MILK AND BLOOD

Guru Nanak and Mardana went from place to place, spreading the message of love and peace, and singing the praises of God.

Guru Nanak would sing his own musical hymns to get his teachings across to the people.

Wherever he went, he used the language of that area, so that common people could understand his teachings.

He travelled over the whole of India and even deep into the east, west and north.

When they reached Saidpur, they stayed in the hut of a poor carpenter named Lalo.

The rich people did not like the fact that a saint was living in the house of a person belonging to a low caste. But Guru Nanak continued to stay with th poor Lalo in his hut.

Guru Nanak preferred to live in a poor but honest man's hut rather than in the luxurious house of a rich landlord.

The chief of th palace, Malik Bhago, felt very bad that Guru Nanak had not come to his house for a meal when he had invited him.

He asked Guru Nanak, "Why did you refuse to come to my house to have a meal? Why are you staying in teh hut of this poor carpenter? Why aren't you staying in the house of somebody who is rich and can provide you with comfort and luxury?"

In reply Guru Nanak said, "Get me some sweets for your house."

Malik Bhago asked his servants to get some sweets form his house.

Guru Nanak told Lalo, "Lalo, get me a piece of bread from your house."

Lalo went and brought a piece of bread from his house.

In one hand, Guru Nanak hold a piece of dry bread from the poor man's hut and in the other, he held a piece of sweet from the rich man's house.

Then he tightly squeezed both his fists, with the sweet and the bread in it.

Drops of milk fell from the poor man's bread, but drops of blood fell from the rich man's sweet.

Nanak then explains to Malik Bhago, “You earn money by cheating the poor. That is why blood came out from the sweet. But this poor man has worked hard himself. That is why drop of milk came out from his dry bread.