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of such a horrible Tapaşcaryā, at last, the Godess of Speech was pleased and blessed him to be the brightest jewel among pandits.
He returned back; and to the surprise of those who joked he made a wooden pestle bear luxuriant folige ! The people were struck with wonder. Even the Vadis became tonguefied. His master-Skandilācārya-,recognizing his wonderful prowess, appointed him on his own seat, and named him most appropriately Vriddhavādi sūri.
At that time, Vira Vikram's rule was at its zenith, and he was known all over India He had a family-priest named Dévarşi who had an intelligent, and an able son named Siddha. séna He had defeated even great scholars in debates. So he becane puffed up and began to regard himself as the most learned Pandit. To him it was clear that there could not exist any scholar so great as he was ! He was intoxicated with vanny. He came out to prove himself most worthy. Just to show his worthiness and importance, he tied bandages over his abdomen, fastened a ladder round one of his shoulders; on the other shoulder, he placed a net, tcok up a spade in one hand, and in the other, a bundle of grass ! With such a strange appearance he started on a journey, and came to Karņāțaka. The king there, asked him the reason for putting on such surprising attires. He said, “I have to take care of my belly so that it may not be burst with the heavy load of knowledge I have grasped; and hence, these bandages! If some Pandit may rise up to debate, I am sure to overthrow him; this ladder indicates his befall 1 But in case, he runs away and dives into deep water, here is the net ! And the spade is here, to dug the ground and find him out if he hides 'under-ground ! But if he is defeated, I have kept this bundle of grass ready, sothat I can draw out a blade of grass from it, and force him to pick it up from the ground with his teeth 1
The learned men of Karņāțaka could not stand against him in debates, Then, he travelled through Mahārastra, Maga
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