Bhattar on his lap

Ananthalvan was attached to Kūreśa’s son, Parāśara Bhaṭṭar. When Bhattar was on his way to Melkote to win Vedānti — fulfilling a wish of Ramanuja — Ananthalvan received him at Siruputtur, accompanied him, and returned only after the debate was won. The Āṟāyirappaṭi Guruparamparāprabhāvam records it. Bhattar came to be recognised as king of the Srivaishnavas, next to Emberumānār.

Once Bhattar was at Tirukōṣṭiyūr. It was hot summer. Ananthalvan took Bhattar on his lap to shield him from the sun. In the commentary on the first verse of Nammalvar’s Tiruvāciriyam — Kavartalai — Periyavāccāṉ Piḷḷai refers to Ādiśeṣa holding Sri Ranganatha as a fond mother holds her baby, and compares Ananthalvan doing the same for Bhattar.

Eyebrows were raised at an old man prostrating before a youngster and shielding him as if he were a servant. Ramanuja had taken the child to the shrine of Śrīraṅganācciyār and prayed that he be taken care of. He had advised the disciples to consider Bhattar his successor and treat him as they would treat Ramanuja. Kūreśa’s wife Āṇḍāl had lost a baby earlier. Ramanuja prayed that such a calamity should not occur again, and appealed to Periyapirāṭṭi to consider Bhattar the child of the Lord. Bhattar came to be known as the son of Periyapirāṭṭi. That is how Ananthalvan used to refer to him. The Iḍu on Tiruvāymoḻi 10-6-1, in the conversation of Accāṉ and Iḷaiyāḻvān, says the same: Ramanuja had ordained that Bhattar be considered equal to himself.