paöhayam asa tu panca-mantrakam
samarpya radham ca piteva kanyakam[1]

81
Placing the silent divine couple on two thrones, with folded hands Brahma recited five
mantras. Then, as a father gives away his daughter, Brahma gave away Shri Radha.

The place they got married is know as Bhandirvan .

Why is Lord Krishna also referred to as Vitthala?

BACKSTORY 1 : THE SLAYING OF VRTASURA

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FIGHT! O King of the Gods! O Indra, take up your weapon and strike as the great and
courageous hero you are! Why are you morose? This is no time for lamentation! Your
enemy stands before you! LOOK AT ME!
The great and mighty demon Vrtasura chastised Indra. During their fierce battle, Indra had
received a stunning blow from Vrtasura, which caught him off-guard and weakened his
martial spirit.

Vrtasura continued to encourage Indra

I am already defeated by the will of Providence. Vishnu has already sided with, and
empowered you. Therefore, your victory and glory is assured, of this there is no doubt.
It is that special thunderbolt of yours — Śataparvan, fashioned from the bones and
spiritual merit of the selfless sage Dadhici Muni, that will be the cause of my demise. Do
not give up hope, O King of the Heavens! Fight!
Thus encouraged by Vrtasura, Indra fought the great saintly demon, whose ferocious roar was
enough to send a shiver down the spine of the great Gods of the universe. A fierce battle
ensued and Indra entered the mouth of the great Vrtasura, which covered the sky and seemed
like it would devour the entire universe.

With all his strength, dexterity and heroism, Indra then split open Vrtasura from inside out,
and immediately cut off the demon’s head, which collapsed like a mountain top that had lost
its place at the peak.

83
All the denizens of the heavens cheered at the sight, and showered flowers upon Indra,
beating their kettledrums in jubilation.

Indra, however was unhappy, for he’d killed a saintly being. Regardless of Vrtasura’s
external appearance and birth, the demon was a devotee of the Supreme Lord Vishnu, and
this would bring grave repercussions …

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BACKSTORY 2 : THE AWAKENING OF KING MUCUKUNDA

85
Get up O coward! Fight and go with honour to the regions of Your ancestors. I shall
dispatch You to death’s abode. You cannot evade me anymore. Do not give in to infamy
Krsna! Do not spoil the name and tradition of the mighty Yadus. Do not hide like a
rabbit covering its head on seeing a jackal approach. Surely, Your days are numbered,
for You lie down in the dark, cowering like a man who has lost all potency!
Kalayavana kicked the sleeping King, thinking Him to be Krsna. As soon as he was kicked,
the King woke up. He looked all around, and on seeing Kalayavana, his anger surged. He
looked at Kalayavana with great rage, unhappy at being woken up, and a scorching flame
emanated from his eyes that burnt the Greek King to ashes and dust!

Krsna was standing behind in the shadows of the cave, and had witnessed the entire scene
unfold. In fact, it was Krsna who’d arranged for Kalayavana’s fiery end! The King
immediately calmed down, and became aware of Krsna’s presence. The effulgence
emanating from the Lord, lit up the dark cave. The beauty of the Lord struck his heart, and an
overwhelming sense of awe and reverence permeated his being.

86
Krsna, aware of the King’s thoughts and plight, addressed him

O King Mucukunda, descendent of King Iksvaku’s glorious lineage, in whose line Lord
Ramacandra appeared, rise from your slumber! O mighty hero, recall that your great
effort in tirelessly helping the Gods overcome their enemies, earned you the boon to
sleep for a long time, across ages. Everybody you’ve known or loved — your family,
wife, children, parents, friends and subjects, have long passed away, due to the
influence of time.

King Mucukunda, recognising Krsna as the Supreme Lord prayed

It is certainly my great fortune to have You bestow Your mercy on me, and grace me
with Your presence, dear Mukunda, O bestower of liberation. You have been kind to
have taken away from Me, everything! It is certainly Your supreme mercy, that one
finds himself without possession, shunned and no longer relevant to the world. When
the doors of this world close shut on an individual, You open the doors to bliss for him.
You have certainly blessed me with this supreme benediction.

87
Krsna, pleased with King Mucukunda’s prayers, replied

O illustrious King, it is true what you say! However, because you have indulged in the
hunting and killing of animals as a Kshatriya, you’ll have to atone for this deed. Listen
carefully to Me O King — always absorb your mind in Me, think of Me, and worship
Me. Gradually, you will be purified of all sin. In this way, you shall give up this current
body, and take birth as a first-class brahmana in your next life, ever engaged in My
transcendental service.

DO NOT FEAR FOR THE LORD IS HERE !

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Once upon a time, Mother Rukmini became upset with Lord Krsna. To express Her distress
She left for the Dindirvana forest, near Pandharpur, in present day Maharashtra. On hearing
of this, Krsna followed Rukmini in order to pacify and bring Her back to Dwaraka.

While traveling as such, the Lord decided to stop by Pandharpur, where His devotee Pundalik
resided. On reaching Pundalik’s home, the Lord entered the doorway to see Pundalik busy
serving his aged parents with love and dedication.

89
He was pleased with Pundalik. Pundalik meanwhile, unable to immediately leave the care of
his aged parents, handed the Lord a brick on which to stand and wait for him. The Lord did as
was told by His pure devotee Pundalik.

90
The Lord placed His beautiful lotus feet, that serve as the boat with which one can
crossover this endless ocean of material existence, on the brick that Pundalik handed
over to Him. He raised His broad forearms and soft lotus hands that resemble the thick
body and raised hood of a king cobra, and placed them on His raised hips that are big
and broad like those of a woman, and resemble a soft cushion covered with cloth.

91
And so, the Lord stood, waiting for Pundalik to return and attend to Him. In this duration,
Mother Rukmini, forgetting Her distress and unable to keep Herself away from Her Lord,
came to Pandharpur and took Her place beside Krsna. And to this day, both Lord and Lady,
are ever-present in Pandharpur in Their deity form, waiting for Their devotees to come and
take darsana, and be blessed!

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Do not worry, my dear devotees — for one who has surrendered unto Me, this vast
endless expanse that is the ocean of material existence, is reduced to mere shallow
waters that can be idly strolled along. Behold — it is only this deep!
VITTHALA! VITTHALA! VITTHALA!

It should be noted that Pundalik in his previous life was none other than King Mucukunda,
who had burnt the Greek King Kalyavana to ash! He was blessed by Krsna to become a
brahmana in His next life, and finally attain liberation, going back home, back to Krsna!

Also, the brick that Pundalik handed to Krsna to stand on and wait for him, is none other than
Indra himself, King of the Heavens. When Indra killed the saintly demon Vrtasura, he was
cursed to become a brick. However, because Vrtasura was a Vaisnava or a devotee of Vishnu,
and since devotees never think ill of other living beings — friends and enemies alike, this
curse proved to be a boon for Indra, who received the supreme benediction of having the
Lord place His soft lotus feet on him, in the backyard of Pundalik’s home.

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This form of the Lord, waiting for His devotees in Pandharpur is called Vitthala.

Vit = Brick, and Thala = Standing.

This is a very sacred place, and the form of the Lord as Vitthala is most beautiful and
sublime. Everyone who can, must visit and drench their eyes on the transcendental form of
Vitthala-Rukumai ki Jaya!

The beautiful Lord in Pandharpur is forever standing on a brick, eagerly waiting to

reciprocate loving exchanges with His devotees …

Why did Lord Krishna marry Rukmini, when he was in love with Radha?

Rukmini Maa - Laxmi Maa

94
Dwarikadhish Shree Krishna- Shree Narayan🙏🙏🙏

Here if I say it in a simple way about Radha Krishna Prem and why they didn't need to get
married…….., then many people will say…………..

“You are fool to think Radha Superior to Rukmini/Laxmi goddess of fortune”.🙄🙄😏😏😒😒

Where I never even want to compare my mother's……….🙏

Let me tell the answer in theirs point-of-view.

People says,why will Krishna Marry RADHA? She is just a Gopi who use to be the
childhood friend of Krishna. There is no such girlfriend-boyfriend relationship of them! But
Swayam Rukmini is after of Laxmi, And Krishna is Narayan……….. so obviously Narayan
will marry his Laxmi only not any cowherd girl!🙄😏

I am tired of pointing out the mistakes of their thoughts……….. but now time to point out the
correct thing they told:-

“RADHA” was not married to Krishna because they don't need to. Obviously Narayan will
marry his Laxmi NOT HIMSELF………!

Narayan and Laxmi was inseparable and so was Rukmini Madhav 🙏🙏😍😍

But why do you people think that a Krishna should marry Radha……… If he don't then he
don't love her!!!!? Actually the main and ultimate thing u people can't understand is…..
RUKMINI-MADHAV are made for each other…………the perfect,pure, beyond
imagination is this Jodi of Rakhumai and Shree Krishna.

But RADHA-KRISHNA………… They are made “OF” each other! 😍. I don't think that
Milk has to marry the whiteness of it; sun has to marry the sunshine; energy is bound to
marry the energetic!!!!!!! Have you ever married your sole? NEVER right?

So why is RADHA need to be married to Krishna then? Some people argue Radha to be
Laxmi some argue Rukmini to be Laxmi. Actually I think Rukhumai is Maa Laxmi Avtar and
me my full family believe in this only. Radha is not any Avtar of maa Laxmi!! Some people
says her Nila Devi!! No!!!! She is not an Avtar of any Laxmi incarnation………………

She is Krishna swayam. She is the one and only Avtar of Krishna and did't need to marry her
male Swaroop obviously! So stop arguing on RADHA KRISHNA relationship and stop
asking Radha Rani's birth certificate cause the proof of her existence is Krishna only. If Your
sole is not with u then u will be no more alive so stop claiming Krishna's sole as a fictional
character……!!!!!!

Now also some will come and argue that I disrespected Rukmini maa! But I didn't…….
Whatever they think of her and I think of her I just told that openly!!!!! But still they will find
mistakes because here I have glorified Radha Rani's actual truth which can't be accepted by
them. Those people are- Less Rukmini Bhakts more Radha Haters.!!!!

And yes my thinking Radha fictional wala people- Let me tell you that till now supreme
Yogi's couldn't understood Radha Krishna Prem. Then it's least expected from you people
even think of it or can tolerate it! But honestly speaking no true Rukmini devotes ever judge

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Radha Rani………. Because for them their bhagwannn is sarwopari dosent mean to
disrespect the other one!!!! For them a big 🙏 from me. Because I worship laxmi-Narayma,
respect them, love them keep fast for pujas and hence I am a Devotee of them but in case of
Radha Rani I feel like I love her soooo much like a mother, sister and even like a best friend.
So I always have one thing in my mind that:-

HAME AURAN KI PARVAH NAHI, APNI THAKURANI SHREE RADHIKA RANI 🙏💖

“Atma tu Radhika Tasya"

“Rukmini dwaravatyam ca Radha vrindavana vane” 🙏🙏

96
97
What is the history of the Pandharpur shrine of Vitthala?

Vitthal Temple, Pandharpur is believed to have been built during the Hoysala era. According
to one theory, the temple was built by the Hoysala king Vishnuvardhana, who was also
known as Bitti Deva. Apparently, Pundalika is assumed to be a historic figure and is said to
have convinced Vishnuvardhana or Bitti Deva to build the temple in Pandharpur. Another
theory is based on an inscription dating back to 1237, found on an overhead beam of the
present Vithoba temple, mentions that the Hoysala king Someshvara donated a village for the
expense of the bhoga (food offering) for "Vitthala".

However, some historians suggest that the Vitthala temple was built much before the 13th
century as the general opinion is. The name Pandaranga is found on a Rashtrakuta copper
plate inscription, dated 516. Citing this, some historians infer that Vithoba's temple was well
established in the 6th century itself. No one can definitely say as to who actually built the
temple in the first place but most people say that it was built by Vishnuvardhana.

After Malik Kafur’s raid in the 14th century and the destruction of the Hoysala and Yadava
empires, the temple and the Pandharpur town came first under the control of the Delhi and
later the Bahamani Sultanate. It is said that idol of Vitthala was taken to the Vijayanagara
Empire and placed in the capital of the empire for two reasons, one to protect it from the
Bahamanis and the Deccan Sultanates and to enhance the glory of the empire. This temple is
now famous as the Vijaya Vitthala temple in Hampi and was destroyed during the sack of
Hampi after the Battle of Talikota. But even in the ruined state, it is a magnificent piece of
architecture.

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However, the idol of Vitthala had already moved back to Pandharpur after the emperor
Krishnadevaraya returned it back to Swami Bhanudas after realising that the temple now was
safe since the Bahamanis had been neutralised.

Vitthala temple attracts thousands of visitors everyday and in the month of Ashada, lakhs of
people visit it and the ekadashi day is the most significant one in the month since it signifies
the shift from Uttarayana to Dakshinayana and also the commencement of Chaturmasya.

2 major sects of the Bhakti movement have always been associated with the worship of
Vitthala. These are the Varkari sect of Maharashtra and the Haridasa sampradaya of
Karnataka. Saints like Dnyaneshwar, Tukaram, Eknath, Namdev, Purandara Dasa, Vijaya
Dasa, Jagannatha Dasa all have been known devotees of Vitthala and have popularised the
worship of Vitthala in Maharashtra and Karnataka. All the songs created by the Haridasas
usually end with the suffix Vitthala and the Purandara Vitthala title in Purandara dasa is
widely believed to refer to the Vitthala idol in Pandharpur.

Worship of Vitthala is most common in Maharashtra and Karnataka. But it is present in the
states of Goa, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh also, although not
as widely practiced as it is done in Maharashtra and Karnataka.

What is the story of Lord VITHOBA?

The “Vi” in Lord Vithoba’s name denotes knowledge and “Thoba” denotes shape. He is the
shape of knowledge or the idol of knowledge. Another interpretation is that the word
“Vitthala” is said to be derived from the Marathi word “Vit”, meaning brick. The reason
behind the brick will be explained later in this article. “Ba” is used to denote “father” in
Marathi.
Lord Vithal/ Vitthal/ Vithoba is none other than Lord Vishnu, Lord Narayana or Lord
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 Pandrinath, Panduranga, Pandhairiraya, Vithai, Vithoba, Vithu-
mauli, Vitthalgururao by his devotees. But the well-known and commonly used names are
Pandurang / Panduranga and Shri Vitthal / Vithal. 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
Namdeo /Namdev, Sant Jnaneshwar, Sant Eknath and Sant Tukaram. Pundalik, a saint was
closely associated with this shrine, and hence this shrine is also known as Pundarika Pura.

Because 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
Panduranga, 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.
************************************************************************
'Padsparsha Darshan' is the unique feature of Vithoba Temple. Irrespective of the caste and

99
creed every devotee can enter the Sanctum Sanctorium and can place his/her head on the feet
of Lord Vitthala. This tradition is followed nowhere in India. The Bhagawat Dharma is being
followed with full spirit in Pandharpur.

What does the idol of lord Vitthal with his hands on waist signify?

According to mythology, Vithoba is believed to be the incarnation of Lord Krishna.

Moved by the sincere devotion of Rishi Pundalik towards his parents Lord Krishna decided to
visit Pundalik’s home.

He assumed the form of a small boy that of Gokula Krishna and visited Pundalik’s home.

Pundalik saw the Lord at his door but his devotion to his parents was so intense that he
wanted to finish his duties first and then attend to his guest. He had 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.

He gave the Lord a brick to stand on and asked him to wait until his duty was completed.
Moved by this devotion of Pundalik to his parents Lord Krishna blessed him and asked him
to ask a boon.

Pundalik asked that the Lord should remain on earth and bless and take care of his devotees.
Lord Krishna agreed to stay there and is known as Vithoba or the Lord who stands on a brick.

The present deity of Panduranga is in this posture, that of a small boy waiting patiently on a
piece of brick. The hands on the hip actually reflects the boyish nature of Lord Krishna.

This form of the Lord Vithoba is Swayambhu which means that his deity has not been carved
or etched but it came into existence on its own.

100
5 WORLD RECORDS of DR Uday Dokras as
World #1

Highest number of Literary ventures in Hindu Temple Architecture and Vastu ///Highest number of Literary ventures
in the world 2000 books and research Papers, Seen here with Ms. Mansse Bhandari, COO FUN and FOOD Village
Nagpur, Delhi and Uzbekisthan

LINK to 3 World Awards+ titel to 2 more

1. https://www.uniqueworldrecords.com/records/posts/most-articles-on-dhamma
2. https://www.worldwideworldrecords.com/post/maximum-number-of-books-written-on-
hindu-temples-by-an-individual-world-record-by-dr-uday-dokras
3. https://www.worldwideworldrecords.com/post/largest-number-of-religious-research-
papers-written-by-an-individual-world-record-by-uday-dokras
4. Highest number of Literary Endeavours in the World by an Individual. URL to come later
5. Highest number of articles and books written on Hindu/ Buddhist Temples of
Indonesia( Including Borobudur and Prambanan). URL Later

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR DR UDAY DOKRAS

About the Author

The author has worked for 30 years in the human resources arena in
India and abroad. He was Group Vice -President of MZI Group in New
Delhi and has anchored Human Relations in Go Air and Hotel
Holiday Inn;was General Manager-Health Human Resources at the
Lata Mangeshkar Hospital amd Medical college. Is currently
Consultant to Gorewada International Zoo,Nagpur and visiting
Faculty at the Central Institute of Business Management and
Research, Nagpur.

In Sweden he anchored HR in Stadbolaget RENIA, SSSB and advisor

to a multi millionaire. He has studied in Nagpur, India where he
obtained degrees of Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of
Arts(Managerial Economics) and Bachelor of Laws. He has done his
Graduate Studies in labour laws from Canada at the Queen's
University, Kingston; a MBA from USA, and Doctorate from
Stockholm University, Sweden. Apart from that he has done a
Management Training Program in Singapore.

A scholar of the Swedish Institute, he has been an Edvard Cassel

Fund and Wineroth Fund Awardee.A scholar for the Swedish Institute
for 5 years.
In 1984 he was involved with the Comparative Labour Law Project of
the University of

108
 California, Los Angeles, U.S.A. He was also visiting lecturer there. In
1985 he was invited by the President of Seychelles to do a study of
the efficacy of the labour laws of Seychelles.

Author of a book on a Swedish human resource law, his brief life

sketch is part of the English study text book of 7 th Class Students
in Sweden -“Studying English. SPOTLIGHT 7”- and 8th Class
students in Iceland - “SPOTLIGHT 8- Lausnir.”

RESEARCH PAPERS-320 + in Researchgate and

academia.edu & scribd-Followers(readers) 2 million
consolidated as on 26 th June,2023.

Authors-DR Uday DOKRAS

Dr. Uday Dokras
B.Sc., B.A. (Managerial Economics), LL.B., Nagpur University, India
Certificat'e en Droit, Queen’s University. Ontario, Canada,
MBA, CALSTATE,Los-Angeles, USA,
Ph.D. Stockholm University, Sweden,
Vastu,Temple Construction and Management and Efficacy Consultant,
India/Bangkor------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reviews of the Book PROJECT HUMAN RESOURCE
MANAGEMENT

The authors highlight the benefits of paying attention to human

resources and offer success and failure factors guideline for a
variety of potential practitioners and students in global project
marketplace.
Ms.Ylva Arnold, Head HR- Norstedts Publishers, Stockholm
SWEDEN

109
From the Newspaper Times of India March 24, 2018

110
Iceland & Sweden- both countries use the English Text
SPOTLIGHT-one of the lessons in which is about Dr Uday
Dokras

Prof. S.Deshpande,President of the Indian Institute of

Architects, New Delhi INDIA releasing the book of Dr Dokras
HINDU TEMPLES on the web in CARONA times( May 2020)

111
112
DIRECTOR
(Technical)-https://smkfoundation.com/our-team/

113
 Unravelling the

SCIENSome of the 2300 Research Papers and 422 BOOKS

written by DR UDAY DOKRAS
Published by
The Indo Nodic Author’s Collective Sweden and Finland

Dr. Uday Dokras

Tamil People as Traders and Voyagers

The Cambodian Trilogy

I.HINDU CAMBODIA

114
 II.HYDROLOGY of ANGKOR
ANGKOR is known as a Hydraulic city- full or canals and river and
waterways. It is this water system they say that brought the downfall of
this intrinsic kingdom. But is that TRUE?

III.ENTER…… THE KINGDOM THAT VANISHED- Angkor

Building Materials of the Hindu Temple

Indo Nordic Author's collective, 2021
In depth study of how Building Materials of the Hindu Temple was used in
India,Indonesia and Cambodia and India

The Art & Architecture of THE GOLDEN TEMPLE COMPLEX, AMRITSAR

115
Mathematics in Temple Designs

Jain ART
Book on Jain Art and Iconography

Jain Temples- Part I -Complete Compendium-Book I

A to Z of the architecture, Design,Cosmology,Philosophy of Jain temples in

Jain Temples II
DEVELOPMENT OF THE ARCHITECTURE OF JAIN TEMPLES AND THE ACTUAL
PHOTOGRAPHS(ORIGINAL) OF 3JAIN TEMPLES of Nagpur

116
DWARKA- CELESTIAL MYSTERIES of the Lost CITY of KRISHNA

TIRUPATI TEMPLE Book part I

TIRUPATI TemplePart II

Vahanas- the vehicles of Hindu Gods

Vahanas- the vehicles of Hindu Gods. Animals in Hinduism. demi Gods

SATYANARAYAN PUJA-The Complete Compendium

Satyanarayan Puja or 9 Graha Puja( a puja of 9 planets) has been
performed by most Hindus not only now but for 1,000’s of years.

117
MAHALAXMI Puja
Hindu Goddess MAHALAXMI Puja

ARCHITECTURE OF PALESTINE

Palestine my Love
Palestine my Love is about the culture arts and crafts of palestine so we
recognize it as a entity that is fighting for recognition of not only its
legitimacy but also its cultural heritage
QUINTET (5) BOOKS ON MANDALA

Unravelling the MAZE of the MANDALA BOOK I

First part of a two book treatise on MANDALAS. This introductory phase
introduces mandalas

118
Maze of MANDALA BOOK II
Advanced Mandala routine for those who want to know more about
MANDALAS

Mandala BOOK III on Nakshatra

BOOK IV MANDALA & ARCHITECTURE

The Use of Mandalas in Building Temples and Modern Buildings

Book V on Mandala of the Oriental Kingdoms

119
Islamic Architectureal Arts of of Imam Ali's 2 Shrines

Hindu Gods in Scandinavia

Did the Hindu Gods originate or live in Scandinavia once? Find out

Book on Divinity and Architecture

What is divinity? How has man tried to harness architecture to create
magic in space

Virat Hridaya Padma-sthalam CHIDAMBARAM Temple -Celestial Mysteries

This book is about a mysterious and revered tempe built by the Chola
Kings of South India 2000 years ago

120
T2- Temple Tech. A Book
How are Hindu temples built and the technology that follows this craft.
From A to Z Complete Guide.

Rendezvous with Sri RAM Portfolio of Temple Art by Srishti Dokras,

Architect Special section on Hindu Foods by Karan Dokras, Product Guru

Best Foot Forward

The story of Footwear through the ages up to COVID times

Hindu Temple Panorama-Celestial Mysteries

A to Z of Temples. A total Panoramic View of design and architecture of
Hindu temples in 350 page...

121
 DUOLOGY (2) on JAINISM
Ativir
ATIVIR means Very Brave and is the name given to Lord Mahavir the 24 th
Saint(TIRTHANKAR) Contains rare translations of the Dialogue of the
Mahavir with his disciples called GHANDHARVAVAD

Vardhaman-वर्धमान
IThis book is about Jainism- written by a non-
THE TRILOGY(3) on DEVRAJA The God kIngs of Khemer

Book I DEVRAJ- The God Kings of Indo China-Cambodia.

This is the first Book of a Trilogy that traces the growth of Hinduism in
South East Asia.
BOOK I I DEVRAJA- The Great Civilizations of South East Asia -HINDU Era
How Hinduism reached Cambodia and how the Hindu Kings called Devraj
Built these magnificent structures

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Devraja BOOK II I Devraja and Raj Dharma God King and Kingly Religion
The HINDU Era of Great Civilizations of Khemer
Book 2 of a Trilogy that traces the advent of Hinduism on South East Asian
and Indo-Chinese

Vayu- Man's taming of the winds

Man's conquest of nature spans a million years. How was wind tamed by
him. Here is the full story... more

VIMANA Ancient Conquests of Wind

Ancient flying machines of Gods and Men(?) Were they true. Did they
really exist. 7000 years ago?

LIGHT HOUSES In words and pictures

123
BOOK Architecture of the Lighthouse of Alexandria-BOOK
Indo Swedish Author's Collective, 2020
The lighthouse was built on an island off the coast of Alexandria called
Pharos. Its name, legend

Cosmology of lotus
Indo Nordic Author's Collective, 2020
The Lotus is the king of the flower world but few know it as a part of
creation. Find out the Cosmology.

Celestial Mysteries of the Borobudur Temple

Borobudur remains a mystery even today. The largest Buddhist Stupa in
the world has many unanswered...
Win with this new DIET

Hindu tempel of India , Cambodia and Indonesia

124
Hindu Temples dot India, Cambodia and Indonesia

DISRUPTION-Book

Book Architecture Creativity

Creativity and Architecture are linked and go hand in hand. This Book is a
culmination of 16 publications that have been put together as a book

Project HR Management
Indo Swedish Author's Collective
PROJECT HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT/'Dr UDAY DOKRAS The project
sphere has not been valued appropriately

Human Resource Engineering in Theme Parks.

by Dr. Uday Dokras and Mansse Bhandari
As theme parks evolve into facilitating for greater thrill seeking
audience,the role of human res... more

125
Health Human Resource Management
Management of Health care workers in hospitals and the human resource
practices to be followed in hospitals.

WIN DIET Lose fat-Diet and Exercise Book ONLY BODY SHAPING GUIDE
YOU NEED
The Act on Co-determination at Work – an Efficacy study
Thesis of the Author for the degree of Doctor of Law
Stockholm University, SWEDEN 1990

The special meaning of Prambanan Temple BOOK

Durga Tantric goddess

Development of the Garbagriha

126
The 4 sided Hindu Mandir( temple ) plan

Vahanas the vehicles of Hindu Gods

Book on Rajmandala

TEMPLE MOUNTAIN o1 or ????

Borobudur as a Tantric Yantra

Mandalification BOOK

127
 All you wanted to know about the structure of Buddhist
Cosmology featured in the Borobudur- but were afraid to
ask

Will you walk with me to Borobudur

Bayon...Temple Mountain of Jayagiri

Dr. Uday Vasant Dokras, gets WORLD RECORD of writing

and uploading Highest number of Books and Research
papers on Hindu Temples, Vastu etc

128
 VISHNU as a DESIGN COMPONENT of Angkor

Design Your Destiny. Astrological Readings of Dr Uday

Dokras
The Orthogonal plan of Angkor Thom

Spiritual Technologies at Borobudur BOOK

Tantricity of the PRAMBANAN GROUP of Temples BOOK

Borobudur- Waiting for the Maitreya

129
 Selected Essays on some Celestial Mysteries of the
Borobudur.. Book

Borobodur BOOK

Celestial Mysteries of the Borobodur Temple

Scientific Borobudur

Transition between the pre and post Jayavarman II period

130
 Jayavarman II BOOK The Monarch of the Khmer Empire
JAYAVARMAN II Book

The Mystery of the Tantric Dwarpals or Door Guardians in

the ELLORA Hindu Temple Architecture

Architecture and Creativity BOOK

The Book of SriYantra

MANDALA and ARCHITECTURE

131
 Maze of MANDALA PART II

DISRUPTION Book

Hill Temples BOOK

Borobudur---The Tantric Mystique of the Big Boro/ BOOK

“Direction of the Wind “ - “Movement of the Water”
Voyage of the Tantra to South East Asia

The secrets of the Moolasthanam Consecration of Hindu &

Other Temples

132
 The Mysterious Continent of Nusuntara Book

Angkorean Tantricism Revealed

Angkorean Tantricism Revealed COLLECTION of ESSAYS

DWARKA & Dvaravati -------Mysterious lost cities of the

Hindu World of Lord KRISHNA

Rama as DEVRAJA
Rama as DEVRAJA in India (Bharat) and Angkor

133
 Krishna's Astonishment BOOK
Krishna's Astonishment BOOK The Complete Compendium of Rock Cut Temple Architecture of Hindu
Manndirs.

Building Materials of the Hindu Temple

THE COSMOLOGY OF ANGKOR

The Enigma of KRISHNA in the KINGDOM of FUNAN

(Dvaravati)
The Enigma of KRISHNA in the KINGDOM of FUNAN (Dvaravati)

Lingapura or KOH KER The complete Story-- BOOK

134
Erotic Sentiment in Indian Temple Sculptures Dr Uday
Dokras

MANDALA and Territorial Continuity in SE ASIA

Mandala of the Tantra

Selected Essays on some Celestial Mysteries

Grand iteration in Tantrism of Borobudur BOOK

Grand iteration in Tantrism of Borobudur BOOK

135
 SACRED LANDSCAPE - BOROBUDUR & the
COMPLEXITIES of its CONSTRUCTION
SACRED LANDSCAPE - BOROBUDUR & the COMPLEXITIES of its CONSTRUCTION Detailed
PROJECT

Complexities of the Construction work of Angkor Wat

The Complex Layout and Construction Plan of ANGKOR

TEMPLE )==SHORT BOOKLET(100 pages )
The Complex Layout and Construction Plan of ANGKOR TEMPLE

DWARKA----- CELESTIAL MYSTERIES of the Lost

Continent of KRISHNA
DWARKA----- CELESTIAL MYSTERIES of the Lost Continent of KRISHNA

136
 MARCO POLOS OF ANCIENT MARITIME TRADE
MARCO POLOS OF ANCIENT MARITIME TRADE The amazing Tamilians as traders and voyagers

Neither here nor there- but where (NUSUNTARA)

The concept Nusantara is derived from two Sanskrit words: nusa meaning ‘island’ and antara
meaning space

ATLANTIS The lost Continent -BOOK

ATLANTIS The lost Continent -BOOK

THUGEE Book
Before everything else, let me stress that there are 4 theories about the existence of the Thugee

137
 Prambanan Temple BOOK

Book V on Mandala of the Oriental Kingdom

The curtain walls in Khmer Architecture Also featuring

The 5 gates of Angkor Thom
The curtain walls in Khmer Architecture Also featuring The 5 gates of Angkor

MANDALA of BOROBUDUR

Borobudur as "Bhumisambharabhudura" \book

138
 Borobudur as "Bhumisambharabhudura" \book collection of Essays

Shiva Bhairava worship in India and Indonesia. Featuring

the Tantric Ganesh

The Hidden cities of Angkor book

Mandala 6 Book

The destiny of Borobudur BOOK

Book V on Mandala of the Oriental Kingdoms

139
 The destiny of Borobudur BOOK
Destiny of Borobudur(How a Hindu Shiva Temple ended up becoming the Worlds biggest monument
to 2 religions

Triptych Mandirs(Temples) of Angkor-BOOK

A triptych is an artwork made up of three pieces or panels. Often used to impart narrative.

THE TEMPLE OF Mahishasuramardini in JAVA - BOOK

THE TEMPLE OF Mahishasuramardini in JAVA - BOOK

The Mystic SHIKHARA ---A BOOK

The Mystic SHIKHARA ---A BOOK

140
 Enter Mysterious Borobudur (REPRINT) BOOK
Enter Mysterious Borobudur (REPRINT) BOOK

One Against Many- the Tantric Temples of Indonesia

One Against Many- the Tantric Temples of Indonesia Fully explained right from how tantrcism
reached Indonesia of those days..

SELECTED ESSAYS on Hindu Temples

SELECTED ESSAYS on Hindu Temples

The Troglodyte Architecture of ancient India part II book

The Troglodyte Architecture of ancient India part II book

141
 Divinity and Royalty in the Khmer Lands
Indo Nordic Authors' Collective, 2022
Divinity and Royalty in the Khmer Lands Was Angkor connected to the power of the Kings to use as a
sword in their people

The Technology of Hindu Mandirs (temples)

Indo Nordic Authors Collective, 2022
600 + pages of all info needed to understand the tech of the Hindu mandirs

The Empire that Practiced HYDROLOGY book

Angkor-The Empire that Practiced HYDROLOGY book Collection of the author's essays

Hydrology of Angkor (BOOK)

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 HYDROLOGY of the Hindu Mandir BOOK
INAC, 2022
HYDROLOGY of the Hindu Mandir Water and the Holy Places of Hinduism

SACRED INDIA Collection of Essays (BOOK)

SACRED INDIA Collection of Essays (BOOK) PART I-The Hindu Land of Bharat Varsh (INDIA)

The Mandala of the Sunyata

In Search of the Mandala of emptyness If Mandalas are circular then why are they bare and emply.

In Search of the Square Mandala

In Search of the Square Mandala If Mandalas are circular then is there a SQUARE?...

143
 The world OF sanskrit book

Khmer cities' Town Planning

How were the Khmer cities planned? BOOK Chapter I-Town Planning in Khmer Times-

Multiplicity of Hindu Temple Meaning BOOK

Indo Nordic Authors' Collective, 2020
Multiplicity of Hindu Temple Meaning Is the Hindu mandir A Mandala A stepped Pyramid A temple
Mountain.

Angkor as a SPIRITUAL LIGHTHOUSE

Angkor as a SPIRITUAL LIGHTHOUSE that attracted the Hindu Masses of the Khmer Kings.

144
The Pillars and Mandapa of the Hindu Mandir
The Pillars and Mandapa of the Hindu Mandir BOOK

Sanskrit The SINDBAD

Dr Dokras( LEFT) with Dr Harish Rathi leading medical

practitioner of Nagpur,India

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