Saint Pundlik

As per Skandpurana, at time of Mahabharat, once Radha visited Dwarka to meet Lord Krishna. She sat on the lap of Lord Krishna. Lady Rukmini was very angry after seeing this and left Dwarka, went to Dindirvana or Pandharpur. Lord Krishna followed to cajole her and bring her back to Dwarka. While he was there, he saw house of his Devotee Pundalik and went to meet him. At that time, Pundalik was nursing his parents. He could not attend Vitthal as he could not leave his parents, so he threw a brick towards Vitthal and requested him to stand on it till Pundalik finishes his duties for his parents. Lord Vitthal oblidged his devotee’s request and stood on the brick. Lady Rukmini also came there and stood with Lord Krishna. Pundalik, his parents and all followers in Pandharpur, then Dindirvan, were graced with the presence of Lord and Lady. Everyone asked Lord and Lady to stay permanently. Lord Krishna assured them that at the end of his incarnation as Lord Krishna and start of Kaliyuga, he will come back with Lady Rukmini, Radha and Satyabhama and reside there in idol form secretly. Then he summoned Lord Brahma and asked him to make idols of Lord Vitthal and Lady Rukmini standing on brick. Then he gifted those idols to Pundalik. Even Today, Lord Vitthal’s statue in Pandharpur Temple depicts same pose of lord Vitthal, standing on a brick with his hands on his waste. Lord Krishna blessed all residents of Dindirvan and went back to Dwarka.

Subsequently, after some time, the era of Lord Krishna's incarnation came to an end, and the era of Kali Yuga began. When Pundalik heard this story, he was overwhelmed with grief. Then the idol of Lord Vitthal, which was in the form of Pundalik's brick, reassured him that though his physical form had ended, he existed in the form of the idol, present everywhere, and accessible to all devotees. Pundalik devoted himself to serve Lord Vitthal and his devotion earned him title Pundalikmuni. On the banks of Chandrabhaga River, Pundalik left this earthly abode on Magh Shuddha Dashami by means of Sanjeevan Samadhi. A temple is built at the spot and named after Pundalik as Pundalik Mandir. Devotees invariably visits this temple whenever they visit main temple of Lord Vitthal in Pandharpur. Due to Lord Vitthal's grace, devotees receive blessings through these visits. Because of this importance of Pundalik increased, and consequently, Dindirvan was established as "Pundalikapur." This further evolved into "Pandurangapur." Because the soil here was pure white, it was named "Pandharipur," which eventually became "Pandharpur."