Who is Greater! God or King

Once, Akbar, the Great
Moghul Emperor, called his
Court together and posed a
problem before them.

"Who is greater? God or I?"
asked the Monarch.

The Courtiers chorused, "God,
of course." But Birbal said,
"You are Greater, Excellency."

Akbar was greatly amazed to
hear this. So he asked, "And
how is that?"

Birbal replied, "Your Majesty,
you are capable of doing
something which even the God
cannot attempt."

Even more mystified by this
cryptic answer, Akbar asked,
"How can I, a puny mortal, be
capable of doing something that
even God cannot do?"

All the Courtiers looked with
distaste at Birbal. They were
sure he was flattering the
Monarch to gain his own ends.
In fact,they exclaimed, "Birbal is



trying to get some reward from
the King by his flattery."

Birbal laughed and said, "Why
talk of a reward? I have
answered the King's question.
Now, Til explain it."

The Courtiers sharpened their
ears to hear what the celebrated
wit had to say in defence .of his
statement. Even the King was
eager to listen to the explanation.
He had been trying to unravel
the mystery but nothing seemed
to suggest itself to him.

Birbal began, "I said you
were greater than God because
you could do something that
the latter could not do. Now,
Your Majesty, you can send
anyone into exile from this
land?"

Akbar replied, "Yes, of
course! If a man has committed
a crime and deserves to be
punished, I can send him into
exile. But what has this got to




to do with God?"

"Patience, Sire," counselled
Birbal. "You could exile a
man from your land. Can God
give a punishment like that?"

Akbar and the other Cour-
tiers replied in one voice, "No!
That cannot be."

Birbal smiled and continued.
"Think for a moment. God's
power and influence are spread
all over the world. There is no
place in the universe which does
not come under his sway. There-
fore, God cannot exile anyone
from his realm. Wherever man
goes he comes under the power



of God. Therefore, God cannot
send anybody into exile. But
you can. You can order a man
into exile and make sure that
your command is carried out.
That is why I said you are
greater than God."

The King was delighted with
Birbal's answer and praised
him for the keenness of his
intellect. Then he heaped pre-
sents on him. The Court dis-
persed for the day and many
Courtiers jealous of Birbal bla-
med themselves for not think-
ing of the simple answer
before.