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My Love For You

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My Love For You

a novel

The Sadhu

Akbar came to the throne when he was only thirteen years old

In the years that followed, he built on of the greatest empires of his time

He lived in unimaginable splendor

He was surrounded by courtiers who agreed with every word he said, who flattered him and treated him as if he were a god

Perhaps it was not surprising that Emperor Akbar was sometimes arrogant and behaved as if the whole world belonged to him

One day, Birbal decided to make the great emperor stop and think about life

That evening as the emperor was going towards his palace, he noticed a Sadhu lying in the centre of his garden

He could not believe his eyes

A strange Sadhu, in ragged clothes, right in the middle of the palace garden? The guards would have to be punished for this, thought the emperor furiously as he walked over to that Sadhu and prodded him with the tip of his embroidered slipper

Here, fellow!" he cried

"What are you doing here? Get up and go away at once!"

That Sadhu opened his eyes

Then he sat up slowly

"Huzoor," he said in a sleepy voice

"Is this your garden, then?"

Yes!" cried the Emperor

"This garden those rose bushes, the fountain beyond that, the courtyard, the palace, this fort, this empire, it all belongs to me!"

Slowly that Sadhu stood up

"And the river, Huzoor? And the city? And this country?"

Yes, yes, it's all mine", said the emperor

"Now get out!"

Ah", said the Sadhu

"And before you, Huzoor

Who did the garden and fort and city belong to then?"

My father, of course", said the emperor

In spite of his irritation, he was beginning to get interested in the Sadhu's questions

He loved philosophical discussions and he could tell, from his manner of speaking, that the Sadhu was a learned man

And who was here before him?" the Sadhu asked quietly

His father, my father's father, as you know

Ah", said the Sadhu

So this garden, those rose bushes, the palace and the fort all this has only belonged to you for your lifetime

Before that they belonged to your father, am I right? And after yours time they will belong to your son, and then to his son?

Yes", said the Emperor Akbar wonderingly

So each one stays here for a time and then goes on his ways?"

Yes

Like a dharmashala?" the Sadhu asked

"No one owns a dharmashala

Or the shade of a tree on the side of a road

We stop and rest for a while and then go on

And someone has always been there before us and someone will always come after we have gone

Is that not so?"

It is", Emperor Akbar quietly

So your garden, your palace, your fort, your empire

these are only places you will stay in for a time, for the span of your lifetime

When you die, they will no longer belong to you

You will go, leaving them in the possession of someone else, just as your father did and his father before him

Emperor Akbar nodded

"The whole world is a dharmashala", he said slowly, thinking very hard

"In which we mortals rest awhile

That's what you are telling me, isn't it? Nothing on this earth can ever belong to a single person, because each person is only passing through the earth and must die one day?"

The Sadhu nodded solemnly

Then, bowing to the ground, he removed his white beard and saffron turban and his voice changed

"Jahanpanah, forgive me!" he said, in his normal voice

"It was my way of asking you to think about

Birbal, oh, Birbal!" the emperor exclaimed

"You are wiser than any philosopher

Come, come at once to the royal chamber and let us discuss this further

Even emperors are but wayfarers on the path of life, it is clear!"

Truth Untruth

Akbar's court was famous for the witty question answer sessions between the Emperor himself, and his clever minister Birbal.

On one such occasion - Akbar asked his courtiers whether they could tell the difference between truth and untruth within three words. All the courtiers started racking their brains to search for the three most appropriate words in which they could tell the difference between the truth and the untruth. But, enough time passed and none of them could come up with an answer.

Birbal was also present in the court, but kept mum. The Emperor asked him, "What about you, Birbal? Why are you so silent?"

Your Majesty!" Birbal politely replied, "I was giving a chance to others first. In my opinion, the right answer would be: Four fingers."

The Emperor asked Birbal, "How is that, Birbal? Explain it to all!"

Yes, Your Majesty, four fingers is the difference between truth and untruth. What your eyes see is truth, and what your ears hear, may be false."

I agree with that, but why did you say that the difference between truth and untruth is four fingers?" Akbar said.

Birbal bowed and said, "Four fingers is the distance between one's eyes and one's ears, Your Majesty!" Akbar was very astonished to hear Birbal's well thought reply

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Birbal's Wisdom

One fine day, Akbar lost his ring

When Birbal arrived in the court, Akbar told him "I have lost my ring

My father had given it to me as a gift

Please help me find it

" Birbal said "do not worry your Majesty, I will find your ring right now

He said, "Your Majesty the ring is here in this court itself, it is with one of the courtier

The courtier who has a straw in his beard has your ring

" The courtier who had the emperors ring was shocked and immediately moved his hand over his beard

Birbal noticed this act of the courtier

He immediately pointed towards the courtier and said, "Please search this man