RAMAN REACHES PALACE AGAIN
The bad news of Brahmin’s ghost spread all over the Vijayanagaram empire. Naturally people were in fear. Even two days after the proclamation, there was no response from the public. On the third day, the king was sitting gloomy in the durbar. Tathachary also sat beside the king. A soldier came before the king and announced the arrival of a sage. The king ordered to bring the sage in. The sage came . He wore a sqffron dress. He had long hair and beard. The long matted hair extended up to his navel. He wore a beads roll around the neck. Altogether the king liked the sage. ‘I am ready to evict the Brahmin’s soul. Are you ready to reward with anything I demand?’ the monk asked. ‘I am ready. But don’t ask things which would. affect the reputation or wellbeing of the nation’, the king clarified.
The sage agreed to the condition. The king had other ideas in mind. ‘ Along with the eviction of Brahmin’s soul, is it possible to absolve from the sin of killing Tenali Raman?’ the king asked the sanyasi. The monk replied, ‘As a result of my obsequies, things will proceed as if the Brahmin was not killed at all.’ ‘In that case can you revive Tenali Raman’? the king doubted.
‘If Tenali Raman resurrect, he will become regular nuisance for you, so it is better-to perform obsequies for the killing. Do not revive him’, court priest Tathachary
told the king. It is well known that Raman was a threat to Tathachary. ‘As per rule, how can the order of a king to kill the law-breaker become a sin ? ‘ the monk said. ‘l Iven if it is for maintaining law, act of Killing is a Killng and it is sinful. We must bury the soul of Raman’, the court priest said. ‘The harassment of the ghost is at the
ternple, which is seven furlong away from here. You have to go there. We will make all necessary arrangements for the pooja tomorrow’ , Tathachary added.
But the monk had other ideas. He said, ‘All the rites cun be done here itself now.’ He saw fear gripping on the face of Tathachary.’ Even if Tenali Raman is alive, it won’t cause any harm, as he became a ghost due to unnatural death’, the sage consoled Tathachary.
‘l*he sin of killing a Brahmin also has to be expiated’ the king suggested.
‘Oh! lord am doing both the rites together. Don’t worry’, saying this the ascetic removed his beard and matted hair. The king became excited. Tathachary moved back with fear. ‘I am the Brahmin, killed by you’, he (old loudly. It was really Tenali Raman. Thus Raman
appeared alive at the court durbar. All of them believed that Raman was dead. The king asked Raman ‘What do vou want from me?’ ‘A thousand gold sovereigns and release from de’ath sentence’, Raman replied, at once. The king accepted the demands and acted accordingly.