A Surprise For Everyone When Guru Nanak was seven years old, he was sent to a school
A Surprise For Everyone
When Guru Nanak was seven years old, he was sent to a school. He liked to read, write and think. Very soon he learnt a lot and surprised his teacher. But more than his books he liked to sit down and think about God. He would sit down, close his eyes, and say nothing. His friends also joined him. The teacher liked them to read books but they had only God on their lips. The teacher told this to the Guru’s father. He thought that the Guru did not like going to school. So he did not send him to school any more. The Guru was happy. He had now made friends with many boys and all of them sang hymns in the streets.
One day his father thought that Nanak was making friends with bad boys. He wanted him to know about Hindu books and read them. So he called a Brahman to his house. A Brahman is a Hindu teacher. He keeps Hindu books and teaches people how to read them. Before he teaches anything, he puts a thread around the neck of the boys. He thinks that the thread makes them good boys. He made a thread for Guru Nanak also. Then he said something in a low voice which Guru Nanak could not understand. After that he took up the thread and tried to put it round the Guru’s neck.
The Guru said, “Please wait. Let me first try to understand why you want to put this thread around my neck.”
“It will make you a good boy. God will love you and you will become a good Hindu,” said the Brahman.
“How can a thread make me a good boy? How can God love me if I don’t do good? How can I become a good Hindu by only putting on a thread?” asked the Guru.
“You are a child,” said the Brahman. “There are many things you don’t understand. Put it on. God will see this thread when you think of Him. He will love you,” said the Brahman.
“But this thread will break off after my bath. How then will God find it on my body?” asked the Guru once more.
The Brahman and all the people were surprised. Nobody could answer the Guru’s questions. So everybody was silent.
After some time the Guru again asked the Brahman a question. “Can you tell, Sir, why should I be a Hindu at all? Is it not good to be a man?”
The Brahman and the Guru’s father were very angry. They did not like the Guru’s questions. They thought that the Guru did not want to be wise. So the Guru’s father asked him to be a cow- herd.
Guru Nanak agreed. Everyday he took the cattle out into the fields. The cattle liked the green grass but the Guru liked to think about God. He would sit down under a tree and forget all about the cattle.
One day the Guru thought about God for a very long time. He was tired. So he fell asleep under a tree. The cattle went into a cornfield. They ate up a lot of corn and all the plants were destroyed. The Guru did not know this and was still sleeping when the farmer came up. He was very angry to see his crops eaten up. He took the cattle away and told the police.
The police went to tell the Guru’s father. Many people went with them. The police chief was Mr. Rai Bular. He took Kalu and the farmer to the fields. All the people followed them. They reached the farmer’s field. The field was as green as ever and not a plant was broken. Everybody was surprised. The farmer thought it was magic. They were all wondering when Rai Bular said, “But where’s the boy?”
Everybody began to look for the Guru. They sought him here, there and everywhere. But they could not find him. The sun was very hot and they were tired. So they thought of taking some rest under a tree. They were even more surprised to find the Guru sleeping there. The shade of the tree had moved round away from him but a snake was giving shade to the Guru’s face.Everybody prayed for the Guru’s life. They were very afraid. Their noise made the Guru wake up. The snake slipped away and the Guru got up. All came back to the village. From that day many people began to think that Nanak was ‘a man of God.’
“O Nanak, Gods’s name has magic. Those that hear, death do not fear. Their sorrows end, and sins disappear.”
Guru Nanak
