In Srirangam, inside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple are present two pillars called "maNath thooN".

Kulasekhara Azhvar sings that one has to hold on to these pillars and worship the Lord ("mAyOnai maNath thooNE paRRi ninRu en vAyAra enRu kolO vAzhththu nALE").

A disciple asked Bhattar "Why do we have to hold on to the pillar when worshipping Sri Ranganathar?"

Bhattar replied "When a person sees Him, he will be overwhelmed and will begin to melt. Therefore, he would need something to hold on to, while worshipping him".

The disciple replied "Swamin! That may be the case for His true devotees. But it does not apply to people like me. If anything, we become even more solid after we worhsip Him. So, adiyEn does not see how that would apply to us".

Bhattar replied "It applies to everyone. When we, who have stayed away from Him for so long, enter His sannidhi, He becomes so delighted to see His long lost child finally coming back to Him, that His mercy starts flowing like a river from His eyes. It flows in such a torrent that even one who is not moved by seeing Him, has to hold on to something in order not to be swept away by it".