Once upon a time. King Krishnadeva Raya was holding court in Vijayanagara. At the same time a beautiful lady came to the court with a box.
There was a velvet sari in that box, taking it out, she started showing it to the king and all the courtiers in the court. The saree was so beautiful that whoever saw it would be amazed.
The woman told the king that she makes such beautiful sarees. She has some artisans who weave this saree with their secret arts. She requested the king that if the king gives her some money, she will make a similar saree for him too.
King Krishnadeva Raya agreed to the woman and gave her money. The woman asked for one year’s time to prepare the saree. After this, the woman started living in the king’s palace with her sari weavers and started weaving sari.
During this, the palace used to bear all the expenses ranging from the food and drink of that woman and artisans. Just like this one year passed. Then the king sent his ministers to the woman to see the saree. When the minister went to the artisan, he was surprised to see. There two artisans were weaving something without any thread or cloth.
The woman told that her artisans were weaving sarees for the king, but the ministers said that they could not see any sarees. On this the woman said that only those people can see this saree, whose mind is clear and they have not committed any sin in their life.
The king’s minister got upset after hearing this thing of the woman. Making an excuse, he told the woman that he had seen the saree and left. Coming back to the king, he said that the saree was very beautiful.
The king was very happy about this. The next day he ordered that woman to appear in the court with that saree. The lady came to the court the next day with her artisans carrying a box. She opened the box in the court and started showing the saree to everyone.
Everyone sitting in the court was very surprised, because none of the courtiers including the king could see any saree. Seeing this, Tenali Rama said in the king’s ear that the woman had lied. She is fooling everyone.
After this Tenali Rama told the lady that he or any courtier sitting in the court could not see this saree.
Hearing this of Tenali Rama, the woman said that this saree would be visible only to the one who has a clean mind and has not committed any sin.
After listening to this thing of the woman, a plan came in the mind of Tenali Ram. He said to that woman – “The king wants you to wear that saree yourself and come to the court and show that saree to everyone.”
Hearing this of Tenali Rama, the woman started apologizing in front of the king. She told the king all the truth that she had not made any saree. She was fooling everyone.
The king got very angry after listening to the woman. They sentenced her to prison, but when the woman pleaded, they released her and forgave her and let her go. Along with this, the king also praised the cleverness of Tenali Rama.
Learning from the story –
Lies or deceit cannot be hidden for long. One day or the other the truth comes to the fore.
