TRUE BARGAIN

Mehta Kalian wanted to bind Nanak to worldly affairs. He felt that his son Nanak was now old enough to earn some money.

One day, he gave Nanak twenty rupees and told him to go and strike a profitable bargain in the market with that money. Nanak went to the market with his friend, Bala. On their way, they saw some very poor hermits sitting.

Nanak felt very sorry for the weak and hungry hermits, who didn't even have proper clothes to wear. Nanak had always been a kind person. As the sufferings of other people greatly pained him, he could not stop himself from spending the money his father had given him, to help those poor hermits.

He went to the market with Bala and spent all the money his father had given him to buy food and clothes for the poor hermits.

Then he distributed the food and the clothes among the poor and hungry hermits. When he had helped the poor, he felt as if it was the best business or deal he could have made. He felt that no transaction could be more profitable for his life.

However, on reaching home, Nanak's father asked him, "Nanak, how much profit have you made with t money I gave you?"

When Nanak told his father that he had spent the money on food and clothes and had given them to the poor hermits, his father was very angry. Mehta Kalian shouted at his son, "How could you spend all my hard earned money on the hermits!"

He was about to treat Nanak harshly but Nanki intervened on Nanak's behalf . She strongly defended Nanak's noble deeds. Nanak's sister Nanki and her husband Jai Ram had come home for a visit. Because of them, his father did not punish Nanak.

Rai Bular had always liked Nanak. When he heard about this incident, he called Nanki and her husband Jai Ram to meet him at his palace.

When they came to meet him, he told Jai Ram to take Nanak with him to Sultanpur. Jai Ram agreed as he cared about Nanak.

Rai Bular also called Mehta Kalian to his palace. He told him, "Take these twenty rupees. This is the amount of money that you gave Nanak and he spent them on the poor hermits. Take it and keep it."

When Nanak's father asked why was giving it, Rai Bular replied, "I have heard that you scolded Nanak."

Mehta kalian admitted, "Yes, My Lord, I did scold Nanak."

Rai Bular answered, "Now promise me that you will not scold him. Nanak is like my son. Don't scold him ever again. If he causes you any loss, then I will compensate you for that loss. Your son is God's own child. Just let him do what he likes."

From that day Mehta Kalian did not scold his son, Nanak. He let him do whatever he wanted.