y et ▁another ▁variant ▁for ▁P and h arp ur ). ▁ ▁Finally , ▁V ith oba ▁is ▁also ▁addressed ▁by ▁the ▁names ▁of ▁V ish nu ▁like ▁H ari ▁and ▁Nar ay ana , ▁in ▁the ▁Va ish n ava ▁sect . ▁ ▁Orig ins ▁and ▁development ▁▁ ▁Re const ruction ▁of ▁the ▁historical ▁development ▁of ▁V ith oba ▁worship ▁has ▁been ▁much ▁deb ated . ▁In ▁particular , ▁several ▁alternative ▁theories ▁have ▁been ▁proposed ▁regarding ▁the ▁earliest ▁stages ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁point ▁at ▁which ▁he ▁came ▁to ▁be ▁recogn ised ▁as ▁a ▁distinct ▁de ity . ▁The ▁P and ur ang as ht ak am ▁st ot ra , ▁a ▁h ymn ▁attributed ▁to ▁Ad i ▁Sh ank ar ach ary a ▁of ▁the ▁ 8 th ▁century , ▁indicates ▁that ▁V ith oba ▁worship ▁have ▁already ▁existed ▁at ▁an ▁early ▁date . ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁Richard ▁Max well ▁E aton , ▁author ▁of ▁A ▁Social ▁History ▁of ▁the ▁De cc an , ▁V ith oba ▁was ▁first ▁worship ed ▁as ▁a ▁past oral ▁god ▁as ▁early ▁as ▁the ▁ 6 th ▁century . ▁V ith oba ' s ▁arms - ak im bo ▁icon ography ▁is ▁similar ▁to ▁Bir ▁Ku ar , ▁the ▁cattle - god ▁of ▁the ▁Ah irs ▁of ▁Bi har , ▁who ▁is ▁now ▁also ▁associated ▁with ▁Kr ish na . ▁V ith oba ▁was ▁probably ▁later ▁assim il ated ▁into ▁the ▁Sh a iva ▁p ant he on ▁and ▁identified ▁with ▁the ▁god ▁Sh iva