Post by jksivan on Nov 3, 2013 10:26:46 GMT 5.5
Dear children
33. The Three in One
You all must be wondering Why sometimes I call Him Pandurangan, Vittal and Vitoba as the name of this book suggests? Are they not one and same. Yes You are perfectly right. God is one but has many names. He pleases everyone the way they choose to call him and name. In your own house, you have more than one name is n't it? Your father, mother, grand parents and friends and others call you by whatever name they wish and you respond happily to those names when called. Krishna when he appeard as Panduranga he was called so because he was no more black or dark blue but bright and white coloured. ''Pandu'' means pale white. Arjuna's father was named Pandu because he was pale and whitish. Pandu's sons were therefore called Pandavas. ''Rang'' means colour. Pandurang therefore means ''pale whitish in colour''. Vitoba means ''he who stood on a brick'' Panduranga's devotee Pundaleek (you have studied his story in this book at the beginning) threw a brick for Vittal to stand and wait. So he was named Vitoba, ''he who stood on a brick''. In Pandarpur you can see Vittal standing on a brick.
Let us refresh the story of Krishna for a while. Krishna was born in the prison to Devaki and Vasudeva, as the eight child. As per heavenly prediction, the eighth child born to Devaki would be the destroryer of the demon king Kamsa, who ruled Mathura. So Krishna was ordered by the heavenly voice to immediaely be removed to Gokul, to the house of the chief of the cow herds, Nandagopa. His wife Yasodha delivered a baby girl at the same time when Krishna was born and so over night the children were switched without anyone's knowledge. It was the divine arrangement and ordain. So Krishna was ''born'' and brought up at Gokul as the son of Nandagopa. You must read the book of Krishna written by me containing 100 stories of him for you to enjoy. I am sure you will like it.
When Krishna was a boy in Gokul he had a close friend by name Radha. She was so close to Krishna and both were inseparable. They were one and same for all practical purposes until Krishna left Gokul and Brindhavan and left for Mathura. His mission was to become big and kill the demon King Kamsa is n't it? So Krishna left Radha who was as dear as his own life and went to Mathura and later as the King of Dwaraka.
Now he had eight wives such as Rukmini, Sathyabama to name a few. However, Radha was the one who lived in his heart all the time.
Rukmini and other queens were very curious about Radha. They wanted to know why she is so special that Krishna is spellbound by her. So they all wanted to meet her and requested Krishna to bring her. Krishna knew that they all wanted to meet Radha not because of love or bhakthi but purely out of curiosity if not jealousy.
Krishna said " Why not, I shall invite Radha to Dwarka to see all of you. She will come".
After a few days, the queens asked "When will Radha come?".
Krishna replied "I already informed her. When she decides she will come''.
Rukmini and other queens teased Krishna saying "Krishna, did you notice thart Radha does not have any respect at all for you. You invited her to Dwarka and asked her to come but she has not.". Krishna smiled at it. He knew Radha and was not bothered by any of their comments. But the queens did not keep quiet.
They kept on reminding Krishna. So Krishna said "Radha will come only where there is pure love. Asking her to come just like that will be like insulting her and she will not come". Rukmini was not happy by this reply. She watched Krishna's activities for a while.
In Dwaraka, Krishna whenever he found some time for himself, spent it alone by himself, re-living his Brindhavan days. Rukmini observed Krishna so closely and knew when Krishna is not to be disturbed.
One day, Krishnahe went to Brindavan to meet Radha. They met after a long interval.
Rukmini followed him. Normally Krishna is said to be blue in colour. But in the company of Radha his colour changed to whitish because Radha was fair in colour. Rukmini observed how suddenly Krishna became pale white in colour and uttered in surprise "Krishna! Are you Pandurangan? (Pandu means white and rangan means colour) and her words echoed. Hearing this, Krishna who was hugging Radha turned. Yes. Radha's white aura gave Krishna the white colour.
Radha did not look at Rukmini. Rukmini got very angry. So she left Krishna and Dwaraka. She went as far away from them as possible and reached Pandarpur. On the banks of the river Chandrabagha which is also known as Beema, there was a forest by the name of Dhantheervan. Rukmini went and hid herself there.
Krishna went in search of Rukmini. When he saw her, he said "Rukmini! Now you know Radha's devotion for me. She is Krishna and I am Radha. From now, I shall also be called as Pandurang, the name given by you. You wanted to see her. You can see her in white aura which is in me". This is the reason for the special pujas conducted for Pandurang from Sukla Paksha Ekadasi till Pournami.
Rukmini could not accept Krishna known to her in a strange color.
''Krishna this is not the colour i wish to see you ".
''If so let me go to the devotee who wishes to see me so'' . Saying this Krishna left.
Then Rukmini realised her folly. She knew she cannot be without Krishna. So it was now her turn to go in search of Krishna.
What happened to Krishna? Who was the special devotee whom Krishna went to meet ?
It was Pundaleek. He was the special devotee. Krishna went to the ashram where Pundaleek was living with his aged parents and serving them as living gods. Matha and Pitha were the first gods for Pundaleek. When Krishna went to Pundaleek's ashram Pundaleek's very old parents were lying on his lap and sleeping. Pundaleek was fanning them giving comfort. At that time he realised that his prayer to Krishna was answered. For a long time he was desirous of going on pilgrimage to Krishna''s Dwarka but he was continuously engaged in serving his aged parents and did not find time or any opportunity to leave them behind and visit the temple. So he was only meditating on Krishna and serving his parents.
Now Pundaleek was very happy to find his lord Krishna had visited him instead of his visiting Dwarka, But he could not go and receive him at the entrance of his ashram because he could not get up, which will disturb his sleeping parents. So he thought for a while and noticced a brick within the reach of his hand from where he was sitting. He picked up the brick and threw out at the entrance. He begged
''Krishna please be seated on this brick as I am unable to offer you any seat in this position. My respected parents are sleeping on my lap and I cannot get up disturbing them. So please wait until they wake up and then I can get up and receive you''
Krishna appreciated the love of Pundaleek for his parents and agreed to stand on the brick. For a long while he stood there with both his arms akimbo on a brick.
Rukmini who was searching Krishna at last found him on the banks of Chandrabaga river standing on a brick in front of Pundaleek's ashram.
When Rukmini neared Krishna, the Pandurang, she found him standing like a statue on a brick. Yes Krishna, the Pandurang, stood on the brick and was named Vitoba, (he who is on brick) had become a statue. He had become Vitoba now. She too had become his divine consort.
In Pandarpur, dear children, oneday you may go and worship Pandurang and Rukmini as Vitoba and Rukmabai.