| This Pundalik or
Pundarik was in early years a self centred man given to the pursuit of pleasure. He
neglected his duties towards his parents, both of whom were old and ailing and bestowed
all his attention on his attractive Pundalsk and his wife feasted on delicious food while
father and mother nearly starved. Once the asked Pundalik to take them to Kashi for a
pilgrimage but the son instead of helping them sent them off with insulting abuse. The two
proceeded on foot to Kashi.The god was greatly
pleased to see the great change that had come about in Pundalik and decided to meet him. Once while Pundalik was massaging his father's feet, the great Shri
Krishna appeared in the door of the ashram. His arms were resting on the hips as when he
was standing in front of Rukmini. His presence went unnoticed at first as Pundalik was
thoroughly engrossed in his task.
However, he could not long ignore the bright rays of light
that emanated from the god's body. He turned back to see what washappening and found to
his great delight that at last God had come to meet him. But the god had to wait till
Pundalik's duty was over and hence Pundalik threw a brick that was lying nearby as an
‘asana' to the divine guest. The brick still forms the asana of the god. When his
father was asleep Pundalik got up to welcome the god who offered any boons the man might
care to ask for. Pundalik asked for nothing more and nothing less than the eternal
presence of the god at the spot where he was standing. And thus there he is, the Vitthal
or Vishnu or Krishna, still standing on the brick Pundalik had offered him! |
