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96 THE LIFE OP EAMANUJA. CH. XT.
to be blessed?" The disciple returned to T. Kdttiyur, and told
his master how Rsimanuja was pining for knowledge. " Has
he sach keen appetite ? Then I must at once feed him. A
moment's delay more on my part brings sia. Let Rftmanuja
come to me alone with liis staff and pennant.' So did G. Piirna
exclaim ; and bade the same disciple go fortli at once and bi-ing
Ramanuja to him. Swiftly came he, and prostrating himself
before RamAnuja begged of him to proceed. He started
immediately, taking his two intimate disciples with him,
KilrSsa and Dii?arathi ; and fell at Purna's feet. " These
instead of thyself alone, as I had commanded !
" e.'sclaimed
Purnairate. "Holy Sire!" explained R^imtouja, "'come
with stafE and pennant' was thy order. So I have come."
" Staff and pennant !, which is thy staff, which is thy pennant ? "
a.sked Purna, " Sire, DilSarathi is my staff ; Kurfisa is my
pennant. I am never without them, nor they without me."
Purna'.s irritation vanished and he was moved by Rslmanuja's
exemplary conduct and astuteness. " Well," spoke Piirna— -who
by the bye had been commanded by Lord Rauga in a dream
again, to unbosom Holy secrets to R4m&nuja, as the latter was no
other than Adisesha himself incarnated— " I make exceptions of
these, thy Inseparables ; I command thee that to no others
shalt thou impart the sacred truths I am going to divulge to
thee." So saying, he led Ranianuja to a secret corner of his
hut, and there revealed to him the hidden truths of the Timmantra,
or the Mantra of the AshtAkshara-Upanishad, the eightsyllabled
aiid three-worded Mantra, the gravity of which is thus
described :— " PranavaiXie first ; Namas the middle ; and Xdrdyana
the last. So runs the Eight-syllabled Mantra, to be
ever used in prayer by seekers after God. It is the gi-anter
of every boon, and promoter of devotion and disjjassion."
' Staff is the Trtdaiifiu of the Sanya,sin, and pennant is the colored
piece of cloth attached to its top.
WmHiHSJSfcJt ^rraUKSl^^ II
ISdtvata-Samhm..']
Also see our Lives of Saints and Wisdom of Saints for detailed
explanations.