The Way To Heaven

The Way To Heave is an amazing Akbar and Birbal Bedtime story.

Birbal was very clever and intelligent. Hence, almost every courtier was jealous of him and looked for a chance to get rid of him. But, each time they failed and Birbal’s fame increased.

Yet, they were determined to eliminate Birbal. Once again they made a clever plot to kill Birbal. A barber named Karim was in the Emperor’s good books. All these courtiers decided to create a bad opinion about Birbal through this barber. Accordingly, they fabricated a careful plan. They explained everything to Karim.

One day, while shaving the Emperor’s beard, the barber said, “Today, I remembered your father. He was so delicate that he couldn’t ever bear the sharp blade of a razor. I worked. a for him for thirty years yet never was he angry with me. Several years have passed since he died. But, there is no news from him. Why don’t you bring any message from your late father?

The Emperor replied, “How is it possible to communicate with the dead?” Can we send a messenger up there in heaven?

The barber said, “Your Majesty, though the messenger cannot do this, I am sure that Birbal can. I have heard that Brahmins can go to heaven and come back by the power of Yoga. I will tell you how it is done. A pyre should be lit in the cremation ground. Birba! should be made to lie upon it and ‘mantras’ should be recited. Birbal will slowly ascend along with the smoke and fumes. Maharaj, please send Birbal up to heaven to find out the wellbeing of your father. At any cost whatsoever, you should do this, it is my sincere opinion.”

Accordingly, the Emperor told all this to Birbal. Birbal demanded five lakh rupees for this job and asked for a time gap of six months. During this period, Birbal secretly dug an underground tunnel from the cremation ground to some far off place.

At the end of six months, Birbal went to the Emperor and said that he was all ready to go to Heaven. As expected, the pyre was arranged just above the place of the tunnel. With great pomp and show, Birbal lay upon the pyre in the presence of the Emperor and other courtiers.

The pyre was lit. But, Birbal had secretly arranged in advance so that the wood for the pyre should be moist. Therefore, a lot of smoke came out from the wet logs. Because of the irritation all started rubbing their eyes. Birbal took advantage of this opportunity and secretly escaped through the tunnel.

After several days, right during heavy monsoon, Birbal came to the court in outlandish clothes. When the Emperor learned that Birbal had returned, he at once went to receive him with honor and respect. He asked Birbal about the journey.

Then Birbal replied, “Maharaj, Heaven is certainly a magical land! How sweet was the nectar there! Seeing the luxury and prosperity of that heavenly abode, I just felt like not coming back to this kingdom of death. But, for your father’s strong insistence, I had to leave and come back here. He is having only a small difficulty in heaven. Your barber Karim’s father is in heaven. He shaves your father very skillfully. But your father cannot bear his heavy-handedness. Therefore, His beard has grown excessively and he always remembers Karim. He has asked me to send him a good barber up in heaven. Therefore, I would suggest you arrange a pyre in the cremation ground in the place which I have purified with mantras and send Karim to serve your father in heaven.”

The Emperor liked Birbal’s idea. He decided to do it accordingly.

Then, Karim was taken to the cremation ground with great show and festivity. He was made to sit on the pyre and the pyre was lit. Within some time, Karim was burnt to death in the presence of several courtiers.

Birbal’s rivals were so very terrified by this incident that they did not dare to harm him again. In this way, Birbal turned the tables on his enemies by his wit and intelligence.