“Birbal’s Khichdi”
On a cold winter day, Emperor Akbar and his advisor, Birbal, were walking by a lake. Akbar dipped his finger into the freezing water and remarked, “I don’t think anyone could spend an entire night in this cold water.” Birbal confidently replied, “I am sure I can find such a person.” Akbar, intrigued, challenged Birbal to find someone willing to endure the cold night in exchange for a reward of a thousand gold coins.
Birbal searched and found a poor man who agreed to the challenge. The man stood in the lake overnight, enduring the cold. The next morning, he was brought before Akbar. When asked how he managed, the man explained, “I focused on a street lamp burning 200 yards away, and its light kept me warm.” Akbar, believing the man had been warmed by the lamp’s light, decided he was not deserving of the reward. The disappointed man sought Birbal’s help.
The following day, Birbal did not attend the court. Concerned, Akbar visited Birbal’s home and found him sitting near a small fire with a pot of khichdi hanging five feet above it. Amused, Akbar asked, “How can the khichdi cook if it’s so far from the fire?” Birbal responded, “Just as the man was warmed by a lamp 200 yards away.” Akbar realized his mistake and rewarded the poor man.
Moral:
This story teaches that understanding the context and the means by which someone achieves something is crucial before making judgments.