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Kids' Org Krishnadevaraya and Tenalirama By Manju Gupta In King Krishnadevaraya?s court, the family priest of the King was named Appalacharya, who was a high-caste Vaishnava Brahmin. Tenalirama was another courtier in the King?s court, but he was a Smartha Brahmin. Appalacharya being a Vaishnava Brahmin happened to be partial towards the Vaishnavas and tried to help them out in every possible way. Moreover, he did not like the open admiration that King Krishnadevaraya showed for Tenalirama. One day, Tenalirama ran into Appalacharya and greeted him with high regard, but the latter refused to acknowledge the greeting. Somewhat perturbed, Tenalirama asked the Vaishnava Brahmin why he behaved so. Appalacharya replied, ?As I am a Vaishnava, it is an ill omen for me to see a Smartha?s face early in the morning. As I fear that I will be born a donkey in my next life, I avoided looking at you in the face. Anyway, if you have anything to discuss with me, we can do so without my having to look at you.? Tenalirama felt very angry with Appalacharya and decided to teach him a lesson in future. It so happened that one day Krishnadevaraya was taking a walk with both Tenalirama and Appalacharya. Suddenly the three of them saw some donkeys grazing in the field. This seemed like a golden opportunity for Tenalirama to hit back at Appalacharya. So he walked ahead and bowed his head in front of the donkeys to pay his respects to them. King Krishnadevaraya saw this strange sight and could not help wondering if Tenalirama had lost his head. When Tenalirama joined the King and Appalacharya, the King asked him the reason for his unusual behaviour. Promptly Tenalirama replied, ?Your Majesty, I was paying my respects to the ancestors of Appalacharya, our hon?ble priest.? At this, King Krishnadevaraya became red with anger because how could anyone dare to insult the royal priest. He rebuked Tenalirama in no uncertain terms, ?How dare you insult the court priest? Don?t you know that we hold the priest in high regard and what connection can there be between Appalacharya and the donkeys?? Not to be put off easily, Tenalirama replied with humility, ?Your Majesty, please do not get angry without hearing me out. One day, I found Appalacharya avoiding me and on being asked why he was behaving so, he replied that if a Vaishnava saw a Smartha early in the morning he was bound to be born a donkey in his next life. Since that day onwards, fearing that any donkey could be a Vaishnava in its previous life, I bow my head to every donkey that I encounter.? On hearing this reply, while Appalacharya stood red-faced with his head bowed in shame, King Krishndevaraya could not miss the humour of the situation and he burst out laughing.

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