King Krishnadeva Raya of the Vijayanagara Empire was a great ruler, scholar, and poet. His court was graced by eight famous poets known as the Ashtadiggajas, among whom Tenali Ramakrishna was celebrated for his sharp wit, humour, and clever problem-solving skills. One day, a misunderstanding arose between the king and his queen, Thirumalambal. The king had written a poem and recited it to the queen late in the evening. Being exhausted after a long day, the queen yawned several times. Mistaking her tiredness for disrespect, the king became angry, stormed off, and stopped speaking to her for weeks.
Deeply troubled by the king's prolonged silence, Queen Thirumalambal turned to Tenali Rama for help. Rama listened patiently and promised to resolve the matter with a suitable strategy. The next morning, during a court discussion on improving paddy cultivation, Rama stepped forward with a plate of paddy seeds. He claimed that these revolutionary seeds could produce three times the normal harvest. When the curious king asked for more details, Rama remarked that the success of the harvest depended on the sower. He humorously asked what would happen if a farmer yawned while sowing seeds, suggesting that the seeds might scatter unevenly.
The entire court erupted into laughter, and the king caught himself yawning as well. Rama gently pointed out that yawning is as natural as breathing and cannot be controlled. Hearing this, the king realized his mistake. He understood that the queen's yawn was merely a sign of tiredness, not disrespect, and that his own pride had clouded his judgement. That evening, the king apologized to Queen Thirumalambal, and peace was restored in the palace. Grateful for his clever intervention, the royal couple rewarded Tenali Rama with valuable gifts.