OF THE HINDUS. g^ 



afterwards resided at Sri JRanga, worshipping Vishnu as Sri Ranga Ndtlia, and 

 there composed his principal works : he then visited various parts of India, 

 disputing with the professors of different creeds, overcoming them of course, 

 and reclaiming various shrines, then in possession of the Saivas, for the wor- 

 shippers of Vishnu, particularly the celebrated temple of Tripeti, 



On his return to Sri Ranga, the disputes between the Vaishnava and Sai- 

 va religions, became exceedingly violent, and the C/^o/a monarch, who, accord- 

 ing to some accounts, was at that time Kerikala Chola, subsequently named 

 Krimi Konda Chola, being a devout worshipper of Siva, commanded all the 

 Brahmans in his dominions to sign an acknowledgement of the supremacy of 

 that divinity, bribing some of the most refractory, and terrifying others into 

 acquiescence. Ramanuja, however, was impracticable, and the king sent 

 armed men to seize him. With the assistance of his disciples, he effected his 

 escape, and ascending the Ghats, found refuge with the Jain sovereign of My- 

 sore, Vitala Deva, Velala Raya. In consequence of rendering medical ser- 

 vice to the daughter of this prince, or in the terms of the legend, expelling 

 an evil spirit, a Brahma Rdkshasa, by whom she was possessed, he obtained 

 the monarch's grateful regard, and finally converted him to the Vaishnava 

 faith. The Raja assumed the title of Vishnu Verddhana. Ramanuja remain- 

 ed several years in Mysore, at a temple founded by the Raja on Yddava Giri, 

 now known as Mail Cotay, for the reception of an image called Chavala Rdya^ 

 a form of Ranachhor, or Krishna, which the local traditions very ridiculously 

 pretend he obtained from the Mohammedan sovereign of Delhi. RamXnuja 

 resided here twelve years, but on the death of his persecutor, the Chola king, he 

 returned to Sri Ranga, on the Kdven, and there spent the remainder of his 

 life in devout exercises and religious seclusion. 



The establishments of the Ram5,nujiyas are numerous in the Dekhin still, 

 and the same country comprehends the site of the Gaddi, the pillow or seat of 



I 



