Chapter 4.5 - A Battle to Baffle
Warming up!
1. Form suitable groups and discuss the following.
You have heard / read stories of Akbar and Birbal, Tenali Raman, Mulla Nasruddin. Recollect and write down the names of those stories.
Pick out those aspects of a story that you find common in all their stories.
(1) Humour
(2) Supernatural events
(3) Wisdom
(4) Suspense
(5) Magic
(6) Beauty of Nature
(7) Wit
(8) Play upon words
(9) Sad end
(10) Violence
Ans: The common aspect found in their stories are humour, supernatural events, wisdom, suspense, magic, the beauty of nature, wit and play upon words.
2. Read the different types of sentences in Reported Speech and note the differences in the Direct and Indirect forms.
1. (a) Direct : The old man said, ‘‘What is the time?
(b) Indirect : The old man asked what the time was.
2. (a) Direct : Mother said to her, “Are you hungry now?
(b) Indirect : Mother asked her if she was hungry, then.
3. (a) Direct : Teacher said, ‘‘Be quiet students.’’
(b) Indirect : Teacher ordered the students to be quiet.
4. (a) Direct : Mother said, ‘‘ How pretty she looks!’’
(b) Indirect : Mother exclaimed with delight that she looked very pretty.
You will observe that –
(1) The Reporting Verb changes according to the type of sentence in the speech.
(2) Change of Tense
(3) Change of the word order in the sentence.
3. Use a dictionary and find the differences in the following terms related to ‘Drama’.
(1) A Play
Ans: A dramatic work staged in a theatre in front of an audience.
(2) One-act Play
Ans: A play that has only one act.
(3) Skit
Ans: A short funny play that makes a joke of something.
(4) Mime
Ans: A type of theatre using no words but only movements of the hands and body and facial expressions.
(5) Farce
Ans: A humorous play in which the characters become involved in unlikely and complicated situations. Uses physical humour and silliness.
(6) Opera
Ans: A dramatic work in one or more acts in which all characters communicate through song and the story is told through song put to music.
(7) Tragedy
Ans: A play dealing with tragic events and having an unhappy ending.
(8) Comedy
Ans: A play characterized by humour; has a happy or cheerful ending.
In Between the Lesson!
Q1. What announcement unnerved the Courtiers and Pundits?
Ans: Pandit Shahane had come there to challenge all the pundits in the kingdom. This announcement unnerved the Courtiers and Pundits.
Q2. What suggestion was proposed by the first scholar?
Ans: The first scholar with the permission of the emperor proposed to call Tenali Raman to find a solution to their problem.
Q3. What was the condition put forth by Tenali Raman?
Ans: Tenali Raman put forth a condition to make him the Chief Pundit of the empire.
Q4. How did Mantriji introduce Pundit Shahane?
Ans: Mantriji introduced Pundit Shahane as the most revered and honoured master scholar of the ancient scripture- The Pride of India.
Q5. How did Tenali Raman make his entry to the Emperor’s court?
Ans: Tenali Raman was carried on a palanquin. Two pundits were following him, carrying a huge bundle of silken cloth. In this way, Tenali Raman made a royal entrance into the court.
Q6. What scripture did Tenali Raman wish to debate upon?
Ans: Tenali Raman wished to debate upon the merits of ‘tila-kashta-mahishabandhana’.
Q7. Why was Pundit Shahane defeated?
Ans: When Tenali Raman told Pundit Shahane to discuss the merits of the scriptures of ‘tila-kashta-mahisha-bandhana”, Panditji failed to understand it. Pandit Shahane had read thousands of scholarly works in Sanskrit. But he had never even heard of ‘tilakashta-mahisha-bandhana’. He walked up and down in deep thought and gave up. Finally, he conceded defeat and accepted Tenali Raman as the greatest of all scholars.
Q8. What explanation did Tenali Raman give about the name of the strange scripture?
Ans: Tenali Raman told the emperor the meaning of ‘tila-kashta-mahisha-bandhana’. ‘Til’ meant ‘sesame’, ‘Kashta’ meant sticks or stems of sesame plants that were held in his hands, and ‘Mahisha’ meant a buffalo, and ‘bandhana’ meant rope used to tie up something.
Q9. How did the emperor and courtiers react?
Ans: The emperor and courtiers laughed when they heard the meaning of ‘tila-kashtamahisha-bandhana’.
ENGLISH WORKSHOP
1. Read the following words and use them in sentences of your own.
renown
Ans: The Chief Guest at our annual function was a man of great renown.
defiance
Ans: The protesters showed their defiance of the official ban on demonstrations.
exiled
Ans: Several of the leaders were arrested and exiled to France.
predicament
Ans: Many young people find themselves in this predicament.
diffident
Ans: The Neanderthals seemed unexpectedly gentle and diffident people.
benign
Ans: The eighteenth-century interior of the building has survived through benign neglect.
2. Read the following phrases and use them in the sentences of your own in proper form.
voice something
Ans: A number of parents have voiced concern about their children’s safety.
a tight corner
Ans: The mark of a man is how he behaves when he is in a tight corner.
outwit
Ans: The fox managed to outwit the hunter by hiding in a tree.
concede defeat
Ans: Nepal conceded defeat and returned all the treasure they had plundered.
3. Pick out dialogues of Tenali Raman that prove that he had the following qualities.
(a) Wit and wisdom
Ans: So this is the ‘tila-kashta-mahisha-bandhana’.
(b) Self-confidence
Ans: Let us begin by discussing the merits of ‘tila-kashta- mahisha-bandhana’.
(c) Politeness
Ans: I have one small request.
(d) Humility
Ans: Your words of praise are my greatest reward, your Highness.
4. Answer the following questions in short.
(a) What was Pundit Shahane’s claim as a scholar?
Ans: Pundit Shahane’s claim as a scholar was that he had mastered all the scriptures.
(b) Why did Pundit Shahane visit Vijaynagar?
Ans: Pundit Shahane visited Vijaynagar to challenge the knowledge of all the Pundits in the kingdom.
(c) What do you learn about Pundits of Vijaynagar?
Ans: The Pundits of Vijaynagar were frightened and nervous when their knowledge was challenged. They were insecure and did not have confidence in themselves.
(d) What punishment did the emperor threaten the Pundits with?
Ans: The Emperor threatened the Pundits that they would be exiled from Vijaynagar if they were not able to win debate with Pundit Shahane.
(e) Why was Tenali Raman summoned to the court?
Ans: Tenali Raman could certainly find a solution to the predicament so he was summoned to the court.
(f) On what condition did Tenali Raman agree to take up the challenge?
Ans: Tenali Raman agreed to take up the challenge only if he would be accepted and honoured as the Chief Pandit.
(g) Why was Tenali Raman taken to the court in a palanquin?
Ans: Tenali Raman was taken in the court in a palanquin because he had demanded that he should be given the honour and respect of the chief Pundit.
(h) How did Tenali Raman outwit Pundit Shahane?
Ans: When the debate started, Tenali Raman began by discussing the merits of ‘tilakashta-mahisha-bandhana’. This was a difficult phrase for Pundit Shahane. He had read thousands of scholarly works but had never heard such a phrase. So after pondering over the phrase for a long time, he gave up and accepted defeat. Thus, Tenali Rama outwitted Pundit Shahane.
(i) What did the bundle in silken cloth contain?
Ans: The bundle in the silken cloth contained stems of sesame plants and some rope used to tie buffaloes.
(j) Explain the significance of the title.
Ans: The theme of the skit is the challenge to see whether Tenali Raman could outwit the proud Pundit Shahane. This was the ‘battle’. The way to win this battle was to ‘baffle’ i.e., confuse the pundit. Hence, the title ‘A Battle to Baffle’ is apt.
5. Fill in the elements that you find in the drama script of ‘A Battle to Baffle.’
Characters :
Ans: Krishnadevaraya, Mantrji, Tenali Raman, Pundit Shahane, 8-10 other courtiers/ministers/scholars.
Background Scene :
Ans: In the courtroom of Krishnadevaraya, the Emperor is seated on his throne. Courtiers, ministers, and scholars are seated in two rows facing one another and discussing softly.
Crisis :
Ans: A great scholarly Pundit, Pundit Shahane, has challenged the knowledge of the Pundits of Vijaynagar. The pundits of Vijaynagar are not ready to face this challenge.
Steps taken to resolve the crisis :
Ans: Tenali Raman is sent to find a solution to the predicament and to pull them out of the tight corner.
Climax :
Ans: Tenali Raman, with his sheer wit, manages to outwit the renowned Pundit Shahane and make him concede defeat.
The end :
Ans: Pundit Shahane concedes defeat and leaves. Tenali Raman is praised by the Emperor for saving the reputation and honour of the great empire. Everyone is relieved and happy that the crisis has ended.
6. Do as directed. (Make sure you do not change the meaning and tense of the sentence).
(a) Tenali Raman proved to be wittier than Pundit Shahane. (Rewrite using ‘as witty as’)
Ans: Pundit Shahane proved to be not as witty as Tenali Raman.
(b) Pundit Shahane has come here. He wishes to challenge all the Pundits in our Kingdom. (Combine the two sentences using ‘so’. Now combine the same sentence using ‘because’)
Ans: Pundit Shahane wishes to challenge all the Pundits in our Kingdom, so he has come here.
(c) How can I discuss its merits? ( Make it Assertive)
Ans: I cannot discuss its merits.
(d) I have not read that scripture. (Rewrite using ‘unaware’)
Ans: I am unaware of that scripture.
(e) Your words of praise are my greatest reward. (Begin the sentence with ‘No other …….)
Ans: No other reward is as great as your words of praise.
(f) I am proud of you. ( Rewrite using the noun form of the underlined word).
Ans: I have pride in you.
(g) The Emperor said, “ But tell me Raman, to what great work did you refer?” (Convert into the Indirect Speech).
Ans: The Emperor asked Raman what great work he had referred to.
(h) Tenali Raman was a poet scholar and jester in Vijaynagar in Krishnadevarayas court. (Punctuate.)
Ans: Tenali Raman was a poet, scholar, and jester in Vijaynagar, in Krishnadevaraya’s court.
(i) Mantriji said Maharaj Pundit Shahanes visit to our court is an open challenge. (Punctuate.)
Ans: “Mantriji,” said Maharaj, “Pundit Shahane’s visit to our court is an open challenge.”
7. A past student of your school has cleared his UPSC examination and being an IAS officer, has been appointed the Collector of your district. Write a formal letter to invite him to your school to share the story of his success, at a special function.
Ans:
Mumbai Public School
G.S. Road
Mumbai – 400090
30th January 2023
Sub: Invitation as a Chief Guest at our Annual Function Day.
Respected Sir,
It was with great pleasure that we came to know about your appointment as the new collector of our district. The principal, teachers, and students of our school offer you their heartiest congratulations for such a wonderful achievement. Everyone is so proud that a student who belonged to our school attained such a high status and position.
We are having our usual annual function day on February 10, 2023. We are cordially inviting you to grace us with your presence as the chief guest at the function and share with us your success story. Your presence will motivate all the students greatly. The function begins at 12 p.m. and will end at 5 p.m. It will be such an honour to have you with us here, and I hope you will accept the invitation.
Thanking You,
Yours faithfully,
XYZ
Cultural Secretary,
Delhi Public School.
8. Understand the quotation and expand it in a paragraph format.
‘Pride goes on horseback, but returns on foot’.
Ans:
‘Pride goes on horseback, but returns on foot’
Everyone knows the story of the deer who was proud of his beautiful horns and ashamed of his lean legs. But when the deer was in danger, it was his legs that helped him run swiftly and his horns that got entangled in the branches and led to his death. Hence, we should never be proud of our possessions. We should quietly acknowledge our skills and use them for our progress and the service of others. If we are excessively proud of what we own, the very thing we brag about will bring about our downfall.
Nothing in this world belongs to us in the final reckoning. So why should we be proud? Whatever wealth we accumulate during our lifetimes should be used for the benefit of others. The tree in the forest is not proud of its products. Instead, it freely gives its produce to the birds, the animals, the insects, and the human race. It is only a man who is vain; he loves to boast and show off his worldly possessions to others. Ultimately, however, he has to leave everything behind, while his body is left to burn or decay. To be proud is to be foolish. To be humble is to be wise.