History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v3.c41.s8.21

v3.c41.s8.21

But the Vithoba Vaishnavism was entirely different from the Vaishnavism of Rāmānuja. And the Prakrit form of Vishnu in Bengali and Ooriya is also Vishthu.* But the Vaishnavism of Pandharpur is different from the Vaishnavism of Bengal also. It has no lascivious aspect. It entirely eschews all reference to Gopīs. Even Rukmiṇī appears in Pandharpur at a later time. The Vishnu idol at Pandharpur is unaccompanied by any female deity. Its form is also unique, having both hands akimbo and it has a linga on the crown of its head. Who put up this idol is yet undiscovered as Pundalika the first devotee of Vithoba is a mythical person. The historical references given by Dr. Bhandarkar show that originally the place was holy on account of Vishnu idol only. The Bhimarathi is mentioned in an inscription of 1249 A. D. This leads us to believe that the Vithoba of Pandharpur must have been there about a hundred or at least fifty years before. In a stone-inscription in Pandharpur itself dated 1270 A. D., Bhānu, a son of Keshava is recorded to have performed an Aptoryāma sacrifice in which "crowds of people and Vithal and the gods were gratified." (Bhandarkar Vaishnavism p. 81-88). Pānduranga is a name of Śiva according to Hemachandra and there is a temple of Śiva at Pandharpur which pilgrims have to visit first, before visiting Vithoba. The Vitthal worship at Pandharpur is again unconnected with any philosophy and is a purely devotional worship as developed by Nāmadeva (1270 A. D.) and Jñāneśvara, the oldest leading Vaishnava saints of Mahārāshtra. The temple of Vithoba was built from subscription raised all over Mahārāshtra as appears from the Chauryāśi-stone-record in the temple itself of about 1300 A. D. Though the Vithoba cult developed in Mahārāshtra in the 13th century, it came into Pandharpur probably about the end or the middle of the 12th century† in the sub-period treated of in this volume. Strangely enough it was devoid of all animosity against Śaivism or against the Vedic religion of sacrifice and has no connection with any philosophy Dvaita or Advaita. It further does not renounce caste though people of all castes are admitted into this cult and are all equal before God and absolution through devotion is open to all, male or female, Brahmin or non-Brahmin. It truly carries on thus the pure Bhaktiyoga doctrine of the Bhagavadgītā.