'What a valiant hero! Are you Krishna or a worthless sinner?"
Krishnadevaraya and the courtiers had been bored with the play and
sleepy; but they went into peals of laughter at the comic role of Ramakrishna.
Encouraged by this Ramakrishna raised the churning stick at Krishna once
again! Krishna fell at the feet of Ramakrishna and prayed to be spared! At this all
burst into laughter again.
Raising the actor, Ramakrishna said to him: "Don't boast of your valor;
and don't let others praise you. Pray for the grace of Mother Kali, who protects all
living creatures." The frightened actor began to sing hymns in praise of Mother
Kali!
Krishnadevaraya who laughed to his hearts content said: "I am giving a
special prize to the cowherd boy who entertained us with his humor today."
The leader of the troupe was aghast at this announcement. With folded
hands, he said to the king: "Your Highness! That jester does not belong to our
troupe. I thought he was a member of the audience. There is some sort of
deception."
Then with folded hands Ramakrishna said humbly, "Your Highness! It is
true that I do not belong to this troupe. But I tried to relieve your boredom. I seek
your forgiveness." At this Krishnadevaraya became angry and ordered, "Give this
impostor a hundred lashes! That is his reward!"
Ramakrishna begged of the king "Please wait for a while, Your Highness.
The palace guards -have to be summoned." The king thought this was strange
but yet ordered the guards to be brought to his presence. When they were
ushered in, Ramakrishna asked them: "Did I not promise to give each of you half
of whatever the king gave me?"
"Yes," said the two guards.
Then Ramakrishna said to the king: "Did you hear, Your Highness? They
are to share the hundred lashes!" The two guards were shocked. The others
roared with laughter, the shrewd king suspected there was a background to this
