ad hy aya ▁supports ▁the ▁priest ▁theory ▁but ▁decl ines ▁the ▁K ann ada ▁origin ▁theory . ▁According ▁to ▁M . ▁S . ▁Mate , ▁P und al ik ▁was ▁instrument al ▁in ▁co ax ing ▁the ▁Ho ys ala ▁king ▁V ish nu vard h ana ▁to ▁build ▁the ▁P and h arp ur ▁temple ▁to ▁V ish nu , ▁placing ▁him ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 2 th   century . ▁Other ▁sch ol ars ▁like ▁Ra es ide ▁( 1 9 6 5 ), ▁D han pal var ▁( 1 9 7 2 ), ▁and ▁V au dev ille ▁( 1 9 7 4 ) ▁have ▁question ed ▁the ▁historic ity ▁of ▁P und al ik ▁altogether , ▁and ▁dismiss ed ▁him ▁as ▁a ▁myth ical ▁figure . ▁ ▁Ident ifications ▁▁ ▁Prim arily , ▁there ▁are ▁three ▁H indu ▁de ities ▁associated ▁with ▁V ith oba : ▁V ish nu , ▁Kr ish na ▁and ▁Sh iva . ▁G aut ama ▁Bud d ha ▁is ▁also ▁associated ▁with ▁V ith oba , ▁consistent ▁with ▁H indu ▁de ification ▁of ▁the ▁Bud d ha ▁as ▁the ▁nin th ▁inc arn ation ▁of ▁V ish nu . ▁However , ▁V ark ari ▁consider ▁V ith oba ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁s var up ▁( original ) ▁V ish nu ▁himself , ▁not ▁an ▁Av atar ▁( manifest ation ) ▁of ▁V ish nu ▁like ▁Kr ish na , ▁despite ▁leg ends ▁and ▁cons ort s ▁linking ▁V ith oba ▁to ▁Kr ish