skin with these red hot iron bars so that her soul may have peace." He and his

servants approached the Brahmins. The Brahmins began to cry and run about.

They thundered at Ramakrishna: "How unjust! Ramakrishna, are we not your

guests? Do you want to insult us?"

Ramakrishna replied: "There is nothing unjust in this. Have you not

accepted golden mangoes from the king, to fulfill the last wish of his mother? In

the same way is it not your duty to fulfill my mother's last wish?" Then wisdom

dawned on the Brahmins. They felt ashamed of their greed and begged

Ramakrishna to forgive them. They left golden mangoes in his house and went

away.

Later, Krishnadevaraya asked Ramakrishna: "Why did you insult those

Brahmins?" Pat came his reply: "Your Highness, the palace treasury should not

be exploited by these selfish people; it is not there to feed lazy follows. It is there

to serve the people."

How Does the Water Appear?

Ramakrishna was not afraid of the king, inspire of his patronage. He spoke the

truth without fear and sometimes he taught the king himself a lesson.

Once Krishnadevaraya, accompanied by his eight scholars, went to

inspect a newly built reservoir. Looking at the vast expanse of water, he put a

question: "How does the water in this reservoir appear?"

One scholar replied: "This water appears like a pure-minded nymph!"

Another said: "It is dazzling like a crystal!" the third one told the king: "The water

appears like a serene man whose mind is spotlessly pure." When the king turned

towards Ramakrishna, his answer was simple, "Your Highness, the water

appears to be contained in the reservoir you built." He did not indulge in flattery

and gave a simple, direct answer. The king praised him for his outspokenness.

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