AKBAR AND THE LORD

 A courtier waiting to flatter Emperor Akbar, said to him, "Your majesty, you are the greatest, even greater than God."

Akbar said, 'No, no, you're Majesty. I really mean it. I am only saying what I feel is the truth."

Later, when Akbar retired to his room at the end of the day, he wondered, "Am I really greater than God?"

Unable to arrive at any conclusion, he went off to sleep.

The next morning, he asked his courtiers, 'Do you all also believe that I am greater than god Himself?'

Now the courters were a worries lot. They thought that if they said, "No, you are not greater than God," then Akbar could get angry.

To please Akbar, they all cried out in unison, "yes, Your Majesty, there is no doubt that you are greater than God."

Akbar saw Birbal standing quietly, so he said, "You don't seem to agree with the others, Birbal. Do you think I am greater than God?"

Birbal stood up and said loudly and clearly, "of course, you are, my lord.'

"What! Are you also trying to please me/" asked Akbar.

Birbal said, "No, My lord."

Akbar felt very happy for he always believed Birbal.

Akbar asked Birbal the reason for his belief.

Birbal said, "you are greater, My Lord, because you can do one thing that even God cannot do."

Akbar asked, "Birbal, what is that?"

Birbal replied, 'My lord, if you are annoyed with someone, you can order him to leave your kingdom. But God cannot order anyone out of his kingdom?"

Akbar understood what Birbal was trying to say. He said, "Birbal, you believe that God cannot send anyone away from His kingdom because the whole universe belongs to God. Everything is under him, the sky, and the land, everything in the world."

"That is right, My Lord,' said Birbal. Akbar said, "But I can send people away because my kingdom on land is smaller than God's."

Akbar added, "Birbal, all these people were afraid to tell me the truth that God is greater than me, except you.'

Birbal said, 'Birbal, you found a very novel way of making me realize that I am a mere humble being in front of God. I am grateful to you for making me see the truth. It was foolish of me to get carried away with false praise. Thank you so much Birbal."