Great Poets
Major Sections
Biographies of Great Indians & Hindus

TENALI RAMAKRISHNA

Ramakrishna And his Family

Ramakrishna had a good wife. She knew her husband was generous, and adjusted
herself to his ways.

The king got a big house built for Ramakrishna. In spite of this, usually Ramakrishna was short of funds. But he was a man of self-respect and he would never beg the king for money.

Occasionally Krishnadevaraya used to go about in the city in disguise at night. One
night, he went to Ramakrishna's house and peeped through the window. He saw Ramakrishna sitting before a grinding stone, engrossed in powdering the grains!
Touched by the poverty of Ramakrishna, he granted a raise in his monthly salary.

Ramakrishna's wife was a clever woman. Once a gang of thieves wanted to steal the
little money and gold he had. They entered Ramakrishna's house and were hiding in the back yard. Ramakrishna sensed their presence and secretly informed his wife. Then they said to each other: "Thieves are active in the town. So let us hide our valuables in the well at the back of the house." The thieves heard their words clearly. Ramakrishna and his wife filled a trunk with stones and dropped it into the well with a splash, which the thieves could hear.

The thieves were convinced that the trunk contained the jewels. They wanted to get the trunk. The entire night they drew water from the well and poured it into the garden. All plants in the garden got plenty of water! Early next morning, Ramakrishna cried aloud, "Our plants have had enough water; you can stop now!" On hearing these words the thieves fled. Ramakrishna and his wife enjoyed their practical joke!

Ramakrishna had a son by name Bhaskara Sharma. He was as intelligent as his father.
It is said that he helped his father on several occasions to knock sense into the heads of vain people.

Back ] Up ] Next ]

About Tenali Ramakrishna
Introduction
A Care-Free boy
The Boy's Yearning
'I Shall Get Education'
No, Not Even This
A Story
The Devotee Of Mother Kali
'Mother, It Occured To Me....'
A Cowherd
Half The Prize
Ramakrishna In 'Krishna Leela'
The Comic Poet
A Scholar, The Enemy Of Vanity
The Scholar From Kashi Humbled
A Lesson To The Greedy
How Does The Water Appear..?
'Hide Your Head'
You are Here! Ramakrishna And His Family
Humour Without Malice