The Tenaliram and the Vase is a story which teaches us to be patient, wise and calm in our life. The annual festival of Vijay Nagar state was organized with great pomp and show. In which the kings of the surrounding states also participated with precious gifts for the Maharaja. Like every time, this time too Maharaj received many gifts. Of all the gifts, the Maharaja liked the four colorful vases studded with gems the most. The king kept those vases in his special room and also hired a servant to guard them. Servant Ramaiya used to guard those vases very carefully because he was told even before he was assigned this task that if any damage was caused to those vases, he would have to lose his life. One day Ramaiya was cleaning those vases very carefully when suddenly one of the vases slipped from his hand and fell on the ground and shattered. As soon as the Maharaj came to know about this, he ordered Ramaiya to be hanged after four days. On hearing this order of Maharaj, Tenaliram came to Maharaj and said, “Maharaj, how can you give death penalty to such an old servant of yours just because a vase is broken? This is sheer injustice.” But the king was very angry at that time, so he did not consider it necessary to consider Tenaliram’s words. When the king did not understand, Tenaliram went to Ramaiya and said to him, “Don’t worry. Now you listen carefully to whatever I say and do the same before hanging yourself.” I assure you that nothing will happen to you.” Ramaiya listened to Tenaliram’s words very carefully and said, “I will do the same.” The day of hanging has arrived. Maharaj was also present there at the time of hanging. Before being hanged, Ramaiya was asked his last wish. Then Ramaiya said, “I want to see the remaining three vases once because of which I am being hanged.” According to Ramaiya’s last wish, Maharaj ordered to bring those three vases.
Now as soon as the vases came in front of Ramaiya, he broke all three vases by dropping them on the ground as told by Tenali Ram. As soon as Ramaiya broke the vase, the king became furious with anger and shouted, “What have you done, why did you break them?” Ramaiya said, “Maharaj, if a vase is broken today, I am being hanged. Similarly, when these three also break, three more people will be given death penalty. I have saved the lives of three people by breaking them because nothing can be more precious than a human life.”
After listening to Ramaiya, Maharaj’s anger subsided and he also released Ramaiya. Then he asked Ramaiya, “On whose advice did you do all this?” Ramaiya told everything truthfully. Then Maharaj called Tenaliram to him and said, “Today you saved the life of an innocent person and also told us that decisions taken in anger are always wrong. Tenali Ram, thank you very much.”