Now, Nanak Ji was 17 years old

Now, Nanak Ji was 17 years old. Therefore, his father carefully considered and gave him 20 rupees for business. He said, “Nanak, now start a small business with this money. If you make a profit, I will continue to support you. I have full hope that one day you will become a great businessman.”

After much persuasion, a neighbor's son named Bala, who was Nanak Ji’s childhood friend and of the same age, was sent with him as a companion to assist him with advice.

Nanak Ji’s father gave him strict instructions, saying, “Son, do not get deceived anywhere; only make a true deal, in which profit is assured.”

Both friends set out from Talwandi for a neighboring town. On the way, they saw a group of sages camping by the roadside. Nanak Ji expressed his desire to meet the sages, and both of them left the road and went to the sages’ camp. All the sages were engaged in devotional singing.

Nanak Ji asked their leader, “How do you arrange for your food?”

The leader replied, “If a kind person donates food, we eat. Otherwise, we spend time without food.”

Hearing this, Nanak Ji gave the leader 20 rupees and said, “Use this money to arrange for your food.”

But the leader asked, “Son, why do you want to give this money to us sages?”

Nanak Ji replied, “My father sent me to make a true deal. I feel there can be no better deal than this. I see only profit in it.”

Then the leader said, “Son, we do not accept money. If you wish, bring us some grains, and we will prepare the food ourselves.”

Hearing this, Nanak Ji went to the nearby town of Chuharkana, bought all kinds of provisions, loaded them onto an ox-cart, and gave them to the sages and monks. Then he returned home.

As they neared Talwandi village, Nanak Ji sat outside the village at the community resting place and sent Bala home.

When Father Kalu Ji heard that Bala had returned but there was no sign of Nanak, he immediately summoned Bala to get all the details. As soon as he learned that Nanak Ji had spent all the money to feed the sages, he became furious and set out in search of Nanak Ji.

At that time, Nanak Ji’s sister, Nanaki Ji, had come to her parental home for the first time after her marriage. When she heard that her father was angry, she followed him.

After searching, Father Kalyan Chand Ji found Nanak Ji sitting at the resting place near a dry pond.

What happened next? Father Kalu Ji grabbed Nanak Ji and asked, “Where is the money?”

Nanak Ji sat there calmly. When he received no answer, Kalu Ji, in anger, slapped Nanak Ji on the cheek and began scolding him.

As he raised his hand to slap him again, Nanaki Ji held his hand and stood between her beloved brother and father like a shield.

Father’s anger did not subside, but what could he do? What was done was done. Finally, after Nanaki Ji’s persuasion, he took Nanak Ji home with him.

This incident spread like wildfire throughout Talwandi that Mehta Kalu Ji had beaten Nanak Ji.

As soon as Rai Bular heard about this incident, he sent for Mehta Kalu Ji. When both father and son appeared before Rai Bular, he questioned Nanak Ji, “Son, why did you spend all the money on the sages?”

Nanak Ji replied, “When I was leaving, my father gave me strict orders to make a true deal. So, after much thought, I made the best possible deal. There is only profit in this.”

Hearing this answer, Rai Bular said to Mehta Kalu Ji, “Look, Kalu, I have told you many times not to mistreat Nanak Ji. But you never understand and always do as you please. From today, remember this: do not interfere in whatever Nanak Ji does. If you suffer any loss, I will compensate for it.”

After this incident, Father Kalu Ji once again tried to persuade Nanak Ji, saying, “Son, I did not mean that you should spend all the money on charity at once. I wanted you to become self-reliant so that your marriage could also take place. It has been almost two years since your engagement.”

With these words, Kalu Ji convinced Nanak Ji to engage in business again and prepared him to run a grocery shop in Talwandi.

In reality, Nanak Ji also wished to earn his livelihood through his own hard work and become self-sufficient. So, he started a shop. Within a few days, due to Nanak Ji’s kind and affectionate behavior, the shop started flourishing, keeping Nanak Ji occupied.