A Child’s Complaint
A small boy came to Akbar crying, “My mother refuses to give me sweets, though I love them dearly!” Amused, Akbar asked the mother why.
The Mother’s Reply
She folded her hands and said, “If I feed his cravings, I nurture his weakness. I want him to grow strong.”
Birbal’s Support
Birbal added, “True love often says no, not yes. The mother gives discipline with compassion.”
The Court Learns
Akbar praised the mother and declared her a greater teacher than many scholars.
Lesson to Be Learned
Love isn’t indulgence—it is guidance. A devotee seeks what is best for the soul, not what pleases the senses. Kṛṣṇa disciplines us out of compassion, not cruelty, to awaken our eternal strength.
