रामानुजीये विश्वासटिप्पन्यः

THEN ENTER SRADDHA’ AND VICHARANA." Vicharana.With thy brow bedewed with beads of sweat, thou seemest as flurried as the cow to see her calf.

Lovely are thy globules of sweat, resembling nectar from thy face-moon dripping, or in the lustrous Malli-blossom" blown dewing, or from the noble creeper of youth budding. Sraddha. -My beloved companion! With a wish to prosecute (to a good end) what hath been undertaken by her husband (Viveka), who is firmly planted in the one-pointed
Zeal. 2. Investigation. 3. Jasmine flower. 87 verdict of the Upanishads, and who hath taken the resolve to combat the opponents (thereof), Sumati the faithful, the blessed wife of Viveka, hath, to symbolize the welfare (of the mission) sped to the hill of gems fringing the woodland of pramada,1 bidding me cull a cluster of lotuses golden, worthy to lay at the lotus-feet of Sri’s Spouse (Vishnu). She there sits, heart full of joy, and I shall speed to Gangā as smiling with her freshes as Sarasvati, the swan in the lotus-face of the Lotus-born2. (Gesturing fatigue of journey).
When will the clear fair Mandakini," with banks on either side of its stream, fragrant with the odours of jasmine that creep up the Kalpaka-trees flourishing amidst cool ponds between, (when will this Mandakini,) alas! wear away the sorrows which, by (souls) violently whirled in samsāric wheel,’ are hard to bear?
A Pleasure Garden where ladies of the harem sport. The Demiurge, son of Vishnu. 3. The Ganges. i.e., rebirths without number.

88 Vicharana.-(Pointing in front). Here floweth in our vicinity the Ganga. Thou shalt rest for a while, to ward off the Sun’s heat,-as piercing as the poignant words of a villain,-in the jasmine bower grown on an islet in Ganga that issueth flowing from the feet of Madhu’s Conquerer (Vishnu) and rich with the odour of the honey of Kalpaka-blossoms, scattered by the gentle breeze as cool as the heart of the good, and then proceed.

In the self-same place- The wind-tossed trees shower from their branch-tops flowers prodigally redolent,-flowers fit to deck the fillets circling the locks of the ladies of Mahēndra’s court, reposing in the shade,-flowers reminding the shafts of the great archer Kāma, the betrayer of the coyness of women. Sraddha.-Be it as it pleaseth thee, my friend! (Both sit down with ease.) Sraddha.Lo! Vicharanā! What brought thee to this place ? 89 Vicharana. My beloved friend! Hear me. Some apostates and agnostics, clever in establishing the doctrine of Buddha and Jina, have now been ordered by king Mahāmōha-irate at hearing the preparations of king Vivēka, assisted by his chief Vyavasaya,’-to perturb Jiva whose mind is now firmly fixed on Purushottama’s (Vishnu’s) lotus-feet, by diverting it to some other object, just like a tiller leaving his plough and running after a jackal’. The rumour that these atheists surround the Jiva hath reached Sumati, our queen, who hath asked me to convey this news confidentially to the chief Vyavasaya, who is now closetted with the great king Vivēka. I have now set out to see this Vyavasaya. Sraddha. That the Perverts have joined hands with Mahāmōha in his enterprise is just like the asses’ song in the ghost’s marriage. But mind not. It is no difficult task at all
Industry or Effort. 2. हालिकजम्बुकदर्शनन्याय 90 for our great king to overthrow the doctrines of our opponents. Vicharana.-Hallo! Sraddhā! How thinkest thou that the doctrines of several able apostates, pursuing the creed of Brihaspati1 and others, could be subverted by a single person? Sraddha. Thou shalt realise the truth of what I say, on the basis of the popular dictum that truth alone endureth and untruth betrayeth itself in time.
Quick can Vivēka overthrow the creeds of all Heretics like the rising Sun driving darkness dense, like the raging wild fire devouring the forest dry,-the forest of the Vindhya range,-like the mighty hurricane blowing off cotton mountains high.
The School of Philosophy founded by Brihaspati the main doctrine of which is :–" Enjoy whilst thou livest, for it is but blank after death." Eat and live to-day, let to-morrow take care of itself." &c. See Paramata-bhanga by Desika.91 Therefore the attempt of Mahāmōha in collecting a host of Perverts to conquer Vivēka is no better than that of a stone-raft sought out for crossing the high seas. Vicharana.-Dear friend! Thy words have swift imparted courage to me, and my mis-givings have given way. I shall see my lady after speedily executing her commands. Sraddha.-Hallo! Vichārana! Thy level-headedness, and friendship as well, have been demonstrated. I will now gather lotus blossoms, and thou wilt betake to the royal castle. Interlude ends. (Both exeunt.) THEN ENTER KING AND VYAVASAYA. King.-General mine! This indeed is the best time for me to take stock of work done and of work remaining as regards Jiva journeying to the goal of Bliss,-Jiva 92 distracted by pursuits vain and bound by karmas severe, so many times over. (Brooding for a while and sighing.) 5. In this perfect world, teeming mostly with ignoramuses, God’s displeasure compelleth crafty men being born, to range themselves in hostile camps, to devise doctrines diverse, and by their inculcation to provoke wranglings many. In no way do these differ from the ravings of men gone daft. Alas! How shall true Vēdānta thrive in this world pestered by (such) doctrines distractingly diverse, causing confusion worse confounded? (Looking at the sky.) Ah, thou vile Mahāmōha! By rendering the worlds three bewildered what hath been or what will be thy gain?
Where drugs life-giving have become scarce, noxious ones beteem the sea-girt earth. To remove this pain, I shall resort to the Lord Almighty. 93 (Gesturing recollection.)
I adore the causeless and stainless splendour of Hayagriva, present as a pure mount crystal-made, depriving the agonies of the worlds three by His dazzle, nectarlike,-Hayagriva whose neighing voice resembleth the Upanishads Eternal.
Further, may the neigh of Hayagrivathe sum and sense and seat of Vedas, Sāma, Rig and Yajur,-of all obstacles the Remover, the surging swell of the sea of selfknowledge-efface my inner ignorance, caused by the clamour of heretics, conceited, combative and carrying a roaring trade (of theirs.) Senapati.-Ah. Great King! By valour over Mahāmōha, thy success is as sure as the unfailing noise of the Aranyakas that compare only with Anaranya’s curse.
The horse-faced form of Vishnu.
The main body of the Upanishads.
A king of the Ikshvāku race, an ancestor of Sri Rama, was forced to wage a battle with Bavana when the former was quite unprepared and 94
Thou hast just imparted Vedantaknowledge to Jiva; all that remaineth now to be done is to remove his inattention2. King.-(With joy.) Genial soul. In all modesty hast thou rightly reminded me. With thee to aid, what yet remaineth to be done, I guess, hath already been done.
Let alone Sama, Dama and others, arrayed in hosts of hundreds and thousands, heroic enough to cripple Mahāmōha’s gratuitous hate for me. Like unto Vishvaksēna3, the all-devoted to Vishnu in the work of overthrowing Asuras, art thou (to me) the efficient tool to fell faiths, faithless. was eventually slain, and who before his deatb pronounced the following curse on Rāvana. cf. Uttara Ramayana. उत्पत्स्यते कुले त्यस्मिन्निक्ष्वाकूणां महात्मनाम् । रामो दाशरथिर्नाम यस्ते प्राणान्हरिष्यति ॥
The reference is that in the 1st Act the Vedanta knowledge has been imparted to Jiva.
In this act the subversion of other heterodox faiths is to be undertaken.
The Lord of Hosts under Vishnu, 95 Senapati.-My Lord! I am like thy weapons but a dependent of thine, for thy foes to be worsted.
Thy majesty, firm in combating thy opponents,-for thou art faultless of knowledge in diverse Sāstras thriving unfettered Logic etc., needest little help, an unrivalled warrior as thou art of high prowess. Such being the case, like but thy shadow,thee, I follow, filled as thou art with the flood of " food reflective’" in all thy acts which go to make, and keep and unmake (matters). Therefore either Sumati or myself cannot, like the fish separated from water, live even for a moment apart from thee. King. (Musing).
General! Mark thee! Several creeds sophistic are current in this world as against reasoned argument, designed for stultifying i. e. Jñana knowledge, Darsana - Vision, Prapti = Fruition. 2 cf. न च सांता त्वया हीना न चाहमपि राघव । मुहूर्तमपि जीवावो जलान्मत्स्याविवोधनौ ॥ (Ramayana.) 96 the wits of the Asuras etc. They are like darkness to be swept by the Sun. These silly disputants, who indulge in diverse meaningless arguments-which differ not from the uproar of the great ocean churned by Madūsūdana’s strong arms with the Mandara mount revolvingattempt to metamorphose even a Brihaspati1 into a Vanaspati.2 These Pervert-Elephants, eagerly raiding the plantain-grove -Path of Virtue, are surely fit to be overthrown by the most mighty Lion of Forceful Authority, which always hath a cautious beginning,-Lion which hath for its shining fangs, the founding of the Right Creed and the overthrow of the Wrong Creeds,-Lion, which hath for its claws sharp, the five kinds of Tarakas and which dwelleth in the forest of the Upanishads.
The Preceptor of the Devas, deity,
The five are–(1) 3
The forest (2) - (5) अनिष्ट- न्योन्याश्रय (3) चक्रकाश्रय (4) अनवस्था प्रसङ्गरूप 97 Senapati.-My Lord! Indeed thou hast appointed Vada’ and Vēdānta Siddhānta2 to overthrow the heretical creeds. The coup de main of that dialectic warfare is come nigh. (Then enter Siddhanta and Vāda1 guised as Guru-preceptor-and disciple.) Guru.-Live thou long! Adept of the highest truth and opposed to opponents as Hanumān to the Lanka-hosts, I judge that thou hast by agitation and clarification established Spiritual Science according to the maxim “planting the post.“5
Argument 2. The Vedantic apodictic. Siddhanta is here Sri Rāmānuja. .3.

Vāda is here Sri Vēdānta Desika; Chronologically Sri Vedanta Desika was not a contemporary of Sri founded by the Ramanuja but the faith latter was firmly esta- blished and amply improved by the former. Naturally enough the yearning to meet his preceptor was so dominant in the mind of our Sri Vedanta Desika that the much-longed for meeting is arranged for dramaturgically in the discourse and criticism of other faiths that is found in the rest of this Act.

Sthana-nikhananyaya s. s. 7 maxim: an analogy 98 Pupil.-13. (With humility) Divine sire! In the ascetic garb thou seemnest a Dattatreya’ described by the great sages as having defended the Vedas,–Dattatreya who was Vishnu Himself incarnate bearing the Tridanda2, when inroads were made into them by Kānādas, Buddhas and Pāshandās5. Guru.-Long life to thee! These outcastes and perverts are in truth Asuras. I vanquish them, assuming the form of Vishnu. Pupil.-Divine sire! Worship-worthy art thou, in thy form of Vishnu, with the reverence meet for Vishnu.
Now I adore thee, the wearer of the for establishing a truth on a firm basis. viz., a pillar inserted in loose soil and firmly planted therein by continued to and fro movement. An incarnation of Vishnu as son of Atri.
The triple bamboo staff carried by the Vaishnava Sanyasins representing the subjugation of thought word and deed.
Followers of the Vaiseshika doctrine which recognised 7 instead of 16 categories.
The followers of Buddhism.
See n. 5, p. 17. 99 holy thread and urdhra-pundra,1 the bearer of the holy staff-Tridanda, the sum-total of the virtues of the worlds three, the protector of all refugees and the wearer of the ornamented sikhā3. (Thus saying prostrates.) Guru.-15. May thou live long! May thou establish the Vēdānta, and the heresies overthrow. May thou be esteemed by the pious and of vast bliss be thou receptacle. (Thus saying, hands a ring of Kusa grass symbolic of Divine Power.) Pupil. (Receives and rears it on the right hand after placing the same on the head).
May the varied rivers of the great bliss of Brahmānubhava, diversified with the emulating billows of ardour, numberless and ceaseless, descend on thee,-(rivers) easy of reach to Sages and Siddhas”,
The Vaishnava vertical marks borne on the forehead. 2. See n. 2.-p. 98.
Tuft of hair grown on the head of an Arya, the mark of a Vaidika.
The enjoyment of God.
Yogis. 100 (rivers) mingling with the milk and honey of Brahman’s perfections par excellence. Pupil.-(With humility) Methinks that all my hopes are practically realised through thy divine blessings which never prove futile. Divine sire! If I am fit to hear what I propose to ask thee, I pray it might be put into my ears. Guru.-When a pupil, good and lowly, doth approach, what is there that cannot in its good time be imparted to him? Pupil.-Divine sire! Victory by logomachic methods is by great sages forbidden. For, they say that he who gloateth over such a victory over a Brahmana shall be born a cursed’ tree in the burning ground. How else are our disputants of the opposite side to be vanquished? Guru.-(With favour) Youth! In right good spirit hast thou put me this question, but
वादेन ब्राह्मणं जित्वा दृष्टो भवति यो द्विजः । मद्याने जायते वृक्षः कङ्कगृध्रादिसेवितः ॥101 bounds of duties bidden are surely determined by differences of caste, order, birth, race, clan, community, place, time etc. Therefore I desire to defeat these heretics through thee, as myself by my order is debarred from doing so, even as Visvamitra did slay’ the Rākshsas through Rāma only. In this affair then,-
Able lad! Let Jalpa along with Vitanda be far from thee. Win thy opponents, inspired by well-established truth. Or acting under my behests even like Sri Raghava plying Balā and Atibalā under
The allusion is to is to the Rakshasas, Subāhu Māricha and the Raksbasi Tātaka who all caused havoc to Visvamitra’s sacrifice. Sage Visvamitra to avert this evil begged Dasaratha of Rama’s help, who was just then in his teens. Rama accompanied Visvamitra, killed Subahu and Tātakā and made Māricha flee for life.
जल्पः = विजिगीषु कथा (Prattling with intent for victory.) 3. वितण्डा - स्वपक्षस्थापनहीना परपक्ष प्रतिक्षेपमात्र पर्यवसाना । (criticism.)
Two mantras taught by Visvamitra to Rama for vanquishing enemies. ・ 102 the tutelage of Visvamitra, thou shalt conquer the apostates who abuse the Vēdas and the Almighty, even Jalpa’ and Vitanda2 pressed into service under my guidance, but as tests of Tatva3, save when thou dost argue with virtuous souls. Pupil.-(With suppliant hands) Thy divine commands I bear on my head, but how is it that this onerous work of capable debators is laid by thee-the world-teacher on my insignificant self? Guru.-Listen.
Several are my disciples in this world who grasp more than what is taught, and who are adepts in the tenets of diverse doctrines such as those of Buddhism etc, mutually conflicting, but none but thou whom I approve and whose clear wit streameth full and startling, art sought after by the opponents to take up the gauntlet. Pupil.-Revered sire! I note thy commands. No debate can proceed without some doc-
See n. 2, page 101. 2. See n. 3, page 101. 3. Truth. 103 trine agreed upon. Hence assign to me as thou willest. Guru.-Charming child! When there is a difference of opinion among our own adherents, thou shalt stand by a Sāstra common to them, but when the difference is with rival thinkers, by the Vēdānta Siddhānta; even here, there are five or six high-class works dignified by brevity and glossary composed by us under the inspiration of Achāryas-Parāsara, Vyāsa, Suka, Saunaka, Bodhāyana and others. Wellversed in these works, and heart set on them, thou shalt employ authorities and arguments that will carry convincing joy to the assembly. Pupil. –So long as thou art vouchsafing to me, I shall not in the least err.
In a mind elevated in character by the grace of the Guru, what (truth) instinctively flasheth can vanish never. But when wrong interpretations are fabricated even by Rishis or others, they shall in no time pass into limbo. 104 Guru.-Lad! Dreading the world-deluding sophistries (extant), I commend thee to close attention.
The fallacies established by ill-witted apostates and perverts, causing a momentary confusion even to (the intellect of) a council of adepts in (Vēdāntic) debate,-only connoting nonsense, genetic of false developments-and as stony as the heart of women, excite much fear. Pupil.-Divine sire! This dread concerning me can only arise from thy inordinate affection for me.
Breatheth there a man, desirous of wordy-war who dare challenge me to contest, whilst at thy hands I have received all knowledge, and whilst under thy commands, I am acting? Guru.-Pupil ! Beware of this as well. Pupil.-May it please thy reverence to favour me with thy further will.
Our utterances, lighted up by the 105 grace of the Achāryas, delightfulmade for instruction, convenient, the crowning jewel of Dame Sruti espoused of the Lord,utterances terse’ or elaborate2, appealing to soft minds, approvable to high minds’compiled with due attention to importance,5 —-utterances which elucidate the Lord’s Song, are fit to be believed in by the wise. Pupil.–That thou shouldst so say is a superfluity, for thy works are forsooth the props of the Upanishads.
For, ye have lit the lamp of Sri Bhashya, feeding it daily with the oil of your love,-the joy of the savants, in their hours of happiness,-lit up for the delectation of the postulants in the foul night of Samsara.
Though small the acquaintance, the Sastra thou hast ordained sufficeth to uproot atheism and appraise the Lord’s Vēdānta-Dipa.
Gadya-Traya.
Sri-Bhashya.

Vedanta-sāra. Vedartha-sangraha 6. Gita Bhashya All by Ramanuja. 106 Grace, to drive darkness and enhance the joy’ of God-knowledge,2 to redeem from evil ways and to implant in The Way. However owing to my vascilating disposition, I submit to thee a matter once remembered, but now escaping my memory. Guru.-What may that be? Pupil.-25. Ordering that-wise and ordaining this-wise, how is one (God) rendered a well-wisher ? Guru.-Humph! How clever in proposing subtle questions ! Pupil.-How is redemption possible from sin, which is hard to surmount, on account of its attendant circumstances? Guru.–Thou hast now propounded another question more subtle still! Pupil.–How is punishment inflictable on one freely permitted to err? Guru.-Considering Karma as the conditioning

Knowledge of God. 2. Verity (Tatva-juana). 107 cause and as destined to end, all these three-fold difficulties disappear.’ Pupil.-(With joy) How tersely recondite and dignified, and patent only to cultured minds, are thy good self’s words? I shall propound this same before the august assembly.
The High Pontiff’s utterances rain the nectar of Moksha-(the nectareous flood) abrading the banks of the modern illwitted, quenching, medicine-like, the poisonous fire of false faiths burning up 2
The implication is:-Re question (1) God’s wellwishes to jivas are in no way affected as jivas indulge in sins owing to the result of their past Karmas. Re question (2), the cause of even a learned man committing sin is due to his Karma. Re question (3), though it may be that the sins are the making of God, jivas nevertheless indulge in sins owing to the force of their previous Karmas and as the result thereof get punished.
Reference to the out-Vedic creeds such as Buddhism and Jainism.
Reference to masked Vedantism such Advaitism. 108 the soul,-the toilet-maids (ie., the utterances) who plait the top-knot’ of Eternal Sarasvati’s tresses.
Other creeds, knit together by hundreds of jargon-words, conveying nonsense and eventuating in nothing but confusion, cannot be palatable to those that have tasted the High Yogi’s works. Can Siva accustomed to wear on his head the sacred Gangā, teeming with pearls and oysters, bear a slimy ditch infested with frogs? Divine sire! Some near in this assembly whisper that thy creed hath but few adherents in this world where SO many creeds obtain. I shall just deliver them a repartee (looking around)
Reference to the closing or crowning parts of the Vedas i.e., the Upanishads.

The Goddess of speech personifying the Veda itself. यति-

Sri Ramanuja is referred to in this verse and the rest of the Act variously as यतिपुरंदर, यतीन्द्र, राज, यतीश्वर, etc., 109 Ha! Pets of Devas !!
Hearts set on voluminous works composed by the wrong-witted, take the words of the Lord of Yatis2 (Rāmānuja) as light. But the Kaustubha3 gem decorating the broad bosom of Murāri (Vishnu) certainly in the scales weigheth light as against a mountain !
Let the works of the Lord of Yatis which fix the sense of ancient Vedas, be lauded or cajoled, by those whose minds are warped by false faiths! What doth a salt-dealer know of the value of camphor, the essence and fragrance of which are so loudly lauded as to shiver the city (into pieces)? (Listening) What! Sayest thou that our faith is but new? (clapping hands and laughing)
Goats-as brainless as goats.

Ascetics.

The ornament worn on the chest of Vishnu. The implication is that though Kaustubha is lighter than Kalachala mountain, its superiority is unquestionable. 110
A thing is conceived by one as beyond dispute; another by another similarly, both claiming adherents. No sane man can here say both are right. Hence when one party demolisheth the other, no finding and judgment are possible. Ergo, that (doctrine)-Old or New-is to be accepted. which accordeth with Truth.’ Further:-
At its time all is new, after which, it is old. Hence old and new do not constitute the ground for good and bad. Guru.-Enough with these stupid. Let those be attacked now who dispute the sense. Pupil.-Holy sire! Who, even in a dream, can fabricate flaws of sense in thy creed, exempt from all trace of fault?
That vain person who imputeth fallacies of his own creed to thy creed harmonising with the Crest of the course
That which is arrived at by viewing it from the right perspective.
Upanishads.111 of Srutis, can be no better than a person who, flinging dirt with his own hands, but which falleth on his own person, wisheth to stain the sky therewith! Further. By none can thy school be assailed. Vain ranters thus are these stupid opponents !
Let one close one’s eyes, the Sun is not screened thereby; let one close one’s ears firmly, the cuckoo into a crow is not transformed; let a lad whirl fast round, with him the Earth rotateth not; let him fight with his fist, the sky is not disturbed thereby. Guru.-Lovely lad! Right well hast thou spoken. I am just on the look-out for a suitable president and an assembly for thee, who hath launched the capaign against all pugilistic heretics. (Gestures meditation.) King.-Generalissimo! Opportune ’tis now, for us also to join. 112 Senapati.I fully agree with thy Majesty’s resolve. (Both approach.) Pupil. Divine sire! Close at hand is the President attended by his Generalissimo. Guru. (Turning round and looking with joy and regard.)
Anon, and in right time hath (the Sun of) Vivēka risen, attended by his sunshine. Vyavasaya; he will himself dispel the night of scepticism, weaned of all wisdom.
Yonder shineth the paragon of virtue, Vyavasaya, Viveka’s generalissimo standing there will all savants that espouse his school. King. With humility) Here Vivēka with his generalissimo payeth his respects due to thy divinity. Garu.-Great king! May thou be blest in every respect. 113 Further:- 5 3
The Sruti, though violated in various ways by Bauddhas Kānādas, Naiyāyikas,” Jinas, Kapilas, Chārvākas, and Gōmukhavyaghras shining in the (ostensible) coat of Vedic research, is, in this world, protected by thy (Vivēkā’s)" Saviour-the Almighty who incarnateth Himself in diverse ways, and doth thrive, coming out unscathed from the turmoil of perverts.
See n. 4, p. 98.

One of the 6 principal systems of Hindu Philosophy founded by Kānāda. A system of Hindu Philosophy founded by the sage Gautama.

Jaina.

The founder of the Sankhya system of Philosophy. A sophistical system of Philosophy founded by Brihaspati who propounded the grossest form of materialism.

Prachhanna Bauddhas i.e., Believers in Vedas, only to appearance but really professing Buddhistic doctrines, as deceptive to appearance as one possessing the tame cow’s face with the ferocity of a tiger hidden under it.
चिदचिदीश्वरतत्वविवेकः । S. 8. 8 114 King.-Holy sire! Thy mere look is fraught with all kinds of blessings for us; thy well-wishing (again) seemeth a superfluity. Guru.-King! When I have been in dire need of a President, thou hast, by the swing of merit, appeared on the spot, attended by thy general. President majesty! Then bid this disciple of mine to perform the task on hand. King.-I shall direct him as thou willest. (Turning to the pupil.) Sweet Brahman! Deeply devoted art thou to this all-knowing sage.
Methinks, this our Guru is no other than the Vedanta creed itself (incarnate) and thyself the debate, lord of disputants (incarnate.) To this, imprimis, thy attention is to be bestowed. Pupil.-Great King! Command. King.-Peace to thee! 115
With humility, please good men; the ways of the wise, demonstrate; offenders of holy men, dread; the Trivarga-addict,’ treat as straw; resting thy load in thy Lord Eternal,-Allforgiving Sri’s Spouse,-adopt the habit of the Chātaka2 bird, ever on cloud intent. Senapati.-Holy youth! Understandest thou His Majesty’s will? Pupil.-Is there more to attend to? King.-39. Learn the letters of the Upanishads, and avoid association of the aliens; serve as a rule sage-souls, and despise the averse" and the perverse.
The three aims or ambitions of men, of lower sort viz., Dharma, Artha and Kama. The cloud must rain before the Chataka bird will drink. The God-aspirant likewise looks up to God alone for His drops of grace.
Avert from God and therefore averse to the Vedanting. 116 Guru.-Live thou long! listen attentively. Pupil.-Great is thy grace! King.-Pious youth !
By knocking down the misconstructions, strayed from authoritative paths, adversaries shall be expelled on the principle called Sthālipulāka’. Surely all the gold ingot is not rubbed on the touchstone to test its quality. Pupil.-Aye! As willeth thy Majesty, will I summon these quidnunes for gymnastics.

(A little louder). verbal Here haileth Yatindra-the hill-fount of the rivers of all knowledge,-Yatindra, the tree assuaging the fatigue and refreshing those tired of ceaseless circling in Samsāra,the rising sun to the night of illusion of the

Ascertaining by testing only a few grains in the pot, that the whole rice in the pot is boiled; hence using a test. 117 perverts, and the full-orbed Moon to the tides of the Vedic sea. 1 (Inside the curtain.)
Schooled well in the systems of Tarka, Vyakarana2 and Mīmāmsā3, and our manliness paraded in systems counter also, we declare boldly in this assembly that we care not our contesting foes-from Sētu up to Himalaya-a yarn, straw or chaff. Senapati.-Arya! Hearest thou the proud challenge of the opponents ? Pupil.-(With anger) Enough of insolence!
On my head humbly bear I, the lotus-feet of the wise whose hearts are redolent with the lore of Yatirāja, but On the head of those whose hearts are
Logic.

Grammer.

One of the six chief systems of Hindu Philosophy.
Sānkhyas, Vaisēsbikas, etc.

118 burning with faiths adverse, I plant my left foot’. Sri Desika does not mean literally what he states here. It is a mannerism he adapts such as Sahadeva’s similar assertion when in the great Rajasūya sacrifice his discretion to do the first honor to Lord Krishna in preference to all great kings, sages and elders assembled was questioned by Sisupāla. Read Mahābbārata Sabhāparva thus :- ८८ Asked by Sisupāla thus:- प्रष्टा वियोनिजो राजा प्रतिवक्ता नदीसुतः । प्रतिग्रहीता गोपालः प्रदाता च वियोनिजः ॥ " Sahadeva replied thus :- “स पार्थिवानां सर्वेषां गुरुः कृष्णोऽपरो न हि । तस्मादभ्यर्चितोऽस्माभिः सर्वे समन्तुमर्हथ | यो वा न सहते कश्चिद्राज्ञां सबलवाहनः । क्षिप्रं युद्धाय निर्यातु तस्य मूर्व्याहितं पदम् ॥ ततो न व्याजहारैषां कश्चिद्बुद्धिमतां सताम् । मानिनां बलिनां राज्ञां मध्ये संदर्शिते पदे ॥ Similar instances lead one to think that one of the ancient ways to assert incontrovertible truths is by some such open taunt. All that is meant here therefore is that Sri Desika is 119 King.-Blessed sire! Timely is this Arya’s bravado, like Hanuman’s’ breathing implicit devotion to the master. Guru.-(Aside) What can be the motive of the king in giving prominence to this boast ?

(Aloud.)-A hero in the system of Sruti and adept in ousting the adverse (thereto), may it be that the boast of such a Debater is not gloried? Pupil.-(Humbled and trembling)-(Aside) Alack! To efface2 the sin of selfpraise, unconscious, let me laud my masters and their teachings.
(Aloud) Here standeth triumphant our Apostolic lineage,-consoling,-proud of firmly convinced of the truth of Ramānuja Darsana and that he is equally convinced of the hollowness of the other Darsanas.
cf. न रावणसहस्रं मे युद्धे प्रतिबलं भवेत 2 It is a belief among the pious that the mention of the Acharya’s name alone will wipe off the most heinous sins. 120 the pride of rivals quelled by the vibrating waves of Hayagriva’s’ neigh, revelling in (our) heart-thrones,-lineage revealing the right way by the yarn-pile of other creeds being swept away by winds,2 borne of the fluttering pennons hoisted on the mansions of the quarters ten.
Had Srí Rāmānuja not promulgated the ancient system of Philosophy, which saveth Dame Sruti from widowhood," by still vouchsafing for her the embrace of her Lord,5-ridiculous would be Vyasa", oblivious would be Vālmiki’, a toy would be Sri Suka", and vain indeed
The horse-faced Avatara of Vishnu. ←i ci The allusion is to Nyaya-Tatva, (of Nathamuni) —Siddhi-traya (of Yamuna), Sri-Bhashya (of Rāmānuja.)
Satadūshani, (of Desika) etc.
By refuting materialists who impute wrong meanings to the Sruti by denying the Godhead &c.
The Parabrahman.

The reputed author of the Mahabharata. 39 “1 ,, Rāmāyana. 1. 93 39 39 ,, Sri Bhagavata. the word Suka means a parrot as well.121 the labours of the great Bōdhāyana’. King.-(With delight.) Who can not be won by this Arya, of such lasting love to his master? For:-

Of love unabating for his master, ever intent on his praise, and with care for his goods, house, etc., and conserving Tradition for use for the fit, this grateful, sinless (disciple), is sure to earn his treasure. Pupil. I hope to come out victorious only by the strength of our siddhānta. Thy majesty shall anon witness it.
The compositions of Yatirāja are immune from contradictions; lovely by reason of being distilled from Bodha yana’s work, and blazing with faultless arguments;
The reputed author of Vritti-grantha on Brahma- sūtras.
Sri Bhashya and other works.

Vritti-grantha. 122 by such incontrovertible annotations, they (compositions) serve to tap that nerve1 (in man) that is suffused with full-blossomed knowledge. Moreover:-

This, our Dispensation thinneth all darkness, by reason of its compatibility with Perception2, its simplicity of Inferences, and its imperilment of atheism* by (God’s) knowability from Scriptures indefective. This (Dispensation) is
Knowledge is here the light or the illumination or the spiritual virtue the soul possesses intrinsically, and which is effectually hidden in 64 earthen vessels.” The physiological counterpart of this psychical fact is the nerve or nervous centre alluded to, or it may be taken as a symbol.
The reference is to Saugatas who deny the reality of the world.
The reference is to Vaisēshikas who harp on arguing about the atomicity of atoms.
The reference is to Mimamsakas who deny the Godhead. 123 demonstrative of Nathamuni’s’ intuitions, promoted by many works as those by Yāmuna’, and fostered so well by Yatindra1. King. What say ye now? (Behind the curtain.) Great uproar by repeating “Tarka, etc. verse 42.” (All listen.) Pupil.-(Repeating verse 43 in his turn, stops half way and looks at the King.) King.-Repeat, repeat. Pupil.-(Repeats the rest.) King.–Arga! I desire to have all doubts dissolved by thee, the treasure of all knowledge, gained from thy master, by disputations held, with the learned men here congregated. Pupil.-Proud and slighting). Thy Majesty ! Listen intently.
Founders of the Sri Vaishnava Siddhanta

124 Kānāda’s story, I have only too well studied, and those of Akshapāda have taught. With Purva Mimāmsa I am puffed. As to Sankhya and Yoga, I have oft discoursed upon them. Ha! Ha! Is there thus (yet) an iota for me to reflect about those, wandering in the wilderness of several false systems shattered indeed by Yatindra,-those blinded by the night of inner illusion ? Besides :-

Whoso, in this last age (Kali), learneth this Yati-king’s dialectic dissertations, disclosing the the peculiar peculiar Visishtadvaita doctrine’,-the day-break to the darkness of nescience before him, anon declineth wrangling waves of Casuists, the
artartRe: That the souls constitute the Infinite body of God. This doctrine is peculiar to Visishtadvaitism or qualified Monism and reconciles in the most satisfactory manner, so far ever attempted, of the true relation of Soul to God. 125 competing with each other to standardise their respective dogmas. Guru.-Great king! These pedantic perverts, who blow their own trumpets by their blatant tongues, are eager to throw the gauntlet.
On the analogy of a ‘Dog-Hog fight" these ravishers of Vēdānta-Siddhanta, lead the attack, in company. Let therefore thy General check them, so that they may each in turn argue with our pupil. Pupil.-53. (Smiling) A pre-conceived notion that Perception and Revelation are weaker than Inference, taketh hold of these contestants. But of no avail is Reasoning (i.e., inference) in arriving at Truth; therefore mere Reasoning is of little practical utility
A pack of dogs, though quarrelling with each other, yet band together, forgetting for the time being their own mutual malice and chase a hog. Even so are the followers of creeds other than Vedanta-Siddhanta, who, though mutually differring from each other, club together when opposing the creed of Vedanta-Siddhanta. 126 in this world. Mind not the sundries; some wicked men, with conceit brimming in their minds, desire to overthrow, alas! the virtuous with arguments unworthy to be pronounced in an assembly. The foremost1 in this assembly and the foremost in the army, shall hear this as well :-
Self-condemned standeth the mass of arguments adduced by these Casuists by their mental conflict with each other; their Sastras are refuted by the eternal Vedas. Now the contestants relying on mere bombastry, are no match for me, even if they bodily oppose me. (Smiling.) Hallo! The blind lead the blind with the staff, and the lame carry the Jame!! Even so are these perverts, whose wits are blinded by the darkness-Karma, and who are the trusted counsellors of Mahāmōha.
Vivéka, the President (King.)
Vyavasaya, the General.
With 127 their oratorical effusions matching rills but swelling sudden under pour of rain,-bristling with vulgar slang, -and resembling shingles rattling in the mouth,’-these (casuists) entice only numskulls who enthuse (over such effusions). Ha! ha! These satellites of Mahāmoha flattering these orations, bring to our mind the jackals, belauding asses’ music. King.-General! Direct, for debate one after another, these individuals, small-witted in that they flout at the Vedānta, pregnant with sense. Senapati.-I shall call to order these senselessly blatant men. or
ie., slurring and indistinct pronunciation; their arguments are as much not amenable to reason as the improbable tale that a person swallowed a rock, or as deceptive as a juggler feigning to eat stones-or it also may mean offering stones to the listener to eat, instead of food r fruit. 128 (Turning round and looking.) Listen Oh non-Vedins and Vedamisinterpreters !
Stop now with your false jargon, dear only to the mean,-puffed up with mutual admiration but repugnant to the galaxy of savants. In troth see your methods lame before these truth-speaking lions of good men! Pupil.-Blessed sire! Cast thy looks this way.
These men embrace corrupt dialects such as the Mahārāshtrā, Māgadhi, Saurasēni, Lāti, Gaudi, etc., which Buddha, Jina, and others, have passed off as Scriptures,dialects that are the laughing-stock (of the Samskritists.) I also, nevertheless, versed in all these dialects, shall win these disputants by their own weapons; so goeth the saying, that devils must be met by devils’ patois." Guru.-Help thyself to language divine (ie., Samskrita) or non-divine i.e., Prākritic but 129 the divine would appear to be all-agreeable, for it seemeth to be so to the king, in all likelihood. King. - Sire divine! Mightily bold is this minent personage, the object of thy grace. Senapati.-What wonder ! 1
Here stand (arrayed in glory) these Agastyas, who have drained dry the ocean-streams of these boasting casuists, captured by the demons of vain debate,Agastyas, ripe with the voice of wisdom, by sitting at the feet of the king of ascetics(=Rāmānuja).
The great tumult uprising from the mutually-contending and dry-discoursing elephant-army of these wranglers bursting with boast, and violating with vain talk the ways of the Veda, ceaseth, the
The implication is that savants versed in Ramanuja’s lore will put an end to the notoriety of the followers of rival creeds even as quickly as Agastya dried up the ocean by one sip of his s. s. 9 130 moment Yatindra’s blessed word is uttered, albeit casually. Pupil.-Acting as I do in the presence of the president (king) and the commander-inchief, and armoured as I am firmly by the grace-filled eyes of my teacher, what fear is there in this wordy-war?

Now:- Brilliant from my birth reigneth my intellect, and purposive. So it is by virtue of my Pontiff (-Rāmānuja),-the axe to the dreadful world-evil. Even the God-ordained great illusion-night can never bring sleep on me. drunk as I am in the nectar-drug, drawn from his (Pontiff’s) milk-sea like sermons’. Besides :- Unrivalled, have we all these days passed among the disputants, filling the royal courts of the countries, Tundira, Chola, Pandya, Kerala, Karnata, Nepāla,

Sri Bhashya &c.131 Malava, Gauda, Lāta, etc., and never were there brow-beaten. Walking as we do, in the kingly ways of the Vedas, and keeping as we do the company of good men, we are happy. But why so contentious? For:-
Let alone the fact that Sri Rāmānuja’s followers have a spotless wisdom from their very birth. Let alone again the fact of his eternal works being by nature supreme, sportive and savoury. Who shall even dare to lift his eyes before my debate, conducted with a weapon-toweapon vehemence, in the war of words? Senapati.Indeed!
What is achieved through the Acharya’s single eye of grace or his two physical eyes cannot be achieved by the Three-eyed,’ the Eight-eyed, or even the Thousand-eyed.3
No other deem we our Deity, equal
Prajapati.
Rudra.
Indra. 132 or high, than our Acharya whose tonguetip is bright, throne-made as it is by the Horse-faced’, not even the Deity Narayana Himself, who,-His pristine glory unaffected-putteth on the Acharya’s garb2, to uplift souls, sunk in the sea of Samsara. Guru.-Great king! By polite speech alone, hath thy General managed these leading debaters of other creeds. Let them now range themselves (before us) one after another. (Looking at the pupil.). Listen, lad! the first to be is the exposition of the creed of the Sankhyas, approximating to the Vedanta
These adepts of the Sānkhya creed, viz. Kapila, Asuri, Panchasikha, etc. discriminating Matter and Soul, treat not of God. Sin-smitten (sure) are their minds.
See n. 1, p. 120.
ef. साक्षान्नारायणो देवः कृत्वा मर्त्यमयीं तनुम् । मग्नानुद्धरते लोकान्कारुण्याचास्त्रपाणिना । 133 Pupil.-(Aside.) In the contest about to open, I must first enlist the sympathy of this audience.
(Aloud.) Deign to me, I beseech, oh! ye, who are bees in the lotus-feet of Murabhit’, tapping therein the honey of Peace! (deign to me) that I may heartily regale your ears with the honey (of words.) (Turning to the Preceptor, bowing, and hands clasped):-— Sire divine! By thy command, let me refute these Sānkhyas.
Materially influenced, if ye (Sānkhyas) only admit Matter and Soul, how hath God-the Crest-jewel of Srutis by the hundred-offended? If by severe sophistry, the Lord (God) hath been ejected, let other swindlers swindle ye of your faith!
Vishnu.

प्रधानक्षेत्रपति

Chārvākas and Nihilists who are still more Senapati. My lord! 134
These Sankhyas, of their obstinacy bereft, by this Arya’s arguments, now categorise’ this Lord of the Cosmos (God) as the twenty-fifth, as the twentysixth, as the twenty-seventh. King. Holy sire! If these Sankhyas have been won over to the With-God doctrine, grant them pardon and range them with the Vedāntins. Guru.-Stop, great king! For, these Sankhyas, though God-recognising, do yet generally grant a God of limited power, as understood by the Yoga philosophy. Hence direct this Vedantin to confute them (on this score.)

argumentative, deny the existence of Matter and Soul. For details of categories, vide n. 1, p. 2. Some count God as the 25th Category. Others count Soul as the 25th Category and God as the 26th Category. Yet others count Time as the 26th Category and God as the 27th Category. 135 King. He is already directed, sire! by thy command. Pupil. -68. These Sankhyas, read in the perverted doctrines comprised under Yoga, prate that God’s sovereignty is but reflection. The fit rejoinder to these also is the Vedic creed which recogniseth for the Godhead, the attributes of knowledge, power, strength, etc.’ Senapati.–69. Lord! These poor adherents of Sankhya, now chastened, may be dismissed. Let now the Arya be set to the refutation of the Kānāda doctrines. King. He has already been so set to it (by our Guru) in the manner how best to overcome those who range themselves against Vedanta. Pupil. Great king! I shall do according to thy will.

By conceptions such as the creation स्वाभाविकी ज्ञानबलकिया न । and such other Srutis proclaiming the Godhead. 136 of “non-being” (or non-ens), and by controversions of the methods1 of the Veda, the notoriety obtained for the School of Kānāda, by an Ulūka2 setting up a teaching, hath now passed off into mere memory3. Guru.-(Eyeing with regards.) Pupil.-(As if laughing):-But let (our) king mind this, the yet more strange ! King. What may that be? Pupil. These followers of the Kānāda School postulate Moksha (liberation) as a stony condition, per contra to Divine Likeness. In that case, glory be to Kumbhakarna, and his curse’ prove a blessing.

कथमसतस्सज्जायेत and such other Srutis proclaiming the Godhead.

Some say that Rudra taught the Vaiseshika- Sastra to the Kanadas, assuming the form of an owl. Ulika is also the name of the sage of the Kānāda School.
प्रसङ्गमात्रशेषितोऽभूत् ।
The curse referred to is the boon granted to 137 King.-Forsooth right! Senapati.-Lord!
These Semi-Bauddhas (Kānadas etc.) have been brow-beaten by (our) Arya. Next have to be beaten these full (-fledged) Bauddhas who vituperate the Vedas. King. (With doubt.) Arya! Art thou prepared to subdue these Bauddhas, adepts as they are in juggling arguments ? Pupil. (A bit out of temper.) King! Acting under thy will as I do, all these combatants put together may fail before my single self. Thus :–
The dull Vaibhāshikas’ boast that the cosmos is momentary: the Sautrāntikas’ infer the objective universe to be but modifications of the mind; the Yogacharās aver this same cosmos as unreal; and the rest (the Madhyamikas’,) Kumbhakarna, Ravana’s brother, that he should enjoy eternal sleep.
Different theorists of the Saugata (Buddhist) System of Philosophy.

138 assert that all is unreal (even mind). Hence, their mutually-conflicting theories, self-condemned, stand before me, these (doctrinaires), denuded of their boast. Again :-

Stupid these, Dingnaga’, etc., bidding for tusk-to-tusk (kind of) fight! But attend, your school-methods utterly collapse; for the Bauddhas fail in either case, whether, knowing what is to be taught, they venture on expositions, or unknowing-(i. e. in both cases, their argument for momentary doctrine fails). Founder of the Saugata-creed. There is also an implication in this thinker possessing the strength of the elephants, supporting the direc- tions ten of the Earth.
The meaning is this:-If the present moment vanishes giving place to the next moment, then the teaching of the present moment vanishes, and it is useless; again if the present moment is existent, and the future or the next moment is nonexistent, the teaching also becomes non-existent. Hence, as in either case, if the teaching is to 139 Hence ours is the victory,-let trumpets be beaten ! Senapati. (Applauding). Lord! Hearing this Arya’s tersely sublime and irresistible harangue, cordially appealing to the assembly, the vile Saugatas have fled in every direction, but Madhyamika alonethe leader of the van of the Bauddhasdisregardeth the accusation with temerity, parading his pedantry. He must in particular be uprooted for his bombasts thus :-
Let the Vaibhāshika’s oration enjoy peace; to the Santrantikas, well-wishings; let the Yogāchāras leave their means of proof: let alone the adherents of Sankara &c. who only follow’ them (Yogacharas). But here emergeth this Madhyamika, bursting with his ability to make and unmake theories of non-entity, the upholder of the monistic doctrine of negation, hard to persist, the momentary doctrine must bo abandoned. Accepting Yogachara’s doctrine अन्यत्सर्वममदिति । 140 win by unsophisticated arguments. He attempteth victory.

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