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The
Sultans ruled Delhi well over two To foster cooperation and friendship between the two kingdoms, Krishna Deva Royalu took, along with his officials, some poets and musicians, as a part of the cultural exchange. Adil Shah received the king and his men with open arms. Addressing the poets, he expressed his long cherished desire: "Could you recite a few lines from your great epic, Mahabharata?" Thereby, one of them recited some lines from it and explained to him their meaning. Hearing them, the Sultan was very much pleased. He revealed his desire: "Why don’t all of your poets sit and write for me the Mahabharata, transposing it: Make my enemies the Kouravas, and me and my friends, Pandavas. I shall give you a week’s time for doing that work for me." All of them including the king were dumb-founded. Somehow they came out of the session in the court that day. On that night, the king was with his poets, seriously discussing on how best they could get out of the problem posed by the Sultan. Ramakrishna came forward, and said: "My respected lord. There is no need to be panicky. I shall easily tackle this issue" The king had his own doubts. "Ramalinga, you may play on with your words and satisfy the people like us. But the solution to our problem doesn’t lie on your wit", a jugglery of words. An affair with these adamant Sultans is like walking on a razor’s edge". The king perhaps had in mind that the whimsical sultan might wage another war on this score. However, Tenali Ramalinga brushed aside the fears of the king in the following words. "Leave it to me, lord, I shall clinch the issue which is not at al serious". "How?" Was the "Multi-million" question in everyone’s mind. However, the king and the poets submitted to what seemed remediless, leaving Ramalinga to tackle this burning problem. The next day, the Sultan reminded of his desire. Ramakrishna came with the reply: "Huzur, we are at it. But most of our poets have a doubt on a simple thing, which they are unable to come to a final opinion unless they consult you personally. They are asking me for clarification from you secretly." Thereby, the Sultan gave him an interview most confidentially, taking him to his chambers. "What clarification do you need from me"? Tenali Ramalinga, in folded hands, slowly paraded; "Great Sultan, your love of our holy books is most commendable. Our poets have gladly undertaken your task of transposing. The Mahabharata on your lines. They have made your enemies, the Kouravas. They are at making you Dharma Raju the eldest of the great Pandavas. As you know, Huzur, Pandavas are five in number. All are married to ‘Droupadi’ and shared…." "Stop this nonsense," intervened the sultan, "stop it for god’s sake. I can’t here anymore. No more of your Mahabharata." "But, Sir, the writing has already started. We can’t. we can’t break our promise" stammered Ramalinga. "Look here!" retorted the Sultan; "we shall be friendly and cooperative, if you stop this once for all." Bowing his head, Tenali Ramalinga left the Private chambers of the sultan and informed his people. They were jubilant, and celebrated their victory. All was due to Ramalinga’s presence of mind that saved the situation. |
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centuries
in one spell. Some of them patronized Hindus and their traditions, and
others didn’t. When Adil Shah reigend the throne of Delhi, Sri Krishna
Devaraya was the king of vijayanagar, a great empire in South India.
Between these two kingdoms, there ensued a fierce battle for a short time
that ended in truce. There upon the Sultan invited Sri Krishna Devaraya to
Delhi for a treaty.