Ramakrishna earned the affection and the esteem of the king and the

people. He was a comic poet and looked, like an ignorant man; but he was pious

and on the side of justice. It injustice was done in the court or outside, he used

his weapon of humor to set things right.

Krishnadevaraya's mother was a very orthodox woman. She had visited

many holy places and had performed religious rites; she had given much in

charity. She thought that if, in her old ages, she gave away fruits as gifts her

charity would be perfect. She told her son of her desire.

Krishnadevaraya who had great respect for his mother immediately got

delicious mangoes from Ratnagiri. But alas! On the auspicious day when she

was to present those fruits to Brahmins, the king's mother died.

The religious rites connected with her death went on for several days.

Meanwhile, the king called a few Brahmins and said, "My mother's last wish was

to offer mangoes to Brahmins. But she died before the wish could be fulfilled.

What should I do now that she might earn the merit for giving away the

fruits?"

The greedy Brahmins replied: "Your Highness, only if you offer mangoes

made of gold to Brahmins will your mother's soul rest in peace."

Ramakrishna came to know of this. The next day he went to the houses of

those Brahmins, and said, "My mother's ceremony is on the same day as that of

the king's mother. Please come to my house straight from the palace."

The Brahmins came to Ramakrishna's house after receiving the mangoes

of gold from the king. Ramakrishna's servants closed all the doors of the house.

They brought red-hot iron bars and stood before the Brahmins!

The Brahmins were taken aback. Then Ramakrishna told them:

"Venerable ones, my mother suffered from rheumatism. One day, unable to bear

the pain, she called me and asked me to burn her skin with a red-hot iron bar;

she said that would relieve her rheumatic pain. I could not disobey my mother's

command. But before I could fulfill her last wish, she died. I want to burn your