AT WORK

Meanwhile, Jai Ram had found a job for Nanak in Sultanpur.

Jai Ram had been working in the court of Daulat Khan Lodi. He went to Daulat Khan Lodi and asked him to give a job to Nanak.

Daulat Khan Lodi liked Jai Ram because he was a gentle and honest person. He knew that Jai Ram would only bring honest and deserving people for job.

On Jai Ram's recommendation, Nanak was at once taken as a storekeeper in Sultanpur.

He would wake up early in the morning. After taking his bath he would say hi sprayers and would then go for his work, and return late at night after a hard day's work.

Jai Ram and Nanki were very happy to see Nanak working so well in the state granary.

Nanak stayed with his sister Nanki and husband Jai Ram in the beginning. They all happily lived together because they loved and respected each other a lot.

Nanak continued living in Sultanpur with his wife, and there they had their two sons.

His son Sri Chand was born in 1494 and Lalshmi Chand in 1497.

Nanak was very honest and good. But he did not keep any account of what was stored in the granary.

He gave people whatever they wanted from the granary. He made no difference between people of different religions or castes.

Many poor people started coming to him. And he would give everyone whatever they asked for.

The poor people loved Nanak for his Kindness, and he becomes famous as Nanak Dev.

In the store, he would count out one, two, three till thirteen, and then he would stop.

He just wouldn't count after that and people could take any amount above that.

At times people laughed at Nanak that he did not know how to count beyond thirteen, but the fact was something else.

In Hindi, thirteen is called 'Tere' would remind him that everything belonged to God. He thought that if everything belonged to God who was he to prevent it from being given to Gods own children. The grains belonged to God, and if God wanted to give it to the poor who he to stop them.

So he distributed all the amounts above thirteen without counting. For him it was like following an order of his sat kartar. There was no cheating in this for him. he was very honest about it; moreover, he never kept it for himself but gave it to the poor and the needy.

Along with fulfilling his worldly duties, Nanak continued to compose and sing Devotional songs.

Mardana would play the rubab and his other childhood friend Bala would play the small flat drum while they sang Gods praises.