Hi. It’s been a month ago I shared few stories from the book “Atlas of beauty.” It really took a while for me to come up with another topic. As we all locked inside because of this pandemic. I decided to choose topic which helps in motivating the readers. We all are fond of reading moral stories during our childhood. So, I thought of digging some childhood memories and I came up with sharing stories of Tenali which is interesting and quite motivating too. Hope you guys enjoy these stories and recall your memories with those stories.
Before going into the stories of Tenali, let’s look into short introduction about him. As Tenali was born on 22nd September 1490. His birth name is Garlapathi Ramakrishna. He is the famous Indian poet (well known for his Telugu poems, came from Andhra Pradesh), great scholar, perfect thinker and a special advisor in the court of Sri Krishnadevaraya. King Krishnadevaraya was an emperor of Vijayanagara Empire who reigned (govern) from 1509–1529. Tenali was well known for his folk tales.
I bet none of our childhood would have passed without listening to his tales at least once. Tenali was one of the Ashtadiggajas (means elephants in eight directions: it is a collective title given to the eight Telegu poets/scholars during the ruling period of Krishnadevaraya).
TENALI’S KNOWLEDGE AND WEALTH
As per study it was said that, Tenali was not well educated and doesn’t have good academic background. But still he was considered as famous poet. Do you know why? Scroll down to know the reason.
During Tenali’s childhood, famous sage (scholar) visited his village. Just by encountering Tenali, he felt that he would become a great poet in future. He called Tenali, thought him a mantra and asked him to repeat it 1008 times in front of Goddess Kali. So that Ma Kali will grant him blessings and all his wishes will come true.
By next day, Tenali visited the Kali ma temple and began to chant the mantra 1008 times with complete devotion and faith. As he completed, Kali ma appeared before him. As Tenali opened his eyes, he started laughing. Kali ma was confused and asked him what was there to laugh. Tenali replied, "First forgive me Kali ma." As you are having thousand heads and multiple arms. I just imagined, if you catch a cold, how will you manage sneezing and coughing as you have 1000 noses.
Kali ma herself laughed by hearing Tenali’s joke and she began to explain why she appeared in front of him. I appeared before you to grant a wish. I have two bowls, where one bowl (filled with milk) will grant you knowledge and the other bowl (filled with curd) grant you wealth. Will place both the bowls in front of you. You must decide carefully and choose one.
Tenali took a while to think about it. He said ma, shall I taste both the bowls before drinking either one of it. Kali ma said yes. Without her realization, Tenali drank (milk and curd) from both the bowls. Ma was shocked and asked him, why you did this? Tenali replied, knowledge without wealth or wealth without knowledge is useless.
Ma Kali was impressed by his wise thinking and blessed him saying, you will become a great poet and known for your intelligence and humor sense in future.
So, by blessing of Kali Tenali was blessed with both knowledge and wealth.
GOLDEN MANGOES
One day, royal mother (mother of King Krishnadevaraya) got sick and was bedridden. King tried to bring doctors from different location to save his mother. But unfortunately, her rate of survival was very low. As she was old, her body doesn’t accept any of the medications given. Doctors said that, his mother couldn’t survive much longer.
After few days, royal mother called out her son and said that, “My dear son, I won’t be living any longer. I will be leaving this world soon. I have one last wish before leaving this material life.” Could you able to fulfill it?
The king with teary eyes said, “Yes, I can.” Tell me what I should do, and he also promised to fulfill her wish at any cause. Royal mother with slight smile replied I would like to eat one ripe mango before I leave this world forever.
Immediately, the King invited all the courtiers and guards. He ordered them to search for the basket full of ripe mangoes and bring them to the kingdom as soon as possible. But people gathered over the kingdom was bit confused, because it was just the start of spring season. Mango trees just started to flower; it would take some more time to get mangoes. But no one is dare enough to explain about the situation to the King (who was in deep pain).
After few days, the soldiers (guards) of the kingdom managed to bring basket full of mangoes. After seeing the mango, the king felt extremely happy and rushed towards her mother to give those mangoes to her. But before placing the mango basket beside her bed, the royal mother took a last breath.
The king felt very sad as he was not able to fulfill his mother’s last wish. He even felt guilty after this incidence and started ignoring his royal duties. He spent his entire time in grief. To overcome this pain, the king invited his guru Thathacharya to the kingdom and explained him about the situation he was facing. He also requested his guru to give him a solution to fight against this situation.
Guru Thathacharya, thought for a while and came up with a solution. Dear King, royal mother is fond of giving alms (providing capabilities for free/ charity/helping needy or poor) to brahmins. Why don’t you give golden mangoes to brahmins? This might reduce your grief and soul of royal mother would feel happy about it.
The king agreed to the solution and ordered the guards to make golden mangoes. This news of distributing golden mangoes to brahmins reached nook and corners of the country. Almost more than hundred brahmins reached the royal place to get the golden mangoes from the kingdom. In the meantime, the golden mangoes stored in the kingdom treasury place is started to melt. Though Appaji, the Chief Minister, informed king about this, the king doesn’t pay any attention towards it.
Finally, Appaji thought of approaching Tenali to find solution for this. He met Tenali and explained about golden mangoes distribution and melting of mangoes in the treasury place. Tenali assured him that he will take care it. The very next day, Tenali visited the place where group of Brahmins gathered to get golden mangoes.
Tenali planned to build an empty tent and sat inside the tent. He called guards who were standing outside and asked to send the brahmins to the tent first before going to treasury distribution place. As Tenali was special advisor of the King, guards thought that this would be one of the majesty rules, so they agreed to Tenali’s words.
As per Tenali’s word, guard started sending brahmin one by one to Rama’s tent before reaching the treasury place. Once the brahmin enters the tent, Tenali said them that, each of them should take one hot-rod burn on the back before collecting the golden mango. The brahmin whoever entered the tent agreed to take one hot burn and then moved forward to collect the golden mangoes.
As the process continues, one brahmin questioned Tenali that, if he gets two hot-rod burn will he able to get two golden mangoes from the treasury. Rama said yes and given him two hot burn at the back. But at the treasury place the brahmin was given only one golden mango and he started arguing with the guards. To stop the argument the guards took him to the King’s court.
At the king’s court the brahmin explained about hot-rod burn and Tenali’s promise about giving two mangoes. The king was shocked and asked guards to bring Tenali to the court immediately.
After Tenali reached the court, King demanded him for explanation about hot burn. Tenali bowed down to the king and said I’m extremely sorry majesty. But I have no other choice. As my mother left this world because of deadly disease.
Doctors said that your mother could survive if we give her hot-rod burn at her back. Before organizing that, my mother left the world. On her last breath, she asked me to give those hot-rod burn cure for brahmins. As, I was a poor brahmin, I couldn’t gather all the brahmins together as you did. So, I used this opportunity to fulfill my mother’s last wish.
After hearing this, the King came back to his senses and dismissed the court. He thought about what Tenali’s said again and again, asked the guards to stop giving golden mangoes to the brahmins. He realized his nasty decision and learnt a lesson not to get fooled / blinded by emotions.
CURSED MAN
This story is about an old man Ramayya who lived in Vijayanagara. There was a rumor spreading all over the city is that if someone look at Ramayya face as soon as they woke up, they will lose their appetite. The king himself want to investigate about this rumor.
So, he ordered the guards to bring Ramayya to the kingdom and made him stay next to his bedroom. So that the king can see him as soon as he wakes up. As per plan, next day king seen Ramayya face once he woke up from his bed. On that day, the food provided to the king has flies in it and king ordered the cooks to prepare fresh breakfast. Before the fresh breakfast arrives, the king lost his appetite. And he realized that rumor was true and ordered the guards to behead Ramayya.
This news reaches the wife of Ramayya and she decided to get help from Tenali. She met Tenali and explained about the situation. Tenali after a deep thought, went to visit Ramayya in the prison. He handed him a piece of paper and murmured something in his ears before leaving.
When guards were about to behead Ramayya, he shouted saying I have last wish before I die. Guards stopped and asked him about his last wish. Ramayya asked the guard to give note (piece of paper) to the king before executing his punishment. Guards took the paper from him and placed it before the king. The note on the paper reads as follows: if one loses appetite just by looking at my (Ramayya) face, then by seeing King’s face first in the morning, will lose his life.? So, who is cursed man me or king?
After reading the note King realized his mistake and ordered the guards to release Ramayya.
ARROGANT PANDIT
This story is about a great Pandit who is very arrogant and has a nature of talking brag about himself for his intelligence. One day he visited the court of King Krishnadevaraya and said that he was mastered in all subjects (literature and other scholar books). He also defeated many scholars in the battle of wits (the capacity for inventive thought and quick understanding; keen intelligence) across India.
He also challenged to take up battle of wits with eight poets of King Krishnadevaraya. As the battle begin, poets of Krishnadevaraya got defeated one by one. Finally comes the Tenali turn to take up the battle. Tenali took a book covered with yellow silk cloth from his bag and said dear pandit, let us have a debate or questionnaire based on this piece of literature titled “Thilaka Mahista Bandhanam.”
The pandit haven’t heard about that book before, so he accepted the defeat and left the court. King was happy that Tenali has saved the reputation of his scholars and kingdom. Tenali was rewarded and appreciated for his good work. And after that everyone was curious to know about that new literature book which they haven’t heard before. So, they requested Tenali to explain and show the book to them.
Tenali laughed and removed the silk cloth. To everyone surprise, it was not a book but bundle of twigs (stem of a tree or shrub) tied with a rope to appear like a book. Rama continued, “Thilakastha” means “Sticks of mustard plants.” This rope is used to tie oxen which makes it “Mahista (ox) Bandhanam (bind).” I used Sanskrit terms for all these words. So, pandit got scared as he was not aware about this book and accepted his defeat.
Moral, there is definitely something that we don’t know about it.
LIVE IN THE MOMENT
This story is about how to seek happiness in the present instead of worrying about past or future. One fine day Tenali visited seashore with his friend. As they both were lying near seashore and enjoying a cool breeze. Tenali noticed bright smile on his friend’s face and asked him why are you laughing?
His friend said I’m thinking about the day when I going to be truly happy. The day when I will have a big house near seashore, with enough savings, my four sons are well educated and filled with enough wealth, enjoy a peaceful life with my wife. Tenali asked, what will you do if you get all this. His friend replied, I would lie near the seashore and enjoy the cool breeze. Tenali nudged him saying, aren’t you doing that right now?!
Hope the above narrated stories could be interesting and engaging to all. I stop here and come up with another topic soon.. Stay Safe:)!
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