One day a woman came to Birbal seeking his help.
The woman said, ‘O wise Birbal, the King desires to construct an
edifice on the land where I live with my family. The place is dear to us as it belongs
to our far ancestors. We do not want to leave the place. I seek your help wise
man. You are very dear to the emperor. Help us, convince him to change the
place of construction. Me and my family will be grateful to you forever’.
Birbal said, ‘O respected lady. I cannot assure you, but I would
try my best to save your land’.
Soon the construction began.
One day, Birbal took Akbar to the place of construction for an
overview. There, they saw a pile of gunny bags near the pile of mud. Birbal went
ahead and began filling the gunny bags with mud.
Akbar immediately asked him, ‘Birbal, why are you doing this’.
Birbal said, ‘My Majesty, this act will earn me merit for my next
life’.
Akbar found the statement musing. But he joined Birbal and filled
some bags with mud himself. After they had filled some bags, Birbal requested
Akbar to lift one of the gunny bags filled with mud.
While he lifted, Akbar exclaimed, ‘No, it is very heavy!’
Birbal replied, ‘My Majesty, if one bag of this mud is so heavy,
how much mud will weigh in this piece of land which you have taken from the
family which lived here. Would not it weigh heavily on your conscience?’
It was late that Akbar realized his mistake. He immediately asked
his men to stop construction on the land that belonged to lady and his family.
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