Tit for Tat

One day, King Krishnadevaraya was strolling along the palace portico when he noticed a strange and amusing scene on the street below. His royal priest, Tathacharya, was carrying Tenali Raman on his shoulders, while Raman was playfully making sounds like a donkey. The crowd lining the street burst into laughter at the sight.

The king, however, was not amused. He felt insulted on behalf of his priest. “How dare someone treat a respected priest like that!”, he exclaimed angrily.

Calling two of his royal guards, the king ordered, “Go at once! If you see a man carrying another on his shoulders, pull down the man on top, beat him, and bring the other to me.”

Raman, who was clever and observant, noticed the king’s gestures and understood that something was wrong. He saw the two soldiers approaching quickly and came up with a plan.

Just before the soldiers reached them, Raman slide down from Tathacharya’s shoulders and bowed to touch his feet respectfully. “Revered priest,” said Raman, “you have carried me on your shoulders so far. Please forgive me. Now it’s my turn to show respect — let me carry you.”

The foolish and proud priest, thinking this would restore his dignity, readily agreed and climbed onto Raman’s shoulders.

As soon as the soldiers arrived, they saw exactly what the king had described — a man (Raman) carrying another (Tathacharya). They immediately pulled the priest down and beat him, as per the king’s order.

Poor Tathacharya was left speechless and humiliated. Only then did he recall how he had once ordered his servants to beat Raman when the latter came to his house.

Raman had indeed taught him a perfect lesson — a taste of his own medicine.

Moral: As you sow, so shall you reap. Treat others the way you wish to be treated.