A Mysterious Request
Akbar once asked Birbal, “Can a boat float without a bottom?” The question was meant to confuse, but Birbal nodded confidently.
The Living Example
Birbal brought a leaf floating gently on the water. “This is a boat without a bottom,” he said. “It carries ants and insects, and it does not sink.”
The Emperor’s Amusement
Akbar laughed. “You always have an answer that opens the heart and the mind.”
Lesson to Be Learned
Even the simplest things can carry deep truths. In life, we may think we need strong material structures, but sometimes it is lightness and detachment that help us float. The soul floats across the ocean of birth and death by surrender—not by heavy attachments.
