Vithoba

Vitthala · Panduranga · Vithu Mauli

Krishna standing on a brick at Pandharpur, the god of the Varkari saints.

Abode: Pandharpur
Consort: Rakhumai (Rukmini)
Vahana: None
Colour: Black
Arms: 2

Vithoba is a form of Krishna worshipped at Pandharpur in Maharashtra, standing on a brick with his hands on his hips, waiting for his devotees. The poet-saints Dnyaneshwar, Namdev, Tukaram and Janabai sang to him in Marathi, and twice a year hundreds of thousands of Varkari pilgrims walk to Pandharpur singing their songs.

Mantra

जय जय राम कृष्ण हरी

Jai Jai Ram Krishna Hari

The Varkaris' chant, sung on the walk to Pandharpur.

रूप और प्रतीक

How Vithoba is shown

A dark standing figure with both hands on his hips, wearing a tall conical crown, standing on a brick.

Hands on the hips: He waits, patient and unhurried, for his devotees.
The brick: Thrown by Pundalik for the god to stand on while he finished serving his parents.
Conch and lotus in his hands: His identity with Vishnu.

कथाएँ

Stories

Pundalik's brick

Krishna came to visit his devotee Pundalik, who was busy caring for his old parents. Pundalik tossed him a brick and asked him to wait. The god stood on it, hands on hips, and has waited there ever since.

Related forms

कृष्ण
Krishna