But Nanak had not drowned. He had been summoned to the court of the Creator.
It was his custom to bathe every morning in the nearby Kali Bein rivulet. One dawn, Nanak stepped into the cool, flowing waters and did not emerge. One minute passed, then ten, then an hour. The villagers searched the banks in a panic. The governor ordered the river dragged, but there was no sign of the young man. Everyone wept, believing Nanak had drowned.
On the third day, to the utter astonishment of the villagers, Nanak stepped out of the river at the very spot he had entered. A luminous, radiant glow emanated from his face, so bright that people had to shield their eyes. He was no longer just Nanak; he had become Guru Nanak, the Enlightened Master.
From Lalo’s bread, drops of pure white milk trickled down. From Malik Bhago’s bread, drops of dark, red blood squeezed out.
In another village, a wealthy and arrogant man named Malik Bhago invited the Guru to a grand feast. Guru Nanak declined the invitation and instead chose to stay with Lalo, a poor but honest carpenter who earned his living through hard, physical labor.
Nanak set out with a loyal companion, but on the way, they encountered a group of sadhus, holy men living in the forest. They were starving, their ribs showing through their skin, having eaten nothing for days. Nanak looked at the money in his hand and then at the hungry faces of the men. Without a moment's hesitation, he used all twenty rupees to buy food and feed the starving sages.