Ramanujacharya – Biography - ebooks - ISKCON desire tree

he walked over to the monastery where Yajnamurti wasstaying. On seeing the blissful effulgence in Ramanuja'sface the impersonalist was completely amazed, thinking tohimself, "Yesterday, Ramanuja returned to his asrama greatlydisappointed and on the verge of defeat. But today hereturns looking like one of the gods. I can see that he isdivinely inspired, and thus it is futile to argue with himany longer. This man has indeed attained full perfection.Anger and pride never approach him, and his face glows witha transcendent beauty. I shall atone for my sinfulness bybecoming his disciple and thus destroy the root of my falsepride."Having made this decision, Yajnamurti fell down tooffer obeisances to Ramanuja, who then addressed him, "0Yajnamurti, such behavior is not proper for a great man likeyourself. Why this delay in resuming the debate?""0 great soul," replied the scholar, "I am no longerthe same wrangler who has tried to overcome you with cleverarguments for so many days. I will argue no longer with apure devotee such as yourself. I stand before you not as arival, but as your eternal servant. Please fill up mydarkened heart with the light of your purity."Yatiraja was not surprised by the transformation thathad taken place in Yajnamurti, for he clearly recalled thewords spoken to him by Sri Devaraja, the Deity installed inthe asrama. He realized that it was only through the mercyof the Lord that the proud pandita had gained the jewel ofhumility. Then, speaking in a gentle voice, Ramanuja said tothe scholar, "May the name of Sri Devaraja be everglorified, for his grace can melt even the stones. To giveup pride in one's learning is all but impossible for anyman, but by His mercy it has been made possible. You aresupremely fortunate.""When I have been given the chance to meet a puredevotee such as yourself, then I am indeed fortunate," saidYajnamurti. "Now please instruct me. Show me how to become adevotee of the Lord."On receiving this surrender from the famous pandita,Yatiraja at once prepared to initiate him into the Vaisnavasampradaya. Yajnamurti anointed his body with tilaka andthen accepted the symbols of Lord Visnu: the conchshell,disc, club and lotus. Because he had been delivered by themercy of Sri Devaraja, Ramanujacarya gave Yajnamurti thename Devaraja-muni and instructed him, "Now that yourlearning has been freed from the contamination of pride, itcan shine forth upon the world. You should engage yourselfin writing books which perfectly explain the behavior andphilosophy of the Vaisnavas." It was in accordance with thisorder from his guru that Devaraja-muni later wrote twowonderful devotional literatures, Jnana-sara and Prameyasara.66