WORLDLY DUTY

Nanak had both wisdom and courage to challenge such age old customs. Before performing an old custom, he would analyze its worth and wouldn’t perform it blindly.

Throughout his life, he taught people not to follow the old customs blindly. He taught them that the mechanical performance of a ritual wouldn’t make them close to God.

The priests had made many customs and rituals which were useful for the material well being of their caste, but useless for the spiritual growth of a person.

Nanak wanted such obsolete and meaningless customs to be abolished, and only those old customs be continued which were beneficial for humanity at large.

According to him only those customs should be followed which gave peace and contentment to the people and were based on the principles of love, truth and equality.

After this incident, Nanak spent much of his time in singing religious songs in the company of holy men.

When Mehta Kalian saw his son singing religious songs with holy men, he became worried. He told his wife, “Nanak has already learnt everything which can be taught here. There is nothing to occupy him. What if he turns into idler?

“We should give him something to do, so that he suggested, “I think I will tell him to look after our cattle while they are grazing.

“Yes, that is a nice idea. It will keep him busy.” Agreed Tripta. Mehta Kalian called Nanak and told him to take charge of the cattle from the very next day. As usual Nanak politely obeyed his father.

From the next day, he started taking the cattle for grazing. Dana When he took the cattle for grazing; he took his close Muslim friend Mardana with him.

Nanak would sing songs praising God and Mardana would play the rubab, a musical instrument that Nanak had lent him.