A Day in the Life of our Acharyas - 20

[Guest guest]

Sri:

Srimathe Ramanujaya Nama:

 

As a young boy, Bhattar was once playing in the sands

of the Cauvery river. At that time, a palanquin was

being carried nearby with a vidwan named Sarvagnya

Bhattan in it and his disciples were shouting out his

fame and titles in front of it.

 

As this procession was heading toward Srirangam,

Bhattar became worried that such a thing was about to

happen at the place where Ramanujar and Kooratthazhvan

were living.

 

So, he stopped the procession and challenged Bhattan

saying "O Scholar! Only if you can answer my question

can you go into Srirangam like this. If you are

defeated by my question, then you should go humbly in

there".

 

Bhattan responded "Dear lad! What's your question?"

 

Bhattar answered by taking some sand in his hand and

asked "Tell me how much sand do I have in my hand?"

 

Bhattan thinking that this was a childish question

replied "O child! No one can count the sand particles

or be able to give a figure by looking at it".

 

Bhattar replied "If I can tell you the answer, then do

you accept your defeat?".

 

Bhattan agreed.

 

Bhattar then said "The sand I have in my hand is one

fistful of sand. How can you, who cannot even answer

this simple question, go into Srirangam in such a

procession".

 

It is said that Bhattan picked up the child and hugged

him and said "paRappadhan kutti thavazhumO" (will the

offspring of that which flies just crawl?).

 

He then carried the child inside Srirangam and giving

him to Andal, his mother, told her to ward the evil

eye off such a child.

 

Azhvar Emberumanar Jeeyar Thiruvadigale Sharanam