Once a scholar came to the court and challenged all the courtiers to debate with him on any subject since he had read all the books in the world. Since nobody volunteered, the king asked Tenali to compete with the scholar. On the appointed day Tenali came dressed as a great priest with a bundle that looked like wrapped books.
When the debate began he said that they would debate on a rare book called Tilakashta Mahisha Bandhana. The scholar was embarrassed that he had not read the book, so he said he needed to revise it that night so that he could debate the next day. While Tenali agreed to this, the scholar never showed up the next day and fled the kingdom.
Tenali then explained to the king that there was no such book that existed since Tilakashta meant dried sticks of sesame and Mahisha Bandhana meant rope.
