Thathacharya, the royal teacher, used to cover his head and face with his cloak to avoid seeing Smarthas in the town making people call it a ‘stupid rituality’. The learned category of Smarthas was thus finding ways to teach him a lesson. So they went to Tenali for help who promised to do so. Next day when Tenali reached the teacher’s house, he covered his face. On being asked by Tenali why he did so, he said anyone who sowed a Smartha would be born as a Donkey in his or her next birth. Ten days later the king with Thathacharya visited a garden for relaxation. On returning a herd of donkeys was coming from the opposite direction. Immediately, Tenali ran and started paying prostrate homage to the donkeys. On being asked, he replied that the donkey was Thathacharya’s relatives and had taken rebirth as donkeys after seeing the Smarthas in their previous birth.
He also asked the king to confirm it with Thathacharya. The shameful Thatha-charya realized his mistake.
