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Ramanuja List Archive: Message 00022 Oct 2003

 
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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





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