Baskadia

Last wish:

Last wish

With time, King Krishnadev Rai's mother had become very old. Once she fell very ill. She felt that now she would die soon. She was very fond of mangoes, hence she wanted to donate mangoes in the last days of her life. So he expressed his desire to the king to donate mangoes to the Brahmins. She believed that by donating in this way she would attain heaven. So after a few days, the king's mother died without fulfilling her last wish.

After her death, the king called all the learned Brahmins and told them about his mother's last unfulfilled wish. After remaining silent for some time, the Brahmin said, “This is very bad, Maharaj, if his last wish is not fulfilled then he cannot get salvation.” They will keep wandering in the ghostly world. Maharaj, you should take measures for the peace of his soul.”

Then Maharaj asked him the solution to fulfill his mother's last wish. The Brahmin said, “For the peace of his soul, you will have to donate golden mangoes on his death anniversary.” Therefore, on the death anniversary of his mother, the king called some Brahmins for food and gifted mangoes made of gold to each of them.

When Tenali Rama came to know of this, he immediately understood that the Brahmins were taking advantage of the simplicity and innocence of the king. So he made a plan to teach a lesson to those Brahmins.

The next day Tenali Ram sent an invitation letter to the Brahmins. It was written in it that Tenali Ram also wanted to donate on the death anniversary of his mother. Because she also died with an unfulfilled wish. Ever since he came to know that his mother would be wandering in a ghostly world due to her last wish not being fulfilled, he is very sad and wants his mother's soul to rest in peace soon. The Brahmins thought that a lot of donations would also come from the house of Tenali Ram because he is the royal jester.

All the Brahmins reached Tenali Ram's house on the appointed day. Delicious food was served to the Brahmins. After having food everyone started waiting to receive donations. Then he saw that Tenali Ram was heating the iron bars in the fire. When asked, Tenali Ram said, “My mother was suffering from the pain of boils. At the time of his death he was in severe pain. “She was dead before I could apply the hot irons to her.” Now for the peace of his soul, I will have to do with you the same as his last wish.” The Brahmins were shocked to hear this. They wanted to leave from there immediately. He angrily said to Tenali Ram that will your mother's soul rest in peace if we are branded with hot rods?

“No sir, I am not lying. If Maharaj's mother's soul can rest in heaven by donating gold in common, then why can't I fulfill my mother's last wish?"

On hearing this, all the Brahmins understood what Tenali Ram wanted to say. He said, “Tenali Ram, forgive us. We will give you those golden mangoes. Just let us go.”

Tenali Rama took the golden mangoes and let the Brahmins go, but a greedy Brahmin went and told the whole story to the king. Hearing this the king became angry and called Tenali Rama. He said, “Tenali Ram, if you wanted golden mangoes, you would have asked for them from me. How did you become so greedy that you took the golden mangoes from the Brahmins?”

“Maharaj, I am not greedy, but I was stopping his tendency of greed. If they can accept gold mangoes on your mother's death anniversary, why can't they accept hot iron bars on my mother's death anniversary?”

King Tenali understood the meaning of Ram's words. He called the Brahmins and asked them to give up greed in future.