Thread by @KindsoulRitzS

#Longthread
#Vitthala
Sant Kanopatra and Prabhu Vitthala:

Kanhopatra was a daughter of a rich prostitute and courtesan named Shama or Shyama, who lived in the town of Mangalvedha, near Pandharpur. Shama was uncertain about the identity of Kanhopatra's father, but suspected that

it was the town's head-man Sadashiva Malagujar. Kanhopatra spent her childhood in the palatial house of her mother, served by several maids, but because of her mother's profession, Kanhopatra's social status was demeaningly low.

Kanhopatra was trained in dance

and song from early childhood so that she could join her mother's profession. She became a talented dancer and singer. Her beauty was compared to the apsara. Shama suggested that Kanhopatra should visit the Badshah (Muslim king), who will adore her beauty and gift

her money and jewelry, but Kanhopatra flatly refused. Traditional tales narrate that Shama wanted Kanhopatra to marry, but Kanhopatra longed to marry a man who was more beautiful than her.

Sadashiva Malagujar, Kanhopatra's supposed father, heard of Kanhopatra's beauty and

wished to see her dance, but Kanhopatra refused. Accordingly, Sadashiva started to harass Kanhopatra and Shama. Shama tried to convince him that he was the father of Kanhopatra and thus should spare them, but Sadashiva did not believe her. As he continued his harassment,

Shama's wealth slowly depleted. Eventually, Shama apologised to Sadashiva and offered to present Kanhopatra to him. Kanhopatra, however, fled to Pandharpur disguised as a maid, with the help of her aged maid Hausa.

Hausa described as a Varkari is credited for Kanhopatra's

journey to devotion. According to one story, she asked a passing Varkari about Vithoba. The Varkari said that Vithoba is "generous, wise, beautiful and perfect"his glory is beyond description and his beauty surpasses that of Lakshmi, the goddess of beauty. Kanhopatra

further asked if Vithoba would accept her as a devotee. The Varkari assured her that Vithoba would accept her as he accepted the maid Kubja,the sinful king Ajamila and the so-called "untouchable" saint Chokhamela. This assurance strengthened her resolve to go to Pandharpur.

When Kanhopatra first saw the Vithoba image of Pandharpur, she sang in an abhanga that her spiritual merit was fulfilled and she was blessed to have seen Vithoba's feet. She had found the unparalleled beauty she sought in her groom in Vithoba. She "wedded" herself to the god and

settled in Pandharpur. Kanhopatra moved into a hut in Pandharpur with Hausa and lived an ascetic's life. She sang and danced at the Vithoba temple, and cleaned it twice a day. She gained the respect of the people, who believed her to be a poor farmer's daughter maddened by the

love of Vithoba. During this same time, however, Sadashiva who felt insulted by Kanhopatra's refusal sought the help of the Badshah (king) of Bidar. Hearing tales of Kanhopatra's beauty, the Badshah ordered her to be his concubine. When she refused, the king sent

his men to get her by force. Kanhopatra took refuge in the Vithoba temple. The soldiers of the king besieged the temple and threatened to destroy it if Kanhopatra was not handed over to them. Kanhopatra requested a last meeting with Vithoba before being taken.

By all accounts, Kanhopatra then died at the feet of the Vithoba image, but the circumstances were unclear. The poems of Namdeva and other saints, say that Kanhopatra did not die but acquired the siddhi of invisibility by embracing Vithoba's image; after this yogic "miracle".

Source: @in_a_krishna_world
@SukhatmeMadan