A Gentle Task
Akbar asked Birbal to explain the consequences of careless words. Birbal asked for a feather pillow, tore it open, and let the wind carry the feathers.
Birbal’s Request
He then asked the emperor to collect every feather. Akbar replied, “That’s impossible!” Birbal nodded, “So too are spoken words—they cannot be gathered once scattered.”
A Silence of Understanding
The emperor reflected deeply. From that day, he became more mindful with speech.
Lesson to Be Learned
Words have power. A single insult or rumor can cause great harm. In devotional life, one must guard the tongue—not only from worldly talk, but also from offenses to devotees and the Holy Name.
