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| Pundalika devoted to father & mother |
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Vithoba waiting on the brick, Pndalik serves his parents.
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| Lord Vithoba & Goddess Rukmini |
The temple town of Pandaripuram is referred to as Bhoo-Vaikundam (heaven on earth) as Lord Hari resides here. The puranas says Lord Hari defeated the Asura Dhindiran on this land and hence it was originally called as Dhindiravanam.
Once in Dhindiravanam there lived on the banks of the holy Chandrabhaga a poor Brahman named Pundarikan (also known as Pundalikan) who was a great dharmathma. He was a kind hearted person leading a humble life. Pundarkian lived along with his wife and together they took care of their parents with great respect, sincerity and dedication. Since Pundarikan was a strong willed person ,he thought doing service to his aged parents was the greatest dharmic and spiritual activity more superior even to performing any kind of pooja and he never even thought of or prayed to any deity or god. He was constantly attending to his parents needs. Daily he would bathe them, feed them, massage their feet and always stay beside them untiring and ever ready to serve them. Pundarikan never cursed his parents even when he was wrongly scolded or snubbed by them. He never mistook them and never compromised on the service.
Once Pundarika’s aged parents who could even hardly walk desired to go on a Kashi Yatra. Coming to know of their wish Pundarikan carried his parents on his back all the way to Kashi and back enabling them to have dharshan of Lord Vishwanath, the Ganges and other holy places, such was his parental bhakthi.
KRISHNA, The Lord of Dwaraka , came to know the Pithru Bhakthi of Pundarikan and came to Pandhari along with Rukhmini to meet Pundarikan. Pundarikan inspite of knowing that the visitor was the lotus eyed Shri Hari himself who had come to meet him, continued his service to his parents and humbly offered a brick and asked him to wait till he finished all his duties towards his parents. By having been made to wait standing on the brick the Lord later came to be called Vitthal (meaning brick). Thus the Lord waiting with his hands on his hip stood amazed at the kind of service that he saw Pundarikan do for his aged parents. On finishing his chores Pundarikan stepped outside his ashram and prostrated in front of the Lord and only now welcomed him, “Oh Lord , Krishna , Mukunda , you by your divine grace have given darshan to an ordinary man like me. But I have made you rest your divine feet for whose holy glimpse millions of bhakthas yearn, on this burnt brick. Oh Lotus eyed one, please forgive me for what I have done. “The Lord said he was immensely pleased with the bhakthi that Pundarikan displayed towards his parents and said that he was pleased to let the world know about his bhakthi’s greatness. He then, asked Pundarikan how he wanted to be rewarded for his unwavering bhakthi.
Pundarikan responded, “ Oh Lord, Oh, Ocean of Mercy, you have this day given darshan to an ordinary soul like me, I would like you to stay in this place forever giving darshan to all who seek your holy feet till the end of time.” You should bear the name “Vitthal” and this place should become renowned for bhakthi and mukthi and be called as Pundarikapuram. May the river Bhima which flows around this town become as holy as the Ganga and absolve everyone off their sins.
Henceforth Lord Krishna stayed in Pundarikapuram itself and bore the name Vitthal and is still celebrating the spirit of bhakthi and is performing innumerable leelas with all his devotes. In due course of time Pundarikapuram has come to be called Pandaripuram.
The Samadhi of Pundarikan, for whom Lord Krishna came to Pandhari, still rests on the banks of the holy Chandrabhaga river.
Source : http://indiansaints.wordpress.com/2009/09/10/bhaktha-pundarikar/
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