XVI : Poem : Knowledge to be respected

XVI : Poem :

Mataladagalugu Marmamulerigina

Pinna Pedda tanamu lenna valadu

Pinna Cheti Divve Peddaga velugada

Viswadha abhirama Vinura Vema.

Telugu :

మాటలాడ గలుగు,  మర్మములెరిగిన 

పిన్న పెద్ద తనము లేన్నవలదు 

పిన్న చేతి దివ్వె పెద్దగా వెలుగదా ?

విశ్వదాభిరామ వినురవేమ 

Meaning : One should be respected and honored for his knowledge and wisdom rather than the age in which a torch lights and spreads the same amount of light whether it is in the hand of an old or a young boy. None should be judged

Story : Tenali Ramalinga was called as Vikatakavi".Tenāli Rāmakr̥ṣṇuḍu did not receive any formal education during his childhood, but became a great scholar, due to his thirst for knowledge. As per a well-known tale, the Vaishnava (devotees of Vishnu) scholars rejected to accept him as a disciple, as he was a Śaiva. Rāmakr̥ṣṇa was still determined to get educated so he went to many paṇḍits and begged them humbly to accept him as his disciple but they called him names and threw him out. After that day he thought he will never beg anyone for his education. Next day Rāmakr̥ṣṇa went out to secure education but he did not approach any teacher. The village school wall was his teacher! Everyday he would stand by the wall and attentively listen to the lessons taught in the classroom and go back home and recite what he learned to his mother. This became his daily practice. But one unfortunate day Rāmakr̥ṣṇa got caught and was accused of being a thief so he narrated his story to the school teacher. After listening to Rāmakr̥ṣṇa's story the teacher felt proud but he could do nothing about it because of the foolish religious prejudice so he was sent away. Later while roaming aimlessly, he met a sage, who advised him to worship the Goddess Kali. He worshipped and invoked the Goddess with his devotion. Kālī appeared before him and admired his sense of humor and blessed him that one day, he would be acclaimed as a great poet in the court of King Krishnadevaraya of Vijayanagara. The Goddess also gave him the title "Vikaṭakavi", impressed by his wit and humour.

Though he was known for is quick wit and humour due to his background and age everyone underestimated him in the beginning but when he proved his intellect and solved all the queries posed by the learned men all started respecting him.