When Sri Ramanuja was persecuted by the Chola king, he went to present day Karnataka, which was then ruled by King Vitala Deva Raya, who was a Jain. His daughter was overpowered by an evil spirit and the King tried all remedies at his disposal, but in vain. By the grace of Ramanuja, she was cured and the family was delighted. They prostrated before Ramanuja and requested him to initiate them into the Srivaishnava faith. Ramanuja named the King ‘Vishnuvardhana Raya’.

When the Jains, who had been earlier the preceptors of the King, came to know about this incident, they arrived at Thondanoor and confronted Ramanuja. They challenged him to a scholarly debate, which he accepted. Ramanuja asked his disciples to put up a screen between him and the Jain scholars...................Read more

Source: The Hindu