Ramanujacharya – Biography - ebooks - ISKCON desire tree

nature, when she beheld the transcendental appearance of thegreat devotee with his pure, guileless expression, feelingsof compassion began to arise within her.When she brought the poisoned dish forward, she wasunable to restrain herself and, shedding tears, addressedRamanuja, "My child, if you want to save yourself, then goelsewhere to take your meal. If you take this food you willdie"Yatiraja was shocked to hear these words, and he satsilently for some time wondering what he might have done tobring out such hatred in the priest. Eventually he rose and,leaving the house, walked slowly towards the Kaveri. SeeingGosthipurna there by the banks of the river, he ran towardshim and fell down at his feet. Gosthipurna raised him up andinquired as to the cause of his distress.Ramanuja narrated to him the whole story and thenasked his spiritual master, "I am so unhappy at the thoughtof his mental condition. How can he be freed from such agreat sin?""My child," Gosthipurna replied, "when you desire theLord's mercy for this sinful soul, there is no need to fearfor him. Very soon he will give up his evil ways and becomea righteous man."When he had left his guru, Ramanuja returned to theasrama, where he found a brahmana waiting with various typesof prasadam. He took a little and distributed the rest tohis disciples without telling anyone what had befallen himat the house of the high priest. Sitting alone, he continuedto contemplate how the priest's sinful nature might bereformed.In the meantime the high priest had returned to hisresidence and discovered that his plot had beenunsuccessful. He was extremely angry, but, considering thata woman's heart is naturally soft, he excused his wife andimmediately began to devise another scheme to do away withhis imagined rival.Every evening Yatiraja would visit the temple to seeLord Ranganatha. That evening, when he was standing beforethe Lord, the high priest came towards him, offering himcaranamrta. Ramanuja gratefully accepted and drank thecaranamrta, even though he knew that it was mixed withpoison. Then he offered prayers to Lord Ranganatha, "0 oceanof mercy, how great is your affection for your devotee. I amnot worthy to accept such nectar from Your lotus feet. Yourmercy is causeless and unlimited."When he had finished offering prayers, Ramanuja leftthe temple, his body trembling in ecstasy. Seeing theseemotions, the high priest mistook them for signs that thepoison was taking effect and was very pleased, thinking thathis mission was accomplished. He was convinced that the nextmorning he would see the smoke of Yatiraja's funeral pyre,for he had put in the caranamrta enough poison to kill tenmen.63