Bhattar once told a srivaishnava "Go to Anandazhvan, pray at his feet and find out from him what the true characteristics of a Srivaishnava are".

The srivaishnava immediately left for Thirumalai and went to Anandazhvan's home. When he reached there, he found many srivaishnavas were in the middle of eating. Since there was no place for him to sit with them, he stood by one side and was waiting.

When Anandazhvan saw him, he said "It is long past the hour for eating - and you have not yet eaten! You look so tired!". So, he quickly had the food kept for himself and his wife along with the srivaishnava.

Then, he queried him "From where are you coming?".

The srivaishnava replied "Bhattar asked adiyEn to come to devareer and find out the characteristics of a srivaishnava".

Anandazhvan replied "A srivaishnava would be like a crane, like a hen, like salt and like you".

That is, a srivaishnava is one who does not push himself forward in a crowd of bhAgavatas for personal recognition and instead stays behind and looks to only serving other bhAgavatas.

(Notes on Anandazhvan's reply:
1. Just as a crane stays near water, a srivaishnava too would stay in the divyadesas which have divine waters. A crane is white - so too a srivaishnava would be white inside and out; that is, having only good qualities. A crane would ignore the little fish and wait for the large fish. A srivaishnava would ignore the simple goals and wait for the supreme goal of service to the Lord.

2. A hen would peck around in the dirt looking only for the food particles and eat them. It would then give the same to its chicks. A srivaishnava too would search through the Vedas and other works and look only for the meanings that are in line with what the Azhvars and Acharyas have said and set them in his mind. In turn, he would also give them out to others like him.

3. When salt is added in the right amount, it gives good flavor to the food. If the salt is missing, that food item becomes inedible. The salt once added to an item, melts itself and provides taste to that food. So, even though it is responsible for the food's good taste, it is never mentioned when the food is praised. Similarly, a srivaishnava would melt himself in a bhAgavata crowd and by doing service would bring greatness to that crowd while himself staying hidden. Just as the salt will be blamed if added in excess or added too little, so too a srivaishnava will be blamed if he does not follow exactly what is prescribed for him.

4. Anandazhvan said that a srivaishnava would be like the bhAgavata who visited him because the bhAgavata waited patiently without complaining when the food was being served to everyone except him. That is the correct behaviour for one bhAgavata in another's home.)