| Tenali Ramakrishna | |
| Birth Name: | Garlapati Ramakrishna |
| Birth Date: | 22 September 1480 |
| Birth Place: | Tenali, Vijayanagara Empire |
| Death Place: | Tenali, Vijayanagara Empire |
| Religion: | Shrouta Shaivam |
| Occupation: | Telugu Poet (Main advisor and one of the Ashtadiggajas in the Vijayanagara court of King Krishnadevaraya) |
| Spouse: | Sharada Devi |
| Issue: | Bhaskaraysharma (Bhaskar) (son), Amrutadevi (Amruta) (daughter) |
| Father: | Garlapati Ramayya |
| Mother: | Lakshmamma |
Tenali Ramakrishna (born Garlapati Ramakrishna; also known as Tenali Ramalinga, and Tenali Rama; 22 September 1480–5 August 1528) (was a Telugu language poet, scholar, thinker and a special advisor in the court of the Vijayanagara king Krishnadevaraya, who ruled from 1509 to 1529 CE.[1] He hailed from the village of Tenali and wrote poetry in Telugu. He is generally known for the folk tales which focus on his wit.[2] He was one of the Ashtadiggajas (The Eight 'world-rulers'), the eight poets in the court of Krishnadevaraya.
His father died when he was a child. To overcome the depression that Rama faced, his mother Lakshmamma took him to Vijayanagara where he became an advisor to Krishnadevaraya. He was a scholar and poet of Telugu language and a minister of the court.
Tenali Rama was born in a Telugu speaking Niyogi Brahmin family[3] as Garlapati Ramakrishna, in a village called Thumuluru or Tenali (currently a part of Tenali Maṇḍalam) during the later part of the fifteenth century. His father was Garlapati Rama, who served as a priest in the Ramalingesvara in Santharavuru.
Tenali Ramakrishna 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 him as a disciple, as he was a Shaiva. Ramakrishna was still determined to get educated so he went to many pandits and begged them to accept him as a disciple but they called him names and threw him out. Later while roaming aimlessly, he met a sage, who advised him to worship the Goddess Kali. He did and invoked the Goddess with his devotion. Legends say that Mother Kali appeared before him and admired his sense of humour and blessed him that one day, he would be acclaimed as a great poet in the imperial court of emperor Krishnadevaraya of Vijayanagara.[4] The Goddess also gave him the title "Vikaṭakavi", impressed by his wit and humour.
Ramakrishna held an important position in Krishnadevaraya's court. He was one of the Ashtadiggajas and chief adviser appointed by the emperor.
A year before the death of Krishnadevaraya, in 1528 Tenali Ramakrishna died from a snakebite.[5] Historical records state that Ramakrishna was instrumental in protecting the emperor many times, coming to his rescue in critical situations, doing court cases, and he was Krishnadevaraya's best friend.
Tenali Rama was noted for his brilliance and wit.[6] Tenali Ramakrishna's great work Panduranga Mahatmyam is a Kāvya of high merit, remarkable for its sonorous dignity of phrasing, and is counted as one of the Pañcha Mahā Kāvyas (the Five Great Kavyas) of Telugu literature. It contains a legendary account of a shrine of Vishnu as Panduranga, at Pandharpur consecrated by the ministration of Saint Pundarika. A brahmin named Nigama Sharma, who wasted his life in dissipation and debauchery, died in Pandharpur. A controversy ensues between servants of Yama and servants of Vishnu. The former were anxious to carry him to hell as he lived a wicked life and the latter claimed him for heaven, as he died in a sacred place. Indeed, the verdict is in favour of the servants of Vishnu.
Tenali Ramakrishna attained the status of a folk hero when he was the court poet of Krishnadevaraya, but at the same time, he composed serious works on religion. Three of his narrative poems are available today. His first poem, Udbhataradhya Charitamu, about the Shaiva teacher Udbhata, is based on Palakuriki Somanatha's Basava Puranam. Udbhataradhya Charitamu also deals with the sanctity of Varanasi. Because of Tenali Ramakrishna's affinity towards Shaivite religion, he was also known as Tenali Ramalinga Kavi.[7]