Page:Biographical Sketches of Dekkan Poets.djvu/78

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the kings of the solar and lunar races are recorded. He likewise studied grammar and logic. When this poet attained to the age of forty, he visited the courts of the Karnatic, and Dravida princes, where, it is said, he confuted various pundits in religious controversy. He gave out that he was born of the spirit of Venkata Iswar; for the purpose of reforming the errors that had crept into the Vistnava religion, for the rites performed by the Tangul brahmins, were entirely corrupted by the interference of the satanees, or fourth class. He established a pure system of rituals, and wrote precepts to be observed by kings, and people of all classes, which were much. approved of for their justice and liberality. Vedantachari after this, resigned all secular concerns, and retired to a hut, at some distance from Kanchi, where he subsisted on alms, given by seven bramins, which was quite sufficient for him and his wife, and a disciple, who constantly resided with them. Vedantachari's mode of life frequently excited the compassion of individuals, who admired bis talents, and as he had made it a