Tenali Rama Story: The Key To Heaven

Tenali Rama Story: The Key To Heaven

Time to know where to draw the line between faith and superstition.

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Written by Harshita Makvana, B.Com, PG Dip Specialty: Child Education, Storytelling, Activities and LearningExperience: 7 years

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Edited by Deepa Thomas, MA (English) Specialty: Child Education, Development, Activities And FunExperience: 3 years

Deepa Rachel Thomas holds a master’s degree in English from the English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad. She has done a certification course in Child Development and worked as a mentor for young children at an NGO that focuses on helping children develop their language and soft skills.

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Last Updated on Sep 25, 2024

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In This Article

Tenali Ramakrishna is known to have helped the king and saved the citizens of Vijayanagara with his wisdom and intelligence on several occasions. Here is one such tale, Tenali Rama: The Key to Heaven.

There was a buzz in the city of Vijayanagara that a great sage had come to the city. It was also rumored that the sage had magical powers and could grant any wish. Every day, the citizens would gather near the temple where the sage sat meditating and offering him various delicacies.

Tenali Rama, too, heard about this oracle and decided to see things for himself. The next day, Rama went to the temple and observed the sage, all the while pretending to be a disciple. The sage sat under a banyan tree. He wore a saffron dhoti and had a long beard, which was gray in some places.

Tenali Rama noticed the sage chanting a mantra and listened with attention. He was clever enough to realize that the sage was repeatedly chanting the same sloka. This convinced him that the sage was an imposter.

He reached out and plucked a strand of hair from the sage’s beard. Holding the strand of hair and lifting his hand high in the air, Rama shouted, “I have the key to heaven.” People around looked at Rama perplexed and unsure what to make of Rama’s trick.

Rama continued, “This sage is so powerful that if I keep this strand of his beard with me, I will be sent straight to heaven after death.”

Hearing this, the people rushed towards the sage to pull out a strand of hair from his beard. Seeing the mob rushing towards him, the sage ran away and never stepped foot in the city again.

The citizens realized their mistake and thanked Tenali Ramakrishna for enlightening them.

Key Pointers

The sage who came to Vijayanagara was rumored to have magical powers.
The repeating sloka from the sage convinced Tenali Rama that the sage was a fraud.
The folk tale “Key to Heaven” teaches us that there is no shortcut to success.

Moral of the story

There is no shortcut to success, and one should never follow superstitions.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are some other popular works by the author of Tenali Rama’s Key to Heaven?

Stories such as ‘Kaali Maa’s Gift To Tenali Rama,’ ‘The King’s Dream,’ ‘Tenali Rama And A Gang Of Thieves,’ and ‘Tenali Rama And Cat’ are some other popular Tenali Rama stories for kids.

2. What is the target audience for Tenali Rama: The Key to Heaven?

Tenali Rama’s stories, including ‘The Key to Heaven,’ are usually meant for children aged six to 12. These Tenali Rama stories for kids are entertaining, simple to understand, and have a moral that children can follow.