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164 uilMANUJA. niJS BAVIOUB. OH. XXV.
is related again in the 36,000 commentaiy on Tii-uvaymozbi
(VII -4-1 " Azhi)" that Dhanurdasa was called ' Mahamati "
by the worthies of Srirangam, inasmucli as his love for Ranganatha
was so intense that whenever, the Lord was taken in
processions in the streets, Mahamati ' ' walked in front with
his sword drawn, so that he may cut any who dared to do any
act, in the least offensive to the Deity. Viduiu of the Mahabharata
fame was called Mahsbmati, inasmuch as his love for
Krishna made him to examine the seat, which he had himself
prepared for him in his own house, lest he might have unwittin-ly
allowed any danger to lurk in there. ilaha.mati literally
means wiser than wisdom, this expression having the force of
wisdom blinded by love for God. Dhanurdasa also was thus so
wise, /. e., so love-blind as to fear danger for one (God), who
is above all dangers.
Kanakamba, the wife of Dhanurd&sa, proved to be an
exemplary devotee of Bamanuja, for she looked upon him as
the Saviour. It is related that a number of disciples approached
the lady one day and expressed to her their doubts as to
whom they should look upon as their true saviour, for it was
in their experience that many professed themselves as
saviours,
and they also severally owed to more than one preceptor the
spiritual knowledge which they had received and the goodconduct
which they had adopted in their life ; and it was thus
evident that if Rflim§.nuja was to be looked upon as saviour,
there were others as well to whom a measure of
this qualification
was ascribable. Kanakamba on hearing this, simply
flourished her locks
and gathering them together inio a knot,
tied it up with a red thread, and kept silent. The disciples
understood what she meant to convey by this behaviour. The
numerous black hairs signified many teachers but the saviour
was Ramanuja alone, represented by the red thread,—RamElnuja
who crowned them all and bound them all together into his
representative self ; in other words united into his unique
person, all the functions of minor teachers who went before
and came after him. The disciples wondei-ed at her steadfastness
and fidelity to Ramslnuja, and went away congratulating
her on her spiritual eminence.