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154 WHATTARYA. CH. XXIV.
ckecked the Pandit, and he was bo confounded and confused
that he could not compass a ready answer " I see," cried the
'^'^Ji "yon are dumbfouadeJ by the paltry question of a boy.
Cowld you not say: you have a handful of dust?' you don't
"
deserve the title all-knowing." So saying, the impertinent
little Ijoy turned to Sarvajfia's attendants and asked them never
more to exhibit t'aeir poor master pompously in the sti-eets, and
exhorted them in the sweet words of five, to drop the insignia
they were carrying, and cease blov/ing the trumpets."' The surprize
of the Pandit at this strange behaviour and talk of a mere
urcliin, now tui'ned ii^to wonder and admiration. He inquired
of the by-standers wliose son was this prodigy ? They said: —
" Sire, he is the sou of KuiSSa, the soul of our Guru RSimSuuja,
the Poutiil of our Faith." Sarvajfia exclaiming :
" The fledgeling
surely flies, not creep.';," lovingly lifted the little marvel
into his sedan, and moved on till the procession approached the
house of KurfiSa. Pon-nsbycchiystr or Kanak3,mba, the good vrife
of Dhanurdflisa,' was standing at the door watching. Espying
the boy Bhatta,rya seated in the sedan with a stl^nge person,
she ran up, and di-awrng him from the vehicle, covered him
with her garment, and rushed with him into the house, muttering
the Bvaya-Mantra, and delivering the precious load
unto the arms of its mother Andalamma, chided her for havingallowed
her gem to stray out thus into the streets and expose
himself to 'evil eyes '; :ind anxiously sprinkled him with R§,mEEnuja's
Sri-pdda water," to ward oS evil influences which might
have injured tlie boy. She also vaguely feared, lest such a
prodigy as her boy would be allowed to live long on earth !!
Bhattarya grew older. About eight he was now, and the
holy-thread ceremony, Tfpanayana, wa.s duly made; and he was
sent to school to learn the Vedas and oiher subjects. The boy
attended the first day and learnt some Veda. The second day,
when he went to school, he found the teacher repeating the
same lessons as those of the previous day to the boys° He
therefore left the school and went to play. His parents finding
• Eead next chapter.
^ Holy wattr waslied off tlie feet of EamSniija ;
water thus oonseorat
«a 18