Ramanujacharya – Biography - ebooks - ISKCON desire tree

In those days in India, great scholars used tochallenge one another to see who was the more learned inVedic scriptures and more skilled in the science of logic.While Yamunacarya was studying at the school of Bhasyacarya,there was a great scholar who lived at the court of thePandya king. His name was Kolahala, and he was a greatfavorite of the king because he could defeat any otherscholar in a debate. In fact, the king had passed a lawdecreeing that every scholar who had been defeated byKolahala must pay a tax to him every year - if anyonerefused he would be put to death.Now Yamunacarya's teacher, Bhasyacarya, had also beendefeated by Kolahala, and so he too was obliged to pay thistax. However, because he was a very poor man, he had notbeen able to pay for the past two years. One day, whenBhasyacarya was away on business and all the other studentshad gone home, Yamunacarya was left alone in the school. Atthat time one of Kolahala's disciples came there to collectthe overdue tax from Bhasyacarya."Where is your teacher?" he demanded in imperioustones when he saw that Yamunacarya was alone in the school."Might I know, sir, who has sent you here?" repliedYamunacarya in a very gentle voice, anxious not to give anyoffense."What!" exclaimed the disciple, "do you not know thatI am a disciple of the greatest and most erudite scholar inall of India? Kolahala is the terror of all other scholars,and even the great Pandya king is his obedient servant. Allthose scholars defeated by the great Kolahala must pay ayearly tax or else forfeit their lives. Has your teacherbecome insane that he dares to withhold payment for twoyears? Or is it that he intends to challenge my masteragain, just as a moth rushes into a blazing fire."Yamunacarya was by nature very kindhearted, and hehardly ever quarreled with his fellow students. However, healso had great love and respect for his teacher. Therefore,when he heard Bhasyacarya being spoken of in thatcontemptuous manner, he felt such pain at heart that hecould not restrain himself and replied very strongly toKolahala's messenger. "How foolish you are and how foolishyour teacher is as well, for who but the greatest fool wouldtrain his disciple to possess such monumental pride, insteadof removing such qualities from his heart. Why should mynoble teacher waste his time debating with such a man? Goand tell your master that the lowest disciple of the greatBhasyacarya challenges him to a debate. If he dares to faceme, let him send his reply at once."PREPARATIONS FOR THE DEBATEKolahala's disciple was so astonished and indignantthat he could not think of anything to say, but left in a11