life of ramanujacharya 9

[Guest guest]

------continuation from part (8)

On reading this, aakki’s wrath grew turning to the

king:-

“My royal patron!”, implored he, “permit me to argue

this boy out of his intolerance vanity, and crush him

before ye all.” The king gently asked the boy if he

was capable of standing a combat such as his pandit

would give. “Most certainly, your majesty! Give me

leave”, answered he, “but your will not be capable of

judging between us and deciding as betwees the winner

and loser; nor can we own to your mutual victory or

defeat. Appoint, pray, judges versed in the matters of

our contention”. “well said”, agreed the king and

selected fit umpires to adjudge the issues of

intellectual contest pending. It was an unparalleled

and exciting scene. And so the king and his consort

both took their seats to watch the interesting

proceedings.

 

The queen saw the boy and with keen insight and

penetration decided to herself that he was going to be

victor. “My Lord! She said, addressing the king, “ if

this boy wins not throw me to dogs.” “If he wins”,

exclaimed the king in turn, “I will part with half my

kingdom for him”.

 

Anon, aakki spoke:- “vain stripling! No drawn contest

between us is needed. A mere trick suffices to put

thee down before this august assembly, “witness ye

all!” he said to the assembly, and turning to

aalavandaar said: “If though, proud boy shouldst say

‘yes’ to thy ‘no’; and the winner in the end shall

touch the head of the loser with his foot.” “agreed”

promptly retorted aalavandaar; and without further

ado, made three statements and challenged aakki to

negate if he could. Listen, proud pedant, to these and

disprove if thou canst:-

 

(1) Tvanmaataa na vandhyaa= Thy mother is not a barren

woman

(2) Raajaa sArvabhouma=This king is a paramount

(3) raajapatnI pativratA=This queen is a good wife

aakki was simply stupefied, as he could not disprove

these facts; and therefore kept helplessly silent.

 

They now entered the arena of literary debates; and

her also aakki was beaten. Aalavandaar addressing his

opponent said:- “as for the victor touching the head

of his victim, O pandit:- for that was our argument- I

shall desist from so base an act, though agreed to by

thyself and in consideration of thy grey hairs and thy

eminent status as guru in royal household”. On hearing

this declaration, the learned assembly applauded

aalavaandar ‘s attainments and noble demeanour and

worshipped him with the honors of a brahma ratha(= a

triumphal procession & c).

 

The queen was overjoyed to find that her insight hand

not belied her as to the results of the combat and the

conquerer-hero to her breast exclaimed ‘Yennai

aalavandiro i.e., ‘didst thou come to fulfill me’?

aalavandaar thus means: ‘He who has come to fulfill’

i.e., 1) fulfill hisspritual mission on earth, and 2)

fulfill the queen’s prevision of his success. With the

king, the queen,- aalavandaar with her entered- the

inner apartments, her joy knowing no bounds.

 

The monarch, true to his promise, invested aalavandaar

with half his kingdom. In royal bliss thus did

aalavandaar and his holy wife, who by this time joined

him, remain.

--------- will be continued()

 

 

 

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