Akbar said to Birbal, “We Muslim’s have Allah, Christians have Christ, Buddhists have Buddha. But you Hindus worship so many Gods. Why is it so? Birbal said : ” God is one but His names are many.”
Akbar: “How is it possible? How can God assume so many forms and yet only be one?”
Birbal summoned a servant who was wearing a turban. He pointed to it and said: “What is that?”
Servant said: “A turban”
Birbal: “Untie it, roll it and. tie it to your waist”
When he had done so, Birbal asked, “What is that”
Servant answered: “A kamarbhand”
Birbal, turning to Akbar. “You have seen how the same cloth acquires different names when performing different functions. So also water can be a cloud when in sky; it is rain when it falls to earth; it is river when it flows, ice when it freezes.
Similarly God is one but is called by different names by different people
Moral
We name things according to our own perceptions. It is important to bear in mind that the name is not the thing named. Just as map is not the territory it refers to. Sometime it is useful to think and view a thing in entirely apart from its name or utility.
As far as the God is concerned we give forms to Him according to our perception.
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