The pomegranate puzzle

One day, Emperor Akbar handed Birbal a single pomegranate and challenged him to divide it among all his ministers so that no one felt less important. After thinking for a moment, Birbal squeezed the pomegranate into juice, then poured equal portions into small glasses and distributed them to each minister. He explained, “The juice holds the fruit’s essence, and in sharing it, everyone receives an equal part of its worth.” Akbar and the ministers admired Birbal’s wisdom in creating fairness, realizing that true equality lies in sharing the essence rather than dividing the pieces.

Moral : Fairness focuses on shared essence, not just exact division.

Summary : Akbar challenged Birbal to divide a pomegranate equally among ministers. Birbal made juice and distributed equal portions, explaining that true equality lies in sharing the essence, not dividing parts, and impressing everyone.