Tenali Ramakrishna stories are like moral stories that teach us ways to deal with life challenges with humor, intelligence, strategy, dharma, and affection.

It was during those days that Ramakrishna made his first entry into the palace without prior permission. In addition, he corrupted the gatekeepers. The king at that time gave him the death penalty. But Ramakrishna managed to get away from it. It’s interesting how he managed to get away.

Ramakrishna was brought to the hanging site by the soldiers. They instructed him to get ready to die and pulled out their swords. 

“Soldiers, I am a Brahmin and single. To be honest, I don’t fear death. However, I have particular traditions to follow. First I had to take a bath and then have to carry out nitya karma. I’ll have lunch after that. So please, Ramakrishna requested, let me take a bath.

I have completed my nitya karma, soldiers. I have to eat lunch now. Why should I avoid eating before visiting Yamaloka? Please don’t put that on him. offered me food,” he remarked.

Ramakrishna received some fruits from the soldiers. He consumed them. “Ramakrishna, we have granted your request. You’ve completed your lunch now. Prepare yourself for death. Ramakrishna thought for some time. “Soldiers, after lunch I have to sleep for a while, according to our custom. Please let me go to sleep, Ramakrishna begged.

The soldiers approved. They made their way to the meal. Ramakrishna took a seat on the lawn. He didn’t sleep, though. He pretended to be asleep. The soldiers had a good meal and conversed with one another over the confidential issues discussed with them by the minister and the king. It was heard by Ramakrishna.

After a little while, Ramakrishna sprang up and exclaimed, “Oh! soldiers! I overlooked it. As per the king’s order, you must chop off my head. Is it not? Alright. I’m prepared. But listen to me, please. I want to make one last wish. Water is nice to me. I want to drown in the water. 

So I’m going to stand in the lake. You both hold swords in your hands as you stand. You may cut my head off when I shout “Jai Mahakali.” Are you ok?

The soldiers both nodded. In the lake stood Ramakrishna. Ramakrishna was surrounded by the soldiers. He had one on his left and one on his right.

Saying “Jai Mahakali” aloud, Ramakrishna prayed to Kali. But he dipped into the river and was gone before the soldiers raised their swords. The soldiers were taken aback.

“Dear friend! Observe Ramakrishna’s method of escape. One of them remarked, “We would have both lost our heads with our swords if we had tried to chop his head off.”

“You’re right. The other soldiers said, “Somehow he has escaped,” and they observed Ramakrishna emerging from the water on the opposite bank. “Oh! soldiers. You’ve fulfilled your responsibility. You have followed your king’s instruction. Of course, by applying my abilities, I have saved my own life. I made a good effort as well to win your king’s favor. You proceed to inform your King about my attempt to avoid death. He won’t become angry. 

since you have faithfully performed your duty. Ramakrishna answered, “If you are doubtful, one of you can stay here and watch me, and the other can go to the king and tell him what has happened.”So one soldier went out of the palace to tell the king. However, the king was informed of all of these things by spies.

The soldier arrived at the palace and reported the incident to the king.

Ramakrishna was brave and wise, the King informed the minister. The blessings of Kali are upon him. He shouldn’t leave them.

But Krishnadevaraya decided to give him a closer look. The king pronounced, “Soldiers! You’ve fulfilled your obligation. In any case, Ramakrishna is a truly brave person. However, we still need to assess his intellectual abilities. You go tell him that in the evening he will be killed by being crushed beneath the elephant’s feet. You only need to bury him up to his neck. Sketch the mud. Next, grab one elephant and encourage it to approach him. If he succeeds in this exam as well, you bring him. If he declines to come, you will remove him from this place.

“Nobody can change fate,” the soldier informed Ramakrishna as he made his way back to the lake. You managed to use skill to avoid death in some way. However, the king is not prepared to save you. He has instructed us to bury you up to your neck in the ground. You will be killed when an elephant steps on your head in the evening. We are unable to go against our king.

“Ah, soldiers! What is causing your anxiety? It is what God desires. I shall be saved if God desires for me to live. Come on. Bring the spade, and go. He shouted, “I will also assist in digging the earth.”

Ramakrishna supported the soldiers with their earth-digging work. He dug the ditch himself and went down it. He threw the dirt in his direction. Now, only other people could see his head. Then he gave the soldiers instructions to go fetch the elephant.

Soon after the soldiers had left, Ramakrishna gave the issue some serious thought, wondering how to get out of danger. May Kalikadevi bless me.

A washerman arrived on schedule. He was heading to the palace while toting a large bundle of garments. Ramakrishna was noticed by the washerman.

Who is Ramakrishna, he enquired. When will his body be there? How come there’s just the head?

Ramakrishna made the decision to dupe the washerman.

“Please make it here. Similar to you, I work as a washerman. I’ve seen that many times before. However, you haven’t acknowledged me. Like you, I had a hunch back. However, I got a great idea from a close friend of mine. I dug a trench here and am standing for that reason. My back might have straightened out by now,” Ramakrishna remarked.

The laundry worker took Ramakrishna at his word. He also wanted to maintain a straight back. Is that correct? Like you, I wish I had a straight back. So kindly, reveal the secret to me. “You’ll be worthy,” the laundry worker stated.

With a smile, Ramakrishna said, “I will tell you, for sure. You clear the mud off of me now. I’ll check to see how much my back has straightened. Then you can act in the same way.

The Washerman cleared the area all around him of muck. Ramakrishna got up and cleared away the remaining mud.

“As you can see, my back is now straight. I am happy. “Now is the ideal moment for you to get rid of your back hunch,” Ramakrishna informed the washerman.

Thank you. Permit me to descend into the trench. Apply mud on my back to make it straight as well. My goal is to emulate others. Cover my neck with mud, the washerman commanded.

Ramakrishna assisted the man doing the washing to stand in the ditch. He covered himself in mud. 

All that was visible was the washerman’s head.“Brother, I had to carry clothes belonging to people in the palace. You please carry them to the palace. Come in the evening and relieve me the washerman said.

“Friend, that task is not difficult. We share the same identity. You don’t have to be concerned. I’ll come over in the evening to help you with getting outside.

In this way, Ramakrishna spoke and put the bundle of cloth on his back. The soldiers noticed him on the way. They believed him to be the palace washerman. The question didn’t come up.

The elephant and the soldiers approached the washerman.

With a loud cry, the washerman said, “Oh! An elephant An elephant I’m going to die shortly. Keep me safe.

Naturally, the voice was unique. The elephant was halted by soldiers. Rather than Ramakrishna, they discovered someone else there.

“Ramakrishna has tricked us one more. He has caused suffering for this washerman,” a soldier remarked.

They pulled the washerman out and cleared out the mud. They proceeded to the palace with the washerman.

Ramakrishna has arrived at the palace already. When Krishnadevaraya saw him, he realized that he was Ramakrishna and not the washerman. 

His surprise at seeing him dressed as a washerman was clear. He had escaped the mouth of death once more. He wasn’t showing his happiness, though.

“I sent one elephant to step on you, Ramakrishna.” However, how did you manage to get away? What is this? Have you arrived wearing clothes? The king inquired. 

“Maharaja! The royal washerman was a victim of the hunchback sickness. I needed to be certain of him. Thus, I came here to replace him,” boldly answered Ramakrishna.

He also described his escape, and the king felt sorry for the washerman’s lack of common sense.

Ramakrishna sympathized with the washerman’s situation as well.

“My Lord, I’ve managed to get out from under my death sentence. I made a lot of attempts to win your favor. Making the gatekeepers answerable for punishment was my first crime; now, tricking the washerman is my second. You may punish me for these two sins, Ramakrishna said politely.

“Oh, Ramakrishna! You possess great intelligence, bravery, and tact. I can’t let someone like that die. I’m content. The king declared, “You are one of the courtiers as of tomorrow.”

The washerman showed up there scared by that point.

The king greeted him with a “Washerman!” You don’t have to be afraid. A scholar has been rescued from the jaws of death by you.

Your carelessness has come to his rescue. “We remember you,” the king commanded his attendants to bring gifts to the washerman.

After thanking the Vijayanagara King, Ramakrishna departed the area.

Ramakrishna managed to get away from danger in this way.