Universal jealousy
Akbar asked Birbal, "How is it that there is no hair on my palm? There is hair everywhere else on my body. How is it that there is none on the palm of my hand?"Birbal answered, "It is because you always have plenty of money in your hands, and you give it away in charity. Your palms are being rubbed constantly, so the hair there has all been rubbed away."
"But how is it that you do not have hair on your palms either?"
"Just because I constantly receive money from you, my palms are always being rubbed. You are constantly giving me money and I am constantly receiving it. That is why we have no hair on our palms."
"But what about those who do not get money from me the way you do? Why do they not have hair on their palms?"
"Oh, that is because they are very jealous. Jealous people are always thinking of the money that you are giving me and that I am receiving from you. They constantly rub their hands together in anticipation of receiving some money. They are always burning with jealousy and greed, and so they just rub and rub their palms together. That is why they do not have any hair on their palms either."
Akbar was highly amused and pleased; but those who were listening to Birbal were terribly embarrassed at his accusation, and they bowed their heads in shame.
Commentary
By being jealous of what the giver has or of what the receiver gets, one can never have joy or peace of mind. In order to be constantly happy, one has to identify himself with Reality's source and Reality's course, with Reality's glow and Reality's flow.
