Tenali Rama and the Test of Two Ladies

Tenali Rama and the Test of Two Ladies A Classic Tenali Ramakrishna Story for Children | Indian Folktale for Kids | Moral Stories

Long, long ago, in the beautiful and powerful kingdom of Vijayanagara, there ruled a great king named Sri Krishnadevaraya. He was one of the most famous kings in all of Indian history. His court was full of wise scholars, brave soldiers, and talented artists. People called his court the golden court, because everything about it shone with wisdom and greatness.

But of all the brilliant people in that royal court, one man was the most loved and the most famous. His name was Tenali Ramakrishna. He was the Asthana Kavi — the royal court poet — of Sri Krishnadevaraya. Tenali Rama, as everyone lovingly called him, was not just a great poet. He was famous all over India for his sharp wit, his clever thinking, and his ability to solve any problem. Rich or poor, young or old, people trusted Tenali Rama. They knew that wherever there was trouble, Tenali Rama would find the truth. His Tenali Rama stories and Tenali Rama moral stories are still told to children across India even today.

Two Women, One Big Fight

One busy morning, two women came to Tenali Rama with a loud argument between them.

She never wasted anything. She always said, “Every drop of water, every grain of rice, every coin is a gift. We must respect it.” Even though she had very little money, her family was happy, healthy, and full of love.

The second woman was Manjula. She was one of the richest ladies in the town. She wore heavy gold jewellery, fine silk sarees, and had many servants to do her work. But Manjula had a very bad habit. She was rude, proud, and arrogant. She looked down on poor people and spoke to them without respect. She wasted food, water, and money every day without thinking twice. She always said, “I am rich. I can do whatever I want.”

That morning, Guna Laxmi folded her hands and spoke first.

“Tenali Ramaji, please help me. I am a poor woman. Three months ago, Manjula came to my house and borrowed fifty varahas from me. Fifty varahas is a very big amount for me. That money is my children’s school fees, their food, their medicines. I asked her many times to return it. But she laughs at me and sends me away. Please give me justice.”

Manjula crossed her arms and burst out laughing.

“Ha! What a joke! Me? Borrow money from this poor woman? Look at her torn clothes! Look at her small house! I am the richest woman in this town. I have gold, I have land, I have everything! Why would I ever need to borrow money from this street woman? She is lying and she is wasting your time, Tenali Ramaji. She is nothing but trash.”

Guna Laxmi’s eyes filled with tears, but she stood quietly and waited.

Tenali Rama’s Surprising Answer

The whole room was watching. Everyone expected Tenali Rama to get angry or to question them sharply. But Tenali Rama did something nobody expected. He smiled calmly, looked at both women, and said very gently,

“I have heard both of you. But I cannot give my judgment today. I need three days to think. Please come back here after three days. I will give you my final answer at that time.”

Manjula rolled her eyes and walked away. Guna Laxmi nodded quietly and went home to wait.

The Rainy Day and the Water Test

Three days passed. On the third day, the sky turned dark grey. Heavy clouds gathered and it began to rain very strongly. The streets became wet and slushy. Thick, sticky mud covered every road in the town.

Both Guna Laxmi and Manjula walked through those muddy streets and arrived at Tenali Rama’s house. Their feet were covered in wet mud. As was the kind and clean Indian tradition, Tenali Rama’s servants came to the front door carrying water jugs — one jug for each woman — so they could wash their muddy feet before coming inside.

Now, the jugs were not very big. Each jug had just enough water to wash both feet carefully, if used wisely.

Guna Laxmi picked up her jug with both hands. She poured a small amount of water on her right foot, rubbed it gently and cleaned the mud away. Then she poured a little more water on her left foot and cleaned it well too. She was careful, slow, and gentle. When she looked down at her jug after cleaning both feet, there was still some water left. She had not wasted a single drop. She placed the jug down with a smile and stepped inside quietly.

Manjula picked up her jug and poured it all over both her feet at once in a big splash. The water went everywhere. Her feet were still half muddy. She looked at the servant and snapped, “This jug is not enough! Bring me two more jugs immediately! Do you not know who I am?” The servants brought two more jugs. Manjula used all of that water too, splashing and wasting it, and walked inside with a proud look on her face.

Tenali Rama had been watching everything from the window. A slow, wise smile spread across his face.

The Judgment of Tenali Rama

Both women stood before Tenali Rama. Everyone in the room was quiet.

Tenali Rama stood up and spoke clearly.

“I have seen everything I needed to see. I do not need any more proof. Guna Laxmi is telling the truth. Manjula must return the fifty varahas immediately.”

Manjula turned red with anger. “What? How dare you! What proof do you have? I told you, I never borrowed anything!”

Tenali Rama replied calmly, “The proof is in the water, Manjula. Today both of you received one jug of water to wash your feet. Guna Laxmi used the water with care and respect. She cleaned both feet properly and still had water left over. This is the habit of a person who knows the value of every resource — water, money, time, everything. A person like her will never waste money. And a person who is careful with money never borrows and forgets to repay.

But you, Manjula — you wasted three full jugs of water just to wash your feet. You did not stop. You did not think. You did not care. This is the habit of a person who wastes without thinking. A person who wastes so easily also lies easily, because they do not value what belongs to others. Your behavior today proved what your character truly is.”

The room fell completely silent. Manjula had no answer.

Tenali Rama continued, “The greatness of a person is not measured by how much gold they have. It is measured by how they treat others, how they use what they have, and whether they speak the truth. Guna Laxmi is poor in money but rich in character. Manjula is rich in money but poor in character.”

Manjula looked at the floor. She had no words. She quietly paid back the fifty varahas to Guna Laxmi.

The Moral of the Tenali Rama Story

Guna Laxmi walked home with the money in her hand and gratitude in her heart. She fed her children that night and thanked God.

Manjula walked home too — but she was different now. For the first time in her life, she felt shame. And that shame was the beginning of a better life for her.

As for Tenali Rama, he went back to his work with a smile. Because for him, truth was never hidden. It always showed itself — sometimes in words, and sometimes in a simple jug of water.

Moral of the Story: How we use small things tells the truth about our big character. Respect water, respect money, and always respect people — rich or poor.

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