This article appeared in the November 2011 issue of the Back to Godhead (India) magazine.
“Oh, most ISKCON followers are well-off, intelligent city dwellers, the elite, quite different from the simple rural devotees of Lord Viööhala of Pandharpur.” Time and again people have pointed this out to me, often with an accusatory undertone. It’s as if having a predominantly urban following poses a threat to ISKCON’s spiritual credibility. But during my recent trip to Pandharpur, as I reflected on this disturbing perception, I found it gradually replaced by an exhilarating prospect.
Confluence at Pandharpur
The holy site of Pandharpur
unites two powerful Bhakti movements that will spread the holy names of the
Lord all over the world.
“Oh, most ISKCON followers are well-off, intelligent city dwellers, the elite, quite different from the simple rural devotees of Lord Viööhala of Pandharpur.” Time and again people have pointed this out to me, often with an accusatory undertone. It’s as if having a predominantly urban following poses a threat to ISKCON’s spiritual credibility. But during my recent trip to Pandharpur, as I reflected on this disturbing perception, I found it gradually replaced by an exhilarating prospect.
From the balcony in my room at the
ISKCON Pandharpur guesthouse, I got a panoramic view of Çré Pandharpur Dhäma.
Everything one comes to Pandharpur for lay before my eyes to behold and savor.
Kshetreshu teertheshvatha
daivasteshu
bhakteshu sarveshva iha vai
garishtham
sri pundarikam kila
chandrabhaga
sri vitthalaste muni
pundarikah
(-- Padma Purāna 32.44)
The best holy place, holy
waters, deity, and devotee are Pandharpur, the Chandrabhaga, Lord Viööhala, and
Puëòaléka respectively.
The river Bhémä, known here as the
Chandrabhaga (“moon’s crescent”) because of its path, flowed from right to
left, cutting across a wide expanse of the holy land. Almost directly in front
of me and across the river, only two hundred meters from where I stood, rose
Pandharpur’s most precious possession: the famous Çré Viööhala Rukmiëé Temple,
which houses the ancient Deity of Lord Viööhala. Densely dotting the opposite
river bank I saw a multitude of devotees eagerly bathing in the Chandrabhaga’s
holy waters.
Pandharpur, situated in the Solapur district
of Maharashtra, is Maharashtra’s spiritual capital. The image of Lord Viööhala,
with His hands on His waist, standing on a brick, waiting for His devotee, is
ingrained in the consciousness of most Maharashtrians. Every year for centuries
now, thousands upon thousands of pilgrims from villages all over Maharashtra
and from Gujarat, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh, walk to Pandharpur with
unflinching faith in Lord Viööhala’s protection as an offering of devotion.
During their love-walk (väré), these värkarés immerse themselves
in remembering the Lord and chanting His holy names, playing musical
instruments like karatalas (hand cymbals) and mådaìgas or other
drums to accompany their singing. Leading up to the Äñäòha Çukla and Kärtika
Çukla Ekädaçés, devotees walk 15–20 days to take darçana of their Lord
Viööhala, who is always eagerly waiting for them. No one seems to mind that
approximately a hundred thousand others are vying for their Lord’s darçana
too.
What Makes Pandharpur a
Dhäma?
The Lord’s place of residence is called
a dhäma. A dhäma is also a place where remembrance of the Lord
comes naturally. Therefore, places where the Lord or His pure devotees have
visited or performed pastimes are dhämas. The Lord also declares in the Padma
Puräëa that He resides wherever His devotees are glorifying Him.
nähaà tiñöhämi vaikuëöhe
yoginäà hådayeñu vä
tatra tiñöhämi närada
yatra gäyanti mad-bhaktäù
“I am not in Vaikuëöha nor in the
hearts of the yogés. I remain where My devotees engage in glorifying My
activities.”
Pandharpur fits all the above
definitions of a dhäma. Lord Kåñëa, the emperor of Dvärakä, once came
here in search of His beloved wife Rukmiëé, who was upset. While here, He
remembered His great devotee Puëòaléka. On reaching Puëòaléka’s house, He saw
Puëòaléka serving His Vaisnava
parents. Puëòaléka, although overjoyed to see the Lord personally at his door,
asked Him to wait on a brick while he finished serving his parents. The Lord,
His heart overflowing with love for His devotee, patiently stood on the brick,
His hands on His waist, waiting for His devotee to attend to Him. Puëòaléka
later requested the Lord to stay in Pandharpur forever and bestow spiritual
perfection on anyone who merely took His darçana. Of course, the Lord
agreed. In recent times, another great devotee, Tukäräma, visited Pandharpur
regularly. He also broadcast the congregational chanting of the Lord’s holy
names (saìkértana) throughout Maharashtra, so much so that Pandharpur
and saìkértana are now inseparable.
Pandharpur and ISKCON
Saìkértana
and ISKCON are also inseparable. ISKCON is the modern-day home of the worldwide
saìkértana movement and is popularly known all over the world as the
Hare Kåñëa movement after the Hare Kåñëa mantra saìkértana that is its
essential activity. While millions know about Pandharpur and many know about
ISKCON, few seem to know about ISKCON’s connections with Pandharpur, both
historical and contemporary.
To my left, as I looked down from the
first floor balcony of the ISKCON Pandharpur guesthouse, I saw a small
structure of columns supporting a dome. Beneath the dome, on a raised platform,
three pairs of footprints are installed. The soles of Lord Visnu’s
lotus feet in each form are marked with distinctive symbols, and these three
pairs of footprints depict the symbols on the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya, Lord
Nityänanda, and Lord Viçvarüpa. Viçvarüpa, the elder brother of Lord Caitanya,
is an incarnation of Lord Balaräma. He took sannyäsa in Pandharpur after
he had traveled all over India. Lord Nityänanda received spiritual initiation
from Çré Lakñmépati Tértha in Pandharpur, and Lord Caitanya Himself visited and
stayed at Pandharpur during His travels around India. The great Gauòéya Vaiñëava
spiritual master Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura sings, gaur ämära, je saba sthäne,
karalo bhramaëa raìge, se-saba sthäna heribo ämi, praëayi-bhakata-saìge: “I
aspire to see, in the company of loving devotees, all the places visited by
Lord Caitanya.” Çréla Prabhupäda writes, “A devotee should make a point of
visiting all the places where Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu performed His pastimes.
Indeed, pure devotees of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu even want to see the places He
simply visited for only hours or minutes.” This is the 500-year-old historical
connection between Pandharpur and ISKCON.
Today, under the leadership of His
Holiness Lokanätha Swami, ISKCON has a temple in Pandharpur—the Çré Çré Rädhä
Paëòharénätha Temple. Çréla Prabhupäda once commented, “Our Lokanätha Swami is
just like Saint Tukäräma. The whole of India and specifically Maharashtra is
enthused with Kåñëa. Now you have to revive their Kåñëa consciousness. This is
Tukäräma’s country, but now they are becoming bad politicians. So revive them
by the process of the saìkértana movement. I am very glad that you are
preaching village to village and will cover all of Maharashtra.” Today,
Lokanätha Swami is the head of ISKCON’s international Padayäträ Ministry. Under
his guidance many padayäträs have been organized all over the world. But
Lokanātha
Swami, with his childhood rooted in varés to Pandharpur, and because his
spiritual master likened him to the Tukäräma of ISKCON, has a special place in
his heart for Pandharpur.
ISKCON’s Contribution to
Pandharpur
Serving the Lord, the devotees, and the
dhäma is central to the bhägavata culture the saìkértana
movements of both Tukäräma and ISKCON espouse. Lord Kåñëa says in the Bhagavad-gétä
(18.68–69) that no one is dearer to Him than those who spread the message of
the Gétä among devotees. Pandharpur is full of devotees, and ISKCON’s
expertise in presenting the Bhagavad-gétä’s message is well-known. In
his talks in India and abroad, Lokanätha Swami often speaks about Lord
Viööhala. Consequently, many devotees from around the world have started to
visit Pandharpur. ISKCON Pandharpur also reaches out to the nearby rural
communities, where their programs are attended by the local folk. Lokanätha
Swami’s Marathi book Bhü-Vaikuëöha, compiled after a lot of scriptural
research, reveals the unique spiritual stature of Pandharpur and weeds out
non-scriptural and anti-scriptural misconceptions about the path of pure bhakti
that is this dhäma’s very essence.
During the annual värés to
Pandharpur, ISKCON’s Bhaktivedanta Hospital conducts free medical camps for
residents of Pandharpur, and ISKCON’s Food for Life organization distributes
free wholesome prasäda to the värkarés. This year ISKCON served
around three hundred thousand devotees in these ways. Over the years, the
authorities of the Çré Viööhala-Rukmiëé Temple and ISKCON Pandharpur have
worked together on many occasions. ISKCON also conducts regular programs inside
the Viööhala-Rukmiëé Temple. ISKCON’s regular and significant contributions
over the years have not gone unnoticed by the government, either. The
Government of Maharashtra wishes to transform Pandharpur into an international
destination so that Lord Viööhala’s glories may spread throughout the world.
Looking at the amazing transformations ISKCON’s presence has brought in holy
places like Mäyäpur and Våëdävana, the government has asked ISKCON to help lead
this task. And ISKCON Pandharpur has enthusiastically accepted the government’s
request that they arrange for the construction of a bathing ghäta. This
ghäta—which will be known as Prabhupäda Ghäta—will be on
the ISKCON temple’s side of the river. With lawns, fountains, and other
relaxation areas, it promises to make the pilgrims’ visit to Pandharpur
convenient, thus making Pandharpur an even more attractive destination.
Confluence at Pandharpur
At first look, the rural devotees of
Lord Viööhala, with their modest means and simple ways, seem to have nothing in
common with ISKCON’s predominantly urban followers. Those who have given their
hearts to the värkarés sometimes find it hard to appreciate ISKCON’s
methods. Time and again I have come across people, some genteel, some vehement,
who say that ISKCON caters only to the well-educated urban elite. “Why doesn’t
ISKCON do something for the rural poor?”
I was stumped when someone first asked
me this question. It struck me as odd; as if there is no meeting place between värkarés
and urbanite devotees. The apparent conflict is easily resolved in light of how
and where these two glorious saìkértana movements started. Tukäräma
lived and started preaching the message of love of God in the nondescript
Indian village of Dehu, whereas Çréla Prabhupäda was a Calcutta boy and later
traveled to the United States to begin his preaching mission in New York City.
How can we expect the two movements to have the same kind of followers—at least
initially?
But the bhägavata culture makes
no distinction between rich and poor among its followers. To judge a spiritual
movement based on the bank balance of its adherents instead of on its teachings
is material vision. But putting that aside, as ISKCON’s various activities in
rural Pandharpur prove, ISKCON doesn’t intend to restrict itself to any
particular strata of society. ISKCON’s mission is to spread Krishna’s
holy name to every town and village on earth. Since most of India lives in
villages, it’s only a matter of time before ISKCON will have more rural
followers than urban in India. To realize that day - when the whole world,
villager or city-bred, chants the holy name - is the mission of all the sincere
followers of Lord Caitanya, Çréla Prabhupäda, and ISKCON.
ISKCON in Pandharpur symbolizes the
confluence of two great bhakti traditions, one rural and one urban. The
proposed Prabhupäda Ghäöa promises to be the site where the two bhakti currents
will mingle and embrace each other. Then the combined force of these two great
currents will wash away materialistic standpoints that allow us to think one
current is holier than the other. Both are holy.
Looking down from my vantage point, a
balcony in the ISKCON Pandharpur guesthouse, I saw in my mind’s eye thousands
of devotees carpeting the near bank of the Chandrabhaga at the place where
Prabhupäda Ghäöa will soon appear, and many others eagerly dipping into the
sacred and refreshing waters.
After a confluence, there is no clear
distinction between the constituent currents. Similarly, in the current of
bhakti that will now flow from Pandharpur, it will be hard to distinguish
between the rural and the urban currents; they will unite and flow together
with great force and reverberate the holy names of Lord Viööhala in roaring saìkértana.
