Normally, brahmins practicing religion prefer to live on the riverbanks to perform their daily customary rituals. It is also a practice for the King to appoint boatman with Theppa to facilitate people to reach the other side. Venkatanatha once wished to cross the river and approached the boatman to drop him on the other bank for which the boatman demanded a price but Venkatanatha had no money with him. Venkatanatha asked the boatman politely, isn’t the King appointed you to take us for free? The boatman angrily replied- You are not the great Veena Venkatanatha to take you for free, without knowing that it he was Veena Venkatanatha. Venkatanatha without responding to his remark walks back home with a smile inside.

His wife Saraswathi asked him as to why he has not travelled crossing the river. He narrates the incident with the boatman and tells her that the god has kindly blessed him with such popularity, even a boatman knows of Veena Venkatanatha.

Venkatanatha was so humble, soft and well-mannered even with the boatman that he didn’t get into further discussion and made no initiative to reveal his identity thus avoiding embarrassment for the boatman.