Indian Stories

The Last Wish

Tenalirama's Wit
Tenalirama born in the family of a poor brahman Ramaiyyah, Tenali rose high in life sheerly on the strength of his intelligence and quick wit.

The Brahmins of vijaynagar kingdom had grown quite greedy. On one pretext or the other they used to extract money from the king by selfish interpreting the religious texts. To exploit the King's religious bent for their selfish end was their supreme duty. One day, the king Raja Krishnadevrai consulted them: "When my mother was about to die, she expressed her last wish to eat a mango. But by the time a mango could be procured for her, she expire. Now, will it be possible to do anything to provide solace to her departed soul."

The Brahmins got an opportunity and they said in unison: "According to our scriptures if you donate 108 mangoes made of pure gold to Brahmins, then your mother's departed soul will definitely get peace. The ancient sages have ordained that anything donated to Brahmins verily reaches the departed soul."

The king immediately had 108 mangoes made of gold and donated to the Brahmins. The Brahmins were delighted to get them. But Tenaliram was greatly peeved at the cunning meanness of those Brahmins. For, he knew that no such thing happened and it was the Brahmin's conceited vileness, which exploited the King's love for his mother. Now Tenaliram waited for an opportunity to teach these vile Brahmins a lesson.

After a few days Tenaliram's mother also expired. Then Tenaliram Invited the Brahmins to partake of meals in funeral feast. Attracted by the prospects of having a sumptuous meal, the Brahmins arrived at Tenalirams house. When they had taken their seats and the serving of the meals was about to start, Tenaliram asked his servant to close the door and touch the Brahmin's body by red-hot iron rods the Brahmins pulverized. They ran helter-skelter for their safety. But still a few of them could not escape the rod and received burns on their body. But by that time, the news reached the King and came hurriedly to rescue Brahmins. The King was quiet angry. He sternly asked his favourite courtier and friend, Tenaliram: "How could you dare insult the noble Brahmins?"

"No, your highness", said Tenali, "I had no intention of insulting them. In fact, my mother was a patient of arthritis. She had severe pain in her joints even when she died. She had expressed her last wish that she wanted her body joints to be touched by red-hot iron rods for providing relief from severe pain. That I could not do then. But I thought, if your mother could receive the mangoes by providing the Brahmins with golden version, surely my mother could also receive the desired fermentation at her aching joints by touching the Brahmins' body with iron rods!"

The King burst out laughing at Tenali's clever logic and the Brahmins head bowed with shame.