Life of Sri Ramanujacharya - Part 4

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Yadavaprakasa was shocked to see Ramanuja back in Kanchipuram on returning from his pilgrimage. Controlling his inner feelings, he feigned joy and surprise on seeing his 'favourite' disciple safe at home. He invited Ramanuja to join his classes again, as though nothing had happened! Ramanuja, the large-hearted saint and passionate student that he was, ignored the murderous attempt on his life and resumed his discipleship under Yadavaprakasa.

However, differences of opinion began cropping up again on matters philosophical and Yadavaprakasa's bitterness resurfaced. Moreover, an incident involving the princess of Kanchipuram added fuel to the fire. The princess had taken ill and was believed to be under the possession of an evil spirit. Yadavaprakasa was a famous exorcist too, an expert in mantra shastra (science of mantras) and was called by the King to heal the princess. To his great dismay, none of his mantras seemed to have any effect on this stubborn ghost!

Worse, the ghost made fun of Yadavaprakasa in public and asked him to bring his disciple Ramanuja if he wanted to rid the princess of its possession! Ramanuja was ushered in and the ghost pleaded with him to place his holy feet on the princess' head. Immediately, the ghost announced that it would leave the princess and as a sign of its escape, break the branch of the banyan tree in the royal garden nearby. The princess recovered from the trance as though one awakened from sleep, after the ghost left her. Ramanuja became famous in the kingdom of Kanchipuram following this incident.

Unable to bear the rising popularity of his student and his criticism of Advaitic doctrines, Yadavaprakasa finally asked him to leave his school. Ramanuja sought refuge in Kanchipurna, the great devotee of Sri Varadaraja (a form of Sri Vishnu worshipped in Kanchipuram) and beseeched Kanchipurna to accept him as his disciple. Kanchipurna told Ramanuja to perform daily service at the temple by fetching water and await further guidance from God.

Yamunamuni, also called Alavandar, was a great saint of Vaishnavism living at Tiruchirapalli (Trichy) with his disciples, serving Sri Ranganathaswami. He had seen Ramanuja earlier during a visit to Kanchipuram and was drawn to his personality. He disliked Ramanuja's discipleship under a dry scholar like Yadavaprakasa and hoped that one day he would come back into the Vaishnava tradition completely.

Hearing that Yadavaprakasa had severed ties with Ramanuja, Alavandar asked his disciple Mahapurna to go to Kanchipuram immediately and bring Ramanuja to him. Alavandar knew that his own life was drawing to a close and wanted to get Ramanuja initiated into the Vaishnava tradition without delay.