The Fifth Delight
Shri Raghavendra Gurusarvabhauma
57. Bhaṭṭāchārya Honor
At that moment, Yajñanārāyaṇa Dīkṣita rose with great joy and exclaimed:
"O devotees of Dharma! You are truly fortunate! You have been blessed to witness an unparalleled display of eloquence, something that appears once in several centuries. This is a rare and divine occurrence. We and the entire assembly of scholars have been privileged to take part in this momentous victory of Vēṅkaṭanātha Ācārya, the unrivaled genius of this era.
Our Ācārya has truly upheld his title of 'Sakalākalāvallabha' (ಸಕಲಾಕಲಾವಲ್ಲಭ) and has filled our hearts with immense joy. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to Vēṅkaṭanātha Ācārya on behalf of everyone here! (Applause)
According to the terms of the wager (Paṇabandha, ಪಣಬಂಧ), I suggest that Vibudhānanda now offer his 'Bhaṭṭāchārya' title to Ācārya as agreed."
Saying this, he sat down.
At this, Vēṅkaṭanātha stood up and spoke:
"Victory and defeat are subject to the will of the Almighty. They occur according to time, the scholar’s mental state, inspiration, intellect, and debating prowess.
Śrī Vibudhānanda is not only a great scholar but also a noble-hearted individual. Engaging in a debate with such a distinguished scholar is itself a great joy!
Therefore, as per the wager, he does not need to relinquish his 'Bhaṭṭāchārya' title."
Hearing these words, the entire assembly was astonished by the generosity of Ācārya and his profound respect for fellow scholars.
Deeply moved by Vēṅkaṭanātha’s noble words, Vibudhānanda's eyes welled up with tears of joy. Rising from his seat, he embraced Ācārya and said:
"O great soul! How vast is your heart! Just as you are a supreme scholar, you are also an embodiment of generosity. To have debated with such a compassionate sage and to have been defeated by you is, indeed, my great fortune!
You must now accept the 'Bhaṭṭāchārya' honor that I offer you with joy, along with this golden Siṁhalalāṭa Kaṅkaṇa (ಸುವರ್ಣಸಿಂಹಲಲಾಟ ಕಂಕಣ) as a mark of respect."
Vēṅkaṭanātha, embracing him, replied:
"Your affectionate words and this embrace are more than enough for me!"
At that moment, Raghunātha Bhūpāla spoke privately with Dīkṣita, expressing his thoughts about the situation. After receiving his approval, the king whispered something into the ear of a high-ranking court official. The official promptly left and soon returned with a messenger, carrying a tray, which he respectfully placed before the royal assembly.
Raghunātha Bhūpāla then rose and addressed the gathering:
"O upholders of Dharma! Śrī Vēṅkaṭanātha Ācārya has not only achieved an indisputable victory today but has also demonstrated how a true scholar should conduct himself. He has become a model of wisdom and humility.
Though Śrī Vibudhānanda was willing to honor the terms of the wager and present his title as a mark of respect, Vēṅkaṭanātha Ācārya nobly declined to accept it, thereby upholding the dignity of this royal assembly. While he may have renounced the honor, it is our duty to uphold the glory of the Thañjāvūr Royal Court and to honor the victorious.
With great joy, we humbly request Śrī Vēṅkaṭanātha Ācārya to accept the same honorific title of 'Bhaṭṭāchārya', thus granting us the privilege of recognizing his unparalleled scholarship."
Following this declaration, Śrī Sudhīndra placed golden bracelets upon Vēṅkaṭanātha's wrists and blessed him:
"From this day forth, you shall be renowned as 'Mahābhāṣya-Bhaṭṭāchārya' Vēṅkaṭanātha Ācārya!"
The Maharaja then bestowed upon him a pair of fine silk garments and other gifts as tokens of royal appreciation. Dīkṣita, in turn, adorned him with a garland and blessed him, saying:
"May countless such victories be yours!"
The assembled scholars cheered, proclaiming:
"Victory to Śrī Vēṅkaṭanātha, the illustrious bearer of the titles 'Mahābhāṣyācārya,' 'Sakalakalāvallabha,' and 'Bhaṭṭāchārya'!"
The entire assembly applauded in celebration.
Subsequently, the king also honored Vibudhānanda, draping him with a shawl and presenting him with gifts as a mark of respect for his scholarship.
Finally, Vēṅkaṭanātha and Vibudhānanda expressed their gratitude with befitting words and bowed before their revered Guru, Śrī Sudhīndra.
With an atmosphere of joy and reverence, the grand assembly came to a close.