Guru Nanak was born in 1469 at Rai Bhoeki Talwandi now known as Nankana Sahib situated in Punjab province of West Pakistan. His father, Mehta Kalu was an accountant of land revenue in the government. Guru`s mother was Mata Tripta and he had one older sister, Bibi Nanki. It is said that Bibi Nanki was the first person to recognize divinity in her brother.
Guru`s Schooling
At the age of seven, Guru Nanak was sent to school, which was run by teacher, Pandit Gopal Das, at his village. As usual the teacher started the lesson with an alphabet but the teacher was wonder-stuck when the Guru asked him to explain the meanings of the letters of the alphabet. However at the helplessness of his teacher, the Guru wrote the meanings of each and every letter of the alphabet. This was the first Divine Message delivered by Guru Nanak. The teacher stood abashed before the Divine Master and bowed to him. He then took him back to his father and said, "Mehtaji, your son is an Avtar (prophet) and has come to redeem the victims of Kalyug. He is destined to be a world Teacher, there is nothing that I can teach him."
Guru Nanak showed similar brilliance when he was taken to learn Arabic from a Muslim teacher of the village. In no time, Guru Nanak had mastered all that the instructor had to teach.
Ceremony of Sacred Thread
Guru Nanak was nine years old and according to the custom among the higher castes of Hindus, he was required to invest himself with the sacred thread called `Janaeu`. Great preparations were made by his father for this ceremony. The family priest named Hardyal, started chanting Mantras and was ready to put the thread around the Guru`s neck, when he refused to wear it. The whole assembly was astonished. They tried to persuade him every way to wear the Janaeu but in vain. The Guru questioned whether wearing the thread would make him a better human being. If not, he felt there was no purpose in the ceremony.
Cobra Serves the Divine Master
As usually is the case in villages, the father sent his son to graze the buffaloes in the pastures. One day while the Guru was grazing the cattle, he fell asleep under a tree and the herd destroyed the crops in the neighbouring fields. When the owner saw his crops damaged, he became furious and lodged a complaint with Rai Bular, an officer-in-charge of that area.
Rai Bular sent for the son and his father to adjust the quarrel. The Guru told them that no damage was done to the crops; rather it was blessed by God. Rai Bular sent his messengers to inspect the fields. To everybody`s surprise the investigators could not find any damage in the fields rather the crops had doubled. On another day the Guru was sent to graze the buffaloes and he fell asleep under the shade of a tree. As the sun rose higher, the shadow moved away. A big cobra came out of its den and provided shadow with its hood over the face of the Divine Master. Rai Bular happened to pass by that side with his attendants. When he saw this strange scene, he was convinced that the boy was a man of God. Upon seeing the people, the cobra retreated to its den and Rai Bular touched Guru`s feet in great reverence and thus became Guru`s disciple.
True Bargain
In spite of the accumulating evidence about the spiritual greatness of the Guru, Mehta Kalu was not convinced and thought that his son was wasting time in profitless contemplation. So he wanted to put him to trade. He gave the Guru twenty rupees (Indian currency) and sent him to the nearest town- Chuharkana, to buy goods of common use and then sell them at a profit. The family servant Bala was also sent with him.
On his way the Guru met a group of ascetics, who were hungry for several days. The Guru spent all the money in feeding the ascetics and called it a true bargain. He realized the nature of his act and did not go home but sat under a tree outside his village. Bala went home and he narrated the whole story to his father. The father became very angry but the Guru explained to him that he could not think of a more profitable bargain.
