The Emperor’s Shadow

One crisp morning, as the golden sun cast long shadows across the palace courtyard, Emperor Akbar stood thoughtfully watching his own shadow stretch behind him. Surrounded by courtiers and ministers, he suddenly turned to Birbal with a playful but curious question.

“Tell me, Birbal,” he said, “who is more important me, or my shadow?”

The courtiers chuckled quietly, assuming it was a trick question with an obvious answer. Surely, the emperor was the greater of the two.

Birbal, however, responded without hesitation, “Your shadow, Jahanpanah.”

Akbar raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “My shadow? How can that be?”

With his signature calm and wit, Birbal explained, “While you are the ruler of this land in the present, it is your actions that create a shadow your legacy that will live on long after you’re gone. A king’s presence ends with time, but his deeds continue to echo in the hearts and minds of his people. Your shadow may be silent, but it carries the weight of your history.”

Akbar paused, deeply moved by the thought. The courtyard, once filled with soft laughter, grew silent in admiration.

“You remind me, Birbal,” Akbar said, “that leadership is not about being seen but about being remembered well.”

Birbal bowed. “And that, Your Majesty, is why your shadow deserves as much attention as your crown.”

Moral: It is not one’s presence, but one’s actions, that shape their legacy.