The revered Sri Brahmanya Muni observed the young Yatiraja's unparalleled brilliance in knowledge, his talent, his resemblance to the goddess of learning herself, his unwavering celibacy, his radiant and majestic appearance, his wealth of virtues like tranquility, self-control, and character, his exemplary conduct, his dedication to his guru, his attractive and graceful body, and his humble and dignified nature.

Sri Brahmanya Tirtha thought to himself, "Yatiraja possesses exceptional intelligence, knowledge, and talent beyond his age. Blessed by Veda Vyasa, the time is ripe to prepare him for the grand future he is destined for. It is now time to reveal our intentions to Yatiraja and prepare him for this great task." With this resolve, Brahmanya Tirtha began his efforts.

One day, while conversing with Yatiraja, Brahmanya Muni explained the significance of his seat (Peetha) and the lineage of enlightened sages initiated by the Supreme Being, Sri Hamsa. He spoke of the unique qualities of these sages, the role of knowledge and devotion as the sole means to attain the bliss of liberation, and the greatness of the Paramahamsa order, which is most conducive to the pursuit of this knowledge. He described how the ancestors in the Hamsa lineage achieved special blessings from the Supreme Being through rigorous spiritual practices and adherence to dharma in the Yati ashram, earning great renown.

Impressed by his guru's explanations, Yatiraja was deeply influenced. Seeing this, the guru was filled with joy.

one day, around noon, the guru gathered Yatiraja and spoke as follows. "Yatiraja! The Vedic and traditional Vaishnavite doctrine, which has been upheld since time immemorial, is the true principle expounded by all the Vedas, Upanishads, Sutras, Gita, Puranas, and epics like the Mahabharata. However, this sacred doctrine is now facing a grave threat. Scholars of other doctrines are using the strengths of Nyaya (logic) and Mimamsa (interpretation) to present their philosophies in new ways. They are casting false allegations on our doctrine, writing new texts, and misleading the minds of virtuous people who are eligible for liberation. If this continues, there is a fear that our supreme doctrine might be overshadowed.

Therefore, young one! There is a need for a great soul, blessed by the divine, who can counter this attack by the formidable scholars of other doctrines, engage in debates with them, win, and remove the calamities caused by their misleading texts and lectures. This will allow our doctrine to shine unobstructed once again. You are that great soul, blessed by the divine, whom we have been awaiting. It has been our desire for a long time to convey this to you and to prepare you for this great task. Today, we are expressing our wish to you. Please fulfill our desire and bring us joy."

Hearing these words from his guru, Yatiraja felt a mixture of happiness, excitement, and astonishment. His body was thrilled with goosebumps. With humility, he folded his hands and replied, "Gurudeva! What are you saying? You have nurtured me, guided me, and blessed me with knowledge. Why should I, as your disciple, hesitate? You have every authority over me. Please convey your wishes to me. What greater fortune could there be than to act according to your commands and bring happiness to your heart?"

Upon hearing Yatiraja's humble words, Sri Brahmanya Tirtha was overjoyed. He then elaborated on all the events that had transpired so far, starting from his penance and the blessings received from the Lord.

Sri Brahmanya Tirtha said, "Yatiraja, we believe that you alone are capable of protecting and nurturing our doctrine in every way. To accomplish this supremely sacred task, you are the most qualified and distinguished candidate. Therefore, you must first take Sannyasa from us, becoming our disciple. Following that, you must thoroughly study the six philosophies, especially the Vaishnavite Vedanta, and become a scholar. Only then will you be capable of successfully carrying out this significant mission. Eventually, you will succeed me as the head of the Sri Madhvacharya's great lineage."

Yatiraja was listening intently to his guru's words with great interest. However, the moment his guru mentioned that he must take Sannyasa and become his disciple, all his enthusiasm vanished. He was deeply shocked and filled with a sense of fear and unease. Without responding to his guru, he sat down with a serious expression, head bowed in contemplation. Noticing Yatiraja's change in demeanor, Sri Brahmanya Tirtha said, "Think carefully and then let me know your decision," and left the place.

After his guru left, Yatiraja's mind was overwhelmed with conflicting thoughts. The idea of becoming a Sannyasi took hold of him. Until then, all his courage and enthusiasm had vanished. A sense of fear gripped his heart, causing it to tremble. The unexpressed pain and mental turmoil robbed Yatiraja of his peace of mind.

If he stayed, he would have to fulfill his guru's words. Therefore, he decided to leave the monastery as soon as possible. Having made this decision, Yatiraja's heart longed for solitude. Helpless due to the mental turmoil, despite possessing discernment, he, in a fit of youthful impulsiveness and in search of peace, left the monastery without informing anyone.

Engulfed in his thoughts, Yatiraja was unaware of where he was headed. Without noticing anything around him, he walked briskly with his head down. Lost in contemplation, he had traveled quite far from the monastery. Exhausted from mental distress and the journey, he finally stopped and looked around, wondering where he had come. The sight that met his eyes was extraordinarily beautiful.

It was a secluded grove, graced by the presence of serene surroundings. The atmosphere was calm, and the sun still had a long way to set. The golden rays of the sun illuminated the forest beautifully. Yatiraja spotted a large, water-filled lake. The peaceful environment brought some tranquility to his mind. He walked towards the divine lake, saw its clear waters, washed his hands and feet, performed his evening prayers and chants, drank some water, and then looked around.

He noticed a banyan tree with extensive branches and sub-branches. Yatiraja approached the tree, leaned against its trunk to relieve his physical fatigue, and sat down. His eyes grew heavy with the exhaustion of the long journey. He was in a state that was neither fully asleep nor fully awake. Suddenly, a bright flash of light appeared before him, creating a divine glow! From this serene light emerged a radiant, majestic figure standing before Yatiraja!

Seeing this revered figure, Yatiraja felt a surge of devotion. The majestic figure had a grand appearance, matted hair on his head, abundant white hair on his temples and cheeks, eyes that shone like lightning, a body glowing with a beautiful bluish tint, a distinguished forehead marked with the Urdhva Pundra, twelve divine names inscribed, a sacred thread adorning his neck, tulasi garlands, and ochre-colored robes. In his hands, he held a staff and water pot, and a golden waistband adorned his waist. The expression on the great figure's face was extremely peaceful. His shining eyes were filled with compassion.

As Yatiraja watched, he saw Lord Sriman Narayana, mounted on Garuda and accompanied by Sri Lakshmi, being praised by the deities. In the next moment, the majestic figure with matted hair reappeared, smiling gently with a gesture of blessing. Yatiraja realized that the figure standing before him was none other than Sri Vedavyasa, the incarnation of Lord Narayana, who had given darshan to Sri Madhvacharya in Badari, as described in Madhva Vijaya.

With just a glimpse of them, all of Yatiraja's worries, anxiety, and fatigue melted away like mist in the sunlight. A certain divine energy seemed to flow through his nerves. His body trembled with goosebumps from the thrill of the experience. Devotion surged within Yatiraja's heart. Without even realizing it, he prostrated himself before the divine figure of Bhagavan Sri Vedavyasa and stood with folded hands.

Bhagavan Vedavyasa approached and placed his divine hand on Yatiraja's head. Immediately, a current of energy seemed to flow through Yatiraja's body. As he looked at Bhagavan with unwavering focus, Vedavyasa, smiling gently like the beauty of moonlight, spoke in soft and sweet words:

"My child! What is this worry of yours? Why should a brave soul like you be troubled? Young one, we have sent you to this earth to fulfill our mission of spreading knowledge. The heretics are distorting the ancient Vedic Vaishnavite doctrine that we taught and are spreading false beliefs. Once, when a similar situation arose, we sent the most beloved and protector of the world, Vayu Deva, to uphold our doctrine and guide those worthy of liberation. Following our command, Bharati Raman's principal life force incarnated through Madhva, composed commentaries on the Brahma Sutras in a manner most pleasing to us, established the Vaishnavite doctrine, and greatly benefitted the virtuous people.

"My child, the beloved Ananda Tirtha (Madhvacharya) established the supreme doctrine, but now, adversaries are attacking it again, distorting the Vedic true doctrine and rejecting the Vedic teachings. To uplift this true doctrine for the salvation of the virtuous in Kali Yuga, we have blessed you, our devoted follower, as a boon to Brahmanya Tirtha's penance.

Yatiraja, the time has come for the purpose of your incarnation to be fulfilled! All of this has happened according to our divine will and intent. Child, you must become a sannyasi, confront the heretics, and protect our supreme doctrine from all obstacles. You must achieve victory in debates, compose scriptures, deliver lectures, spread the true teachings and dharma, uplift the virtuous, and ensure the welfare of the world. Be vigilant and realize who you are, young one. Now, as per Brahmanya Tirtha's wish, accept the Paramahamsa order and successfully accomplish your mission! We will always be present with you, guiding you in this great task, and bestow upon you eternal fame. Through you, the propagation of the Bhagavata Dharma will continue unbroken, and once again, theism will be established firmly in Bharatavarsha.

Listen, child! For the success of this mission, we have inspired Brahmanya Tirtha to give you our name. With our name, work for the welfare of the world and uplift the virtuous. Follow Brahmanya Tirtha's instructions, and may you be victorious,” thus advising, Bhagavan Vedavyasa disappeared.

Immersed in the joy of beholding the divine form of Sri Vedavyasa, Yatiraja felt as though he had descended from another world when the Lord disappeared. He opened his eyes and, astonished, wondered if it was a dream or reality. He then exclaimed, "Oh, how fortunate I am! I have had the vision of Vedavyasa, endowed with all six divine qualities, who revealed the secret of my incarnation and my duties! How great is his affection for his devotees! He has entrusted me with the significant responsibility of firmly establishing his supreme doctrine on earth. I am truly blessed."

The darkness that had enveloped Yatiraja until then was dispelled, replaced by a divine light, bringing peace to his mind. The sacred touch of Bhagavan Vedavyasa's hand removed the veil of illusion, revealing his true nature. The curse of Brahma, the events of his Prahlada incarnation, and all other occurrences became clear in his heart, one after another.

All of Yatiraja's worries and anxieties vanished, and his mind was filled with the radiance of joy. A great energy seemed to flow through his nerves, filling him with new enthusiasm. Determined to fulfill his guru's wishes and serve Sri Hari as per Vedavyasa's command, Yatiraja joyfully and energetically retraced his steps back to the monastery in Attur, as if he had merely stepped out for a short while.

Meanwhile, Brahmanya Tirtha, unable to find Yatiraja and worried, began to panic. He searched everywhere in the monastery. He sent servants to look for him in the town. The monastery's servants searched all over Attur but couldn't find Yatiraja anywhere and reported this to the guru. Not knowing where Yatiraja had gone, Brahmanya Tirtha became anxious and wandered around restlessly.

At that moment, a student from the monastery came running and said, "Mahaswami, Yatiraja is coming." Hearing this was like nectar to the guru. Eager to see his beloved disciple, he rushed outside and saw Yatiraja approaching. Yatiraja's face was shining with a supernatural radiance. He was filled with joy and enthusiasm, and Brahmanya Tirtha, overwhelmed with happiness, embraced him and touched his head, saying, "Child, where did you go? Do you know how worried we were not seeing you? Come, Yatiraja," and embraced him again.

When Yatiraja realized the love and affection his guru had for him and the sorrow he felt when he was missing, tears welled up in his eyes. He said, "Forgive me, Gurudeva," and returned to the monastery with him. Brahmanya Tirtha sat with him in his private quarters and asked, "Child! Did the matter I mentioned to you this afternoon cause you pain? Did it make you upset?"

Yatiraja replied, "Please forgive me, Guruji. Disturbed by your words and out of childish impulsiveness, I became frightened and sought solitude. Now, my mind has calmed down. I will act according to your instructions," and he narrated everything that had happened after he left.

Hearing Yatiraja's words, Brahmanya Tirtha experienced both astonishment and joy simultaneously. Tears of joy flowed from his eyes. With a choked voice, he said, "Child, you are supremely blessed and fortunate to have had a vision of Bhagavan Vedavyasa! He has instructed you on your duty, ensuring our wish will be fulfilled. Truly, we are both blessed!"

After the evening prayers and rituals were completed that day, Brahmanya Tirtha discussed various matters with Yatiraja. He said, "Child, we are now filled with supreme joy. Our long-standing penance has borne fruit today. We will soon initiate you into the ascetic order and fulfill our duty," to which Yatiraja humbly responded, "As you command." Then the guru and disciple retired to rest.

Here, it is appropriate to reflect on certain matters.

Yatiraja, blessed by Sri Vedavyasa, incarnated for the spread of knowledge and the welfare of the world, is indeed Prahlada Raja himself. Sri Vayu Deva has always resided within him with special presence, making him a great scholar through the ages. Nurtured and raised in the holy environment of Sri Brahmanya Tirtha, he is a noble soul.

It is natural to wonder why such a person, who is destined to become a future world teacher and work for the welfare of the world, would leave the monastery without informing his guru, overcome by sorrow, delusion, fear, and anxiety like an ordinary person. Is it reasonable for him to be afraid of becoming a sannyasi? Would this incident not remain a blemish on the illustrious life of Yatiraja, who is to bring great good to the world? Therefore, it is worth considering this matter a little more deeply here.

“There is a scriptural reference that states: ‘When gods incarnate on earth as humans, they behave like humans. They do not reveal their divine wisdom and wealth.’ - 'manuṣaṃ mānuṣo dharmo devā api hi mānuṣe 1 manuṣyavatsavartante naivaśvarya prakāśanaḥ ||’

‘When deities are born on earth, in whatever age, form, age group, or family they are born into, they act in accordance with the customs, age, and family they belong to. This is their divine duty, and it is the most pleasing duty to them, as ordained by the Supreme Being. Likewise, to teach the world, even though he is not bound by any rules or regulations, is completely independent, and the greatest of all, Sri Janardana incarnated as Krishna in the Yadava family, acting accordingly and guiding the deities.’ - This is affirmed by Sri Madhvacharya in the Mahabharata Tatparya Nirnaya.”

"Moreover, there is another scriptural reference: 'Even though they possess all knowledge and wisdom, when deities are born as humans, they must behave like humans.' - 'dharmo hi sarvaviruṣām api devatānāṃ | prāpta nareṣu jananē naravatavṛttiḥ |' This illustrates that despite being knowledgeable and all-knowing, when deities incarnate as humans, they must conduct themselves like humans. Therefore, this is guided by the Lord's command and supported by the above scriptures.

Even though Yatiraja is the incarnation of Prahlada, full of knowledge, devotion, and renunciation, and even though he was born to serve the Lord through the dissemination of knowledge as an ascetic, he behaved like an ordinary human due to his human birth and youthful age. It is understood that it is a duty pleasing to the Lord to act in accordance with the nature of a human child at that age. Therefore, we must understand that Yatiraja, who will later become the revered Sri Vyasaraja, has acted appropriately, and there is no room for any blemish on his illustrious life."

"We can observe that many similar incidents occurred in the lives of Yatiraja, who would later become Sri Vyasaraja, and Venkatanatha, who would later become Sri Raghavendra Swami. It is fitting to recount a similar incident related to the current context here.

In our tradition, to take sannyasa, one must receive the command from respected and elder authorities. There is a custom and tradition of accepting the Paramahamsa order with their permission.

Sri Brahmanya Tirtha commanded, 'Yatiraja, you must accept the Paramahamsa order and become my disciple, taking charge of the great institution.' This caused Yatiraja to become anxious. 'If I stay here, my guru will give me sannyasa. I do not wish to become a sannyasi. Therefore, I must leave this place,' and so Yatiraja left the monastery."

"It is natural to wonder why Yatiraja, despite being commanded by the wise and venerable Brahmanya Tirtha to accept sannyasa, did not comply and instead left the monastery. It is necessary to provide an explanation for this.

Although Sri Brahmanya Tirtha was a wise and respected guru, descended from the Sun, it may appear improper for Yatiraja to leave the monastery against his command. However, there was a valid reason for Yatiraja's departure. Even though Brahmanya Tirtha was a revered figure, Yatiraja, who was an incarnation of Prahlada and always had the presence of Vayu Deva within him, required the command from someone greater than Vayu Deva to accept sannyasa. Yatiraja knew this, and although it appeared on the surface that he left the monastery out of fear of sannyasa like an ordinary human, he actually left to seek the divine command for taking sannyasa.

This is further supported by the subsequent events. After leaving the monastery and resting under a tree, Sri Vedavyasa, who is revered among the Paramahamsa lineage and an incarnation of Sri Narayana, appeared before him, revealed his true nature, and commanded him to accept the Paramahamsa order. With his purpose fulfilled, Yatiraja returned to the monastery and expressed his consent to Sri Brahmanya Tirtha to accept sannyasa.

This explanation should confidently address any doubts regarding this incident."

"A similar incident is found in the life of Sri Raghavendra Swami.

When Sri Sudhindra Tirtha, a leading scholar, received a divine command in a dream from Sri Mula Rama, Sri Vedavyasa Deva, and Sri Madhvacharya to initiate Venkatanatha into the monastic order and rename him Sri Raghavendra Tirtha, he instructed Venkatanatha to accept sannyasa and become his disciple. However, Venkatanatha, like an ordinary human, replied, 'My wife is still young, my son has not yet undergone the upanayana ceremony, and I am still young. I have no desire for sannyasa... If you force me, I will leave the monastery and go away.'

Venkatanatha then returned home, and a transformation of thought occurred within him. As he pondered over the guru's words, Vidyalakshmi herself appeared before him in the early hours of the morning. She revealed his true nature, instructed him to accept the Paramahamsa order, and imparted her mantra to him. Immediately, Venkatanatha's attitude changed. Having previously rejected sannyasa, he now willingly approached Sri Sudhindra Tirtha, climbed the seat of initiation, and consented to accept sannyasa.

Both Yatiraja and Venkatanatha initially refused sannyasa, but later, Yatiraja accepted the Paramahamsa order following the guidance of Sri Vedavyasa Deva, and Venkatanatha accepted it following the guidance of Vidyalakshmi. They then became Sri Vyasaraja and Sri Raghavendra Tirtha, respectively, and ruled the Vedantic kingdom, as confirmed by their histories. Thus, similar events in the incarnations of Sri Vyasaraja and Sri Raghavendra indicate that both were continuous incarnations of Sri Prahlada Raja, with the constant presence of Sri Vayu Deva. Reflecting on this brings supreme joy to the virtuous, which is not surprising."