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Long, long ago, there lived Guru Nanak Dev Ji who traveled the world spreading messages of truth, kindness, and honest living. "The Missing Bowl" brings one of his memorable encounters to life for young readers.

This beautifully illustrated children's book tells the story of Guru Nanak's lesson to a dishonest pandit who was tricking people in the famous city of Jagannath Puri. Through a simple but powerful demonstration involving a missing money bowl, Guru Nanak teaches an important lesson: true goodness comes from doing good deeds, not from pretending to be holy.

What Makes This Story Special

• Based on Historical Events: This story comes from Guru Nanak's actual travels in 1510, documented in his hymns found on page 662 of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji
• Age-Appropriate Wisdom: Complex spiritual concepts presented in simple, engaging language for children ages 5-10
• Discussion Questions Included: Perfect for family conversations and classroom discussions about honesty, kindness, and moral choices
• Free and Open: Licensed under Creative Commons, making it freely available for families, schools, and libraries worldwide

The Complete Story

The Missing Bowl

A Story from the Life of Guru Nanak

Travels of Guru Nanak

Long, long ago, there lived Guru Nanak. He was always smiling and kind. He wanted people to know how to live truthfully and be good human beings.

So, with his friend Bhai Mardana, he began traveling to many places. Everywhere he went, people loved his words and became his students, called Sikhs.

A City by the Sea

On his first journey, Guru Nanak came to the famous city of Jagannath Puri. There, he heard about a man called Kaljug Pandit.

This pandit was no true teacher. He tricked people and took their money. Guru Nanak decided it was time to show him the right path.

The Pandit's Tricks

The next day, Guru Nanak and Bhai Mardana went to watch the pandit. He sat cross-legged with his eyes shut, pretending to be very holy.

People placed coins in a big bowl in front of him. Sometimes he opened one eye, then closed the other. Sometimes he pressed one nostril shut and made strange faces.

"I see this god! I see that god!" he cried. The people gasped in wonder.

Then he said, "Close your eyes! I will show you the gods too."

Everyone shut their eyes at once.

The Vanishing Bowl

Guru Nanak looked at Bhai Mardana and gave him a small smile. Quietly, Bhai Mardana picked up the money bowl and hid it in the bushes nearby.

When the pandit opened his eyes, the bowl was gone. He turned red with anger.

"Who stole my bowl?" he shouted. "Do not play tricks with a holy man!"

The crowd grew restless. More people came running to see what had happened.

Guru Nanak Speaks

Guru Nanak stepped forward and said, "Pandit ji, you say you can see gods and their worlds. Then why can you not see your own money bowl?"

The people burst out laughing. "Pandit ji, where is your bowl? Why can't you find it?" they asked.

Everyone now understood that the pandit had been fooling them.

The Lesson

Guru Nanak spoke gently: "Do not be fooled by people who pretend to be holy. You cannot become good by closing your eyes or making faces. You become good only by doing good deeds."

The pandit hung his head in shame. He realized his mistakes.

A New Beginning

Kaljug Pandit asked Guru Nanak to guide him. He promised never to cheat people again. From that day, he became a true student of Guru Nanak, dedicating himself to living with honesty, kindness, and sewa, which is selfless service to others. By serving his community and living with integrity, he finally found true happiness.

Discussion Questions for Families and Educators

• How do you think Guru Nanak felt when he saw people being tricked? What would you do if you saw someone being unfair?
• How did Guru Nanak teach the lesson without being mean to the pandit?
• Have you ever seen someone pretend to be something they're not? How did it make you feel?
• How is doing kind actions different from just pretending to be good?
• What are some good deeds (sewa) we can do every day?

About the Historical Context

This meeting with Kaljug Pandit happened in the year 1510 during Guru Nanak's first journey. Guru Nanak documented this incident in his hymns, which can be found on page 662 of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. His words remind us that being truly good comes from having a kind heart and doing good things for others, not from outward displays of piety.

Free Download and Sharing

This book is released under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International license, which means:

• Free to download, print, and share for personal and educational use
• Perfect for libraries and schools - no permission needed
• Available worldwide - share with families and communities everywhere
• Printable format - great for bedtime stories or classroom reading

📚 Download Your Free Copy Here

"The Missing Bowl" is written by Gursharn Singh and features beautiful illustrations that bring this timeless story to life. The book includes discussion questions perfect for sparking meaningful conversations about values, character, and the importance of authentic goodness in our daily lives.