The Wise Beggar

One quiet morning, Birbal was walking through the bustling streets of Agra when he noticed something remarkable.

Two beggars sat by the roadside. One looked weary and defeated, holding a single coin perhaps all he had. The other approached him with trembling hands and empty eyes, clearly worse off. Without hesitation, the first beggar handed over his only coin with a gentle smile.

Birbal watched in silent awe.

Later that day, he brought the man to Emperor Akbar’s court.

Akbar, curious, asked, “Why would a man with almost nothing give away the only coin he had? What sense is there in that?”

The beggar bowed humbly and replied, “Your Majesty, I gave because I know what it feels like to have nothing to be hungry, ignored, and hopeless. That man needed the coin more than I did. What I gave was not wealth, but understanding.”

The court fell silent. Even the richest ministers looked down, struck by the depth of the beggar’s words.

Birbal stepped forward and added, “This, Jahanpanah, is generosity in its truest form. Many give from abundance, but few give from empathy. He gave not from his pocket, but from his heart.”

Akbar, moved by the beggar’s wisdom and compassion, rewarded him with gold coins and a place of shelter in the palace grounds.

Moral: The greatest acts of giving come not from wealth, but from understanding and compassion.