Why Doesn't God Send Someone Else?

One day Akbar, the Mugal Emperor of India, asked hi wise Prime Minister Birbal, "In Islam we say God sent his servant Mohammad Saheb to save people. That was sufficient to do the job. But in Hinduism it is said that God Himself descends. Why does God go to all the trouble of descending?"

Birbal replied,"O Emperor, I don't really know. That is just how it is". Thus Birbal deferred the question.

Birbal was very wise. He knew that just an explanation will not be sufficient to satisfy Akbar's curiosity. The crown prince was Salim and Akbar was very fond of him. So, Birbal got a wax replica made of Salim, in a sitting posture. When the replica was ready Birbal suggested that Akbar and Salim go for a boat ride.

Birbal took the nanny of Salim in his confidence and she too accompanied them. Akbar, Salim and Birbal along with the entire entourage of servants embarked on boats. Akbar and Birbal sat in the front and Salim's replica with the nanny sat behind. The real prince stayed in the palace with other attendants.

The maid kept fondling and caressing the replica. After sometime Birbal signaled the maid to throw the replica in the water and pretend like he accidentally fell in the river.

Seeing Salim bobbing in the river, Akbar jumped in the river to save his son. No sooner did he touch the wax replica that he figured out that it was one of Birbal's pranks. Akbar was furious. He asked Birbal what kind of practical joke this was.

Birbal replied,"O Emperor! You wanted to know why God descends on earth and does not send His servants to save people. See when your son fell in the river you yourself jumped in the water. You didn'd ask any of your servants to save him. Similarly, we are God's children and He loves us. Hence, He Himself descends on earth to save us".