One day, a sage told Tenali to chant a mantra 1,000 times in front of Maa Kali. So, when everybody slept at night, Tenali crept out and went to the temple to pray with devotion. When he finished he saw the goddess standing in front with her 1,000 heads. This made Tenali laugh, and the goddess asked for an explanation. He said, “It’s tough for me to wipe my running nose when I have a cold; how difficult it must be for the goddess to wipe her 1,000 noses!” This made her smile, and she granted him a boon to make others happy with his wit. She further told him the he would be called as Vikata Kavi. Tenali was still unsatisfied and, hence the goddess showed him two bowls.
The golden one had wisdom milk while the silver one had curds of wealth. She asked him to choose one. He quickly gulped down both and asked for forgiveness.
The goddess relented but said this would make him have many enemies but he would easily get out of all problems.
