Does Sikhism Allow Eating Meat?

A Sikh Should Eat Meat Or Not?

'Sikhism and Meat Eating' in the light of Guru Granth Sahib's wisdom.

This controversy is more prevalent abroad than in Punjab because, since June 1984, control of foreign gurdwaras has been directly or indirectly in the hands of Khalistani-minded people who are more influenced by the education spread by Damdami Taksal, Akhand Kirtani Jatha, or Many other similar camps instead of the ideology of Guru Granth Sahib. All these Deras consider 'meat eating' as an obstacle to the spiritual ascension of the Sikhs and promote vegetarian food.

There is no one who does not eat meat.

Yes, it is true.

ਜੇਤੇ ਦਾਣੇ ਅੰਨ ਕੇ ਜੀਆ ਬਾਝ ਨਾ ਕੋਇ॥ (Ang-472) Guru Nanak Sahib says that there is no grain of food which is not alive. But surprisingly, people who eat 'raw meat' can be seen hating (not all) those who eat cooked meat.

What we are trying to explain here:

Meat should not be a subject of dispute as Food but Taste (ਰਸ).

Murdering a creature just to quench the fire of taste is not acceptable at all. Because the path of Sikhism is of love and compassion and not hate and cruelty. But again you cannot make it a subject of debate.

ਪ੍ਰੇਮ ਬਿਛੋਹਾ ਕਰਤ ਕਸਾਈ ॥
This butcher has separated them from the Beloved Lord.
ਨਿਰਦੈ ਜੰਤੁ ਤਿਸੁ ਦਇਆ ਨ ਪਾਈ ॥੨॥
This merciless one shows no mercy at all to the poor beings. ||2||

Many people quote these lines of Guru Nanak in support of eating flesh.

ਪਹਿਲਾਂ ਮਾਸਹੁ ਨਿਮਿਆ ਮਾਸੈ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਵਾਸੁ॥
ਜੀਉ ਪਾਇ ਮਾਸੁ ਮੁਹਿ ਮਿਲਿਆ ਹਡੁ ਚੰਮੁ ਤਨੁ ਮਾਸੁ॥
ਮਾਸਹੁ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਕਢਿਆ ਮੰਮਾ ਮਾਸੁ ਗਿਰਾਸ॥
ਮੁਹੁ ਮਾਸੈ ਕਾ ਜੀਭ ਮਾਸੈ ਕੀ ਮਾਸੈ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਸਾਸੁ॥
ਵਡਾ ਹੋਆ ਵੀਆਹਿਆ ਘਰਿ ਲੈ ਆਇਆ ਮਾਸੁ॥
ਮਾਸਹੁ ਹੀ ਮਾਸੁ ਉਪਜੇ ਮਾਸਹੁ ਸਭੇ ਸਾਕੁ॥ (Page -1289)

Nature has established a very close relationship between man and 'flesh'. As a result, nothing can be made of this human being without flesh. Without flesh, man cannot survive. But having flesh as your component and eating flesh by murdering animals are two separate topics to discuss.

Bhagat Kabir Ji on Ang 1377 states

ਕਬੀਰ ਭਾਂਗ ਮਾਛੁਲੀ ਸੁਰਾ ਪਾਨਿ ਜੋ ਜੋ ਪ੍ਰਾਨੀ ਖਾਂਹਿ ॥
ਤੀਰਥ ਬਰਤ ਨੇਮ ਕੀਏ ਤੇ ਸਭੈ ਰਸਾਤਲਿ ਜਾਂਹਿ ॥੨੩੩॥

Kabeer, those mortals who consume marijuana, fish, and wine. - no matter what pilgrimages, fasts, and rituals they follow, they will all go to hell. The core meaning of these lines states the difference between one's outer and inner nature. If someone consumes intoxicants and flesh for taste and on the other hand puts himself as a spiritual being, is a total waste.

Also Guru Nanak Speaks
'ਮਾਸੁ ਮਾਸੁ ਕਰਿ ਮੂਰਖ ਝਗੜੇ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਧਿਆਨੁ ਨਹੀ ਜਾਣੈ॥
ਕਉਣੁ ਮਾਸੁ ਕਉਣੁ ਸਾਗੁ ਕਹਾਵੈ ਕਿਸ ਮਹਿ ਪਾਪ ਸਮਾਣੈ॥
ਗੈਂਡਾ ਮਾਰਿ ਹੋਮ ਜਗ ਕੀਏ ਦੇਵਤਿਆ ਕੀ ਬਾਣੈ॥
ਮਾਸੁ ਛੋਡਿ ਬੈਸਿ ਨਕੁ ਪਕੜਹਿ ਰਾਤੀ ਮਾਣਸ ਖਾਣੈ॥
ਫੜੁ (ਪਖੰਡ) ਕਰਿ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਨੋ ਦਿਖਲਾਵਹਿ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਧਿਆਨੁ ਨਹੀ ਸੂਝੈ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਅੰਧੇ ਸਿਉ ਕਿਆ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਹੈ ਨਾ ਕਹਿਆ ਬੂਝੈ॥' (ਗੁਰਬਾਣੀ, ਅੰਗ -1289)

Why did Guru Nanak Sahib have to say this? Because in the past the 'Brahmins' themselves had arranged for the free eating of meat in yagnas and shraddhas, there was no such Yagna done where no meat was served, especially the rhinoceros meat.

Guru Sahib says that the quarrel between meat and vegetables is the quarrel of fools because the ignorant men do not know what is meat and what is vegetation or whose food is good and whose food is sinful. In fact, from the land from which vegetation is produced by taking water, air, and other liquid foods, meat, blood, and milk are made by eating the same vegetation, then how to differentiate between what is meat and what is vegetation. People who do not hesitate to do other evil deeds, but become detached from meat and look at others (meat-eaters) with hatred, rebuke them and hold their nose when seeing a meat-eater. Yet they have no shame in eating human beings by killing the rights of other people (because in the eyes of Guru Sahib killing the rights of others is eating dead bodies).

Guru Nanak's statement does not mean that you must eat meat but he is asking to not make this subject an argument. Not consuming meat and having Kaam Krodh Lobh Moh Ahankar with you doesn't make you superior to a person who consumes meat and is a man of God with his other deeds.

ਪਾਤੀ ਤੋਰੈ ਮਾਲਿਨੀ ਪਾਤੀ ਪਾਤੀ ਜੀਉ॥ ਜਿਸੁ ਪਾਹਨ ਕਉ ਪਾਤੀ ਤੋਰੈ ਸੋ ਪਾਹਨ ਨਿਰਜੀਉ॥ (Part-479)
It is stupidity to pluck living flowers, for a lifeless stone. Those who oppose meat-eating in Sikhism should know that there is life in all kinds of fruits and vegetables. Don't you eat them? There are so many living beings in it, which we eat with our eyes open, not with our eyes closed. Medicines are then made from the flesh of this plant and many animals. There is no prescriptive drug that will stop the flow of emotions, though their effects can be curtailed.

Historical Sources

There are some important historical sources that clearly mention that 'meat-eating' was never restricted in Sikhism.

1. ਗੁਰੂ ਕੀਆਂ ਸਾਖੀਆਂ

This book is written by Bhai Saroop Singh who wrote in Sakhi No. 2 that when Guru Gobind Singh Sahib went to Madhodas's camp, ‘Meat’ was cooked there.

ਜੋ ਕੁਝ ਇਸਦੇ ਡੇਰੇ ਮੇਂ ਮਿਲਤਾ ਹੈ, ਵੋਹ ਲੰਗਰ ਮੈਂ ਪਾਇ ਲੀਆ ਜਾਏ। ਬੱਕਰੀ ਤੇ ਦੋ ਉਸਕੇ ਲੇਲੇ ਹੈਂ, ਔਰ ਕੋਈ ਵਸਤੂ ਨਹੀਂ। ਬਸ ਹੁਕਮ ਹੋਨੇ ਕੀ ਦੇਰ ਸੀ-ਸਿੰਘਾਂ ਚਾਰੇ ਝਟਕਾਇ ਕਰ ਲੰਗਰ ਤਿਆਰ ਕਰਨਾ ਸ਼ੁਰੂ ਕੀਤਾ”।

2. ਬੰਸਾਵਲੀ ਨਾਮਾ ਦਸਾਂ ਪਾਤਸ਼ਾਹੀਆਂ ਕਾ

This book is by Bhai Kesar Singh Chibber, whose ancestors were Diwans of Guru Sahib. Guru Gobind Singh Sahib, in order to correct the Brahmins, first fed the Brahmins Jhatka Maas. Read  the discourse on pages 128-129 of the same book:

ਸਾਹਿਬ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ-ਭੋਜ ਕਰਾਇਆ। ਨਾਲੇ ਲੁੱਚੀ-ਸੀਰਾ, ਨਾਲੇ ਮਾਸ ਪਕਾਇਆ। ਜੋ ਮਾਸ ਖਾਏ ਦਿਜ, ਤਿਸ ਦੱਖਣਾ ਦੇਣੀ ਰੁਪਯਾ। ਜੋ ਲੁੱਚੀ ਕਚਉਰੀ ਖਾਏ ਤਿਸ ਟਕਾ ਦਿਵਯਾ। ੩੭। ਜੋ ਮਾਸ ਖਾਏ, ਸੋ ਦਸ ਰੁਪਯੇ ਦੱਖਣਾ ਪਾਏ। ਚਾਰ ਆਨੇ ਤਿਸ ਨੂੰ ਦੱਖਣਾ, ਜੋ ਲੁੱਚੀ ਕਚਉਰੀ ਖਾਏ। ਫੇਰ ਦੋਨੇ ਕਾਗਤ ਦੱਖਣਾ ਵਾਲੇ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਪਾਸ ਆਏ। ਮਾਸ ਵਾਲਾ ਛਡਿਆ ਫਾੜ, ਲੁੱਚੀ ਕਚਉਰੀ ਵਾਲਾ ਲਿਆ ਬੋਝੇ ਪਾਏ।੩੯। ਜੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮਣ ਹੋਇ ਕੇ ਮਾਸ ਖਾਏ, ਸੋ ਰੁਪਯਾ ਸਉ ਦੱਖਣਾ ਪਾਏ। ਜੋ ਲੁੱਚੀ ਕਚਉਰੀ ਪਾਏ, ਸੋ ਇੱਕ ਰੁਪਯਾ ਪਾਏ॥੪੧॥

ਗੁਰੂ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਨੇ ਬ੍ਰਾਹਮਣਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਸੰਬੋਧਨ ਕਰਕੇ ਕਿਹਾ:
ਬਚਨ ਕਹਿਆ: “ਅਸੀ ਤੁਸਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਮਾਸ ਹੈ ਖਵਾਣਾ।”
ਤਿਨ ਕਹਿਆ: “ਜੀ ਭਲਾ ਤੁਸਾਂ ਸਾਨੂੰ ਮਾਸ ਕਿਉਂ ਹੋ ਖਵਾਂਦੇ?”
ਬਚਨ ਕਹਿਆ: “ਅਸੀ ਬਚਨ ਸ਼ਸਤਰ ਦੇ ਹਾਂ ਕਮਾਂਦੇ”॥੪੪॥

ਜਦੋਂ ਦਸਮੇਸ਼ ਪਿਤਾ ਸਾਹਮਣੇ ਤਿੰਨ ਬ੍ਰਾਹਮਣਾਂ ਹਰਿਭਗਵਾਨ, ਲਛਮੀ ਰਾਮ ਅਤੇ ਹਰਿਦਾਸ ਨੇ ਮਾਸ ਖਾਣ ਤੋਂ ਇਨਕਾਰ ਕੀਤਾ ਤਾਂ ਸਾਹਿਬਾਂ ਨੇ ਬਚਨ ਉਚਾਰੇ:
ਬਚਨ ਕੀਤਾ: “ਇਕੇ ਤਾਂ ਮਾਸ ਖਾੳ, ਨਹੀਂ ਤਾਂ ਪ੍ਰਾਣ ਗਵਾਉ। ਪਕੜੋ ਇਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਦਿਉ ਫਾਂਸੀ ਜਾਉ।”

3. Tashreeh-ul Aquam

This Persian inscription is found in the British Library under number 2 (FF 2-2), which contains the following account of the Jhatka eating.

They (Sikhs) consider halal meat to be hateful and taboo and eat jhatka meat i.e. the flesh of any animal which they slash with the sword.

4. Sariarul-Mutakhreen

The author of this Persian inscription is Munshi Mir Ghulam Hussain Khan who writes about the siege of the fort Baba Banda Singh Bahadur, Abdul Samad Khan was engaged in encirclement from outside. Not a single barn of grain was allowed inside the fort. When the siege became too long, the barns of grain ran out, there was nothing left to eat or drink, and the besieged men were too many to kill the cows, the horses, and the donkeys.

5. ਪ੍ਰਾਚੀਨ ਪੰਥ ਪ੍ਰਕਾਸ਼

Bhai Rattan Singh Bhangu, the grandson of Bhai Mehtab Singh who beheaded Masse Ranghar, writes in his Granth Prachin Panth Prakash that Banda Singh Bahadur was the first to forbid eating meat in Sikhism because he was a Vaishnava ascetic before accepting Sikhi. According to Bhangu, this is why many Singhs left his company, But when Baba Banda Singh Bahadur was surrounded by the citadel of Gurdas Nangal. At that time his fellow Singhs had eaten nothing but the meat of horses, cows, etc. to save their lives.

According to Bhangu, when Guru Gobind Singh created the Khalsa Army on the Vaisakhi of 1699, he gave this sermon along with other sermons:

ਕਰ ਝਟਕੇ ਬਕਰਨ ਕੋ ਖਾਯੋ।
ਮੁਰਦੇ ਕੁਠੈ ਨਿਕਟ ਨ ਜਾਯੋ।

Similarly in the context of Machhiwara he writes:

ਇਕ ਦਿਨ ਗੁਰ ਬੱਕਰੋ ਮੰਗਵਾਯੋ। ਸਿੰਘਨ ਤੈ ਝਟਕੋ ਕਰਵਾਯੋ।
ਜਿਮ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਝਟਕੋ ਕਰਿ ਖਾਵਹਿ। ਸੁਟ ਸੰਖੀ ਘਰ ਤੁਰਕ ਗਿਰਾਵਹਿ।

Bhai Bhangu writes to Baba Banda Singh Bahadur in the context of meeting Guru Sahib:

ਤਿਸ ਕੋ ਬੱਕਰੇ ਸਿੰਘਨ ਘਾਏ। ਕਾਟ ਕੂਟ ਦਏ ਦੇਗਨ ਪਾਏ।

5. ਮਹਿਮਾ ਪ੍ਰਕਾਸ਼

Bhai Saroop Das Bhalla writes in his Granth Mahima Prakash that when Guru Nanak Sahib was on Udasi, one day on the way someone offered deer meat to Guru Sahib, which he tasted with love.

ਅਤਿ ਸੁੰਦਰ ਕਰਿ ਪ੍ਰੇਮ ਬਨਾਯਾ। ਹਰਨ ਮਾਸ ਤਿਆਰ ਕਰਿ ਲਯਾਯਾ।
ਨਿਰਖ ਭਾਵ ਬਾਬੇ ਜੀ ਲੀਨਾ। ਅਜਗਰ ਬ੍ਰਿਤਿ ਭੋਗ ਤਬ ਕੀਨਾ।

In another place in the same Granth it is also written like this:

ਗਾਂਵ (ਪਿੰਡ) ਤੇ ਸਿੱਖ ਕੋਊ ਤਹਿ ਆਯਾ। ਆਗਯਾ ਭਈ ਮਛਲੀ ਤਲ ਲਿਆਯਾ।
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਤਹਾਂ ਕੀਨ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ। ਦਯਾਲ ਹੋਇ ਕਹਯੋ ਭਲੋ ਸੁਆਦ।

6. Eighteenth-Century Rahitnama

The Sikh definition is, in fact, the way of life, according to which a Sikh has to live his life. Sikhism is a confluence of physical and spiritual practices. The Sikh has to do only those deeds in his life according to which there is spiritual, mental, and physical development. Jhatka (meat) is included in the diet required for Sikhs only to maintain courage. Now there is no meat in the langar because vegetarians also eat langar there, in which most of the people are followers of other religions like Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, Jains, etc. Guru Sahib has made it clear that “ਜੀਆ ਕਾ ਆਹਾਰ ਜੀਅ ਖਾਣਾ”.

ਰਹਿਤਨਾਮਾ (ਭਾਈ ਦਯਾ ਸਿੰਘ ਜੀ)
-ਕਰ ਝਟਕੇ ਬਕਰਨ ਜੋ ਖੈਸੋ। ਮੁਰਦੈ ਕੁੱਠੇ ਨਿਕਟ ਨ ਜੈਸੋ।
-ਬਕਰਾ ਝਟਕਾ ਛਕੇ ਤਾਂ ਚਕੈ। ਔਰ ਮਾਸ ਵਲ ਕਬੀ ਨ ਤਕੈ।

Sikhism is basically a martial nation that is considered to be the pinnacle of worldly and spiritual spirituality. Good nutrition is essential for good health. It is good to have good protein in a good diet. Protein in meat is more than in vegetables. Modern scientists have proved that every living thing has colors and textures, whether they are animals or vegetables.

We eat milk, yogurt, water, vegetables, etc. every day saying that there is no life in them. While science has proved that there is only a difference in color between blood and milk, because of the grass, chaff, or vegetation by which the animal's body produces milk according to the laws of nature, from which blood and flesh are formed, then How did milk become Amrit and the flesh an abominable thing? Guru Sahib clearly states:

ਗੋਹੇ ਅਤੇ ਲਕੜੀ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਕੀੜਾ ਹੋਇ॥ਜੇਤੇ ਦਾਣੇ ਅੰਨ ਕੇ ਜੀਆ ਬਾਝੁ ਨ ਕੋਇ॥ (ਪੰਨਾ: ੪੭੨)

From the very beginning, animal sacrifices have been offered as part of religious rites (in the tribal era it was customary for human beings to offer 'sacrifices' to please the gods). Within the Sikhs, like other religions, there is no place for animal sacrifice as part of a religious ritual. Even today the Nihang Singhs have a tradition of 'ਬੱਕਰਾ ਝਟਕਾਉਣ', which is a clear testimony to the ancient Singhs' tradition of eating 'Jhatka Meat'. But the way in which Nihangs give a religious color to slaughtering goats or eating meat has no place in Sikhism. Eating meat or not has nothing to do with Sikhism.

This is a personal matter for every human being. Eat what you like, don't eat what you don't like. In Takht Hazur Sahib, during Holi, Baisakhi, and some other special festivals, goats are slaughtered and meat is distributed. Even today in Kashmir, after Amrit Sanchar, Panj Pyare himself tastes the meat and also tastes the new Amrit Dharas. Meat and fish are cooked daily in the langar at a Bhatrian shrine in England. Meat is prepared in the langar in almost all the gurdwaras of Afghanistan. In Punjab too, goats are often slaughtered in Nihang Singh-controlled shrines.

Baani of Bhagat Kabir Ji

But Guru Granth Sahib strictly supports Love and Compassion for all Creatures of God and asks a man to not Kill Animals just to please your taste buds.

ਜੀਅ ਬਧਹੁ ਸੁ ਧਰਮੁ ਕਰਿ ਥਾਪਹੁ ਅਧਰਮੁ ਕਹਹੁ ਕਤ ਭਾਈ ॥
ਆਪਸ ਕਉ ਮੁਨਿਵਰ ਕਰਿ ਥਾਪਹੁ ਕਾ ਕਉ ਕਹਹੁ ਕਸਾਈ ॥੨॥ [1103]

You kill living beings and call it righteous action.
Tell me, brother, what would you call an unrighteous action?
You call yourself the most excellent sage; then who would you call a butcher?

ਬੇਦ ਕਤੇਬ ਕਹਹੁ ਮਤ ਝੂਠੇ ਝੂਠਾ ਜੋ ਨ ਬਿਚਾਰੈ ॥
ਜਉ ਸਭ ਮਹਿ ਏਕੁ ਖੁਦਾਇ ਕਹਤ ਹਉ ਤਉ ਕਿਉ ਮੁਰਗੀ ਮਾਰੈ ॥੧॥ [1350]

Do not say that the Vedas, the Bible, and the Koran are false.
Those who do not contemplate them are false.
You say that the One Lord is in all, so why do you kill chickens?

ਕਬੀਰ ਜੋਰੀ ਕੀਏ ਜੁਲਮੁ ਹੈ ਕਹਤਾ ਨਾਉ ਹਲਾਲੁ ॥
ਦਫਤਰਿ ਲੇਖਾ ਮਾਂਗੀਐ ਤਬ ਹੋਇਗੋ ਕਉਨੁ ਹਵਾਲੁ ॥੧੮੭॥
ਕਬੀਰ ਖੂਬੁ ਖਾਨਾ ਖੀਚਰੀ ਜਾ ਮਹਿ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਲੋਨੁ ॥ ਹੇਰਾ ਰੋਟੀ ਕਾਰਨੇ ਗਲਾ ਕਟਾਵੈ ਕਉਨੁ ॥੧੮੮॥ [1374]

Kabeer, to use force is tyranny, even if you call it legal.
When your account is called for in the Court of the Lord, what will your condition be then? (187)
Kabeer, the dinner of beans and rice is excellent if it is flavored with salt.
Who would cut his throat, to have meat with his bread? (188)

ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀਅ ਜੁ ਮਾਰਹਿ ਜੋਰੁ ਕਰਿ ਕਹਤੇ ਹਹਿ ਜੁ ਹਲਾਲੁ ॥
ਦਫਤਰੁ ਦਈ ਜਬ ਕਾਢਿ ਹੈ ਹੋਇਗਾ ਕਉਨੁ ਹਵਾਲੁ ॥੧੯੯॥ [1375]

Kabeer, they oppress living beings and kill them, and call it proper.
When the Lord calls for their account, what will their condition be? (199)

From Vaaran Bhai Gurdas

To get a more clear message Read Vaar 25 Pauri 17 and 21 from Vaaran of Bhai Gurdas Ji - A Key to Sri Guru Granth Sahib:

ਪਉੜੀ 17 (ਬਕਰੀ)
ਸੀਹ ਪਜੂਤੀ ਬਕਰੀ ਮਰਦੀ ਹੋਈ ਹੜ ਹੜ ਹਸੀ॥
ਸੀਹੁ ਪੁਛੈ ਵਿਸਮਾਦੁ ਹੋਇ ਇਤੁ ਅਉਸਰਿ ਕਿਤੁ ਰਹਸਿ ਰਹਸੀ॥
ਬਿਨਉ ਕਰੇਂਦੀ ਬਕਰੀ ਪੁਤ੍ਰ ਅਸਾਡੇ ਕੀਚਨਿ ਖਸੀ॥
ਅਕ ਧਤੂਰਾ ਖਾਧਿਆਂ ਕੁਹਿ ਕੁਹਿ ਖਲ ਉਖਲਿ ਵਿਣਸੀ॥
ਮਾਸੁ ਖਾਨਿ ਗਲ ਵਢਿ ਕੈ ਹਾਲੁ ਤਿਨਾੜਾ ਕਉਣੁ ਹੋਵਸੀ॥
ਗਰਬੁ ਗਰੀਬੀ ਦੇਹ ਖੇਹ ਖਾਜੁ ਅਖਾਜੁ ਅਕਾਜੁ ਕਰਸੀ॥
ਜਗਿ ਆਇਆ ਸਭ ਕੋਇ ਮਰਸੀ

Lion catches a goat; As the goat is dying, it begins to laugh. In awe the lion asks, why are you laughing?
Humbly the goat says: Our sons are destroyed (castrated). We only eat wild plants and suffer from being slain & skinned alive.
Those who cut our throats and eat our flesh, what will be their plight?
Proud and arrogant their bodies are a waste; inedible and fruitless. All who come to the world will eventually die.

ਪਉੜੀ 21 ( ਨਿਗੁਰਾ ਮਨਮੁਖੁ ਵਸ ਵਿਚ ਨਹੀ ਆ ਸਕਦਾ )
ਕੁਹੈ ਕਸਾਈ ਬਕਰੀ ਲਾਇ ਲੂਣ ਸੀਖ ਮਾਸੁ ਪਰੋਆ॥
ਹਸਿ ਹਸਿ ਬੋਲੇ ਕੁਹੀਂਦੀ ਖਾਧੇ ਅਕਿ ਹਾਲੁ ਇਹੁ ਹੋਆ॥
ਮਾਸ ਖਾਨਿ ਗਲਿ ਛੁਰੀ ਦੇ ਹਾਲੁ ਤਿਨਾੜਾ ਕਉਣੁ ਅਲੋਆ॥
ਜੀਭੈ ਹੰਦਾ ਫੇੜਿਆ ਖਉ ਦੰਦਾਂ ਮੁਹੁ ਭੰਨਿ ਵਿਗੋਆ॥
ਪਰ ਤਨ ਪਰ ਧਨ ਨਿੰਦ ਕਰਿ ਹੋਇ ਦੁਜੀਭਾ ਬਿਸੀਅਰੁ ਭੋਆ॥
ਵਸਿ ਆਵੈ ਗੁਰੁਮੰਤ ਸਪੁ ਨਿਗੁਰਾ ਮਨਮੁਖੁ ਸੁਣੈ ਨ ਸੋਆ॥
ਵੇਖਿ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਅਗੈ ਟੋਆ

The butcher slaughters the goat; salts the meat and strings it on a skewer.
While being killed the goat laughingly says: I have come to this condition for grazing only coarse leaves of arid wild plants.
What will be the plight of those who cut the throat with a knife and eat the flesh of animals?
The perverted taste of the tongue is harmful to the teeth and damages the mouth.
The one who eyes another’s wealth or body or slanders becomes a poisonous Amphisbaena.
This snake is controlled by the Guru's mantra but the Guru-less Manmukh never listens to this glorious mantra.
The Manmukh blindly moves ahead, never realizing the approaching deep pit ahead!

Contradiction

On one hand, we are saying that forceful killing of animals is not acceptable in Guru Granth Sahib, and on the other hand, we are doing the maturation of hunting or meat-eating in Sikhism by the Gurus from historical sources. So what are we siding with?

As it has already been written that getting into fights over the pros and cons of meat and vegetables, Guruji has described the act of foolishness that we have been doing throughout this article.

But it is a sin for a human to kill a living being while being subject to the JEEBH RAS. Hunting in Gurukaal was a Kshatriya tradition, and at the time of the sixth Guru Sahib, because the Sikhs were militarized, how could a man who would hesitate to hunt an animal, kill someone with an arrow and a sword in the battle? There, hunting has nothing to do with 'Jeebh-Ras'.

Conclusion

Guru Sahib's order is:

ਰਸੁ ਸੁਇਨਾ ਰਸੁ ਰੁਪਾ ਕਾਮਣਿ ਰਸੁ ਪਰਮਲ ਕੀ ਵਾਸੁ ॥
ਰਸੁ ਘੋੜੇ ਰਸੁ ਸੇਜਾ ਮੰਦਰ ਰਸੁ ਮੀਠਾ ਰਸੁ ਮਾਸੁ ॥
ਏਤੇ ਰਸ ਸਰੀਰ ਕੇ ਕੈ ਘਟਿ ਨਾਮ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੨॥ {Ang 15}

ਗੁਰੂ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਦਾ ਆਦੇਸ਼ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਜਿਤਨੀ ਦੇਰ ਮਨੁੱਖ ਸਪਰਸ਼, ਗੰਧ, ਜੀਭ ਆਦਿਕ ਇੰਦਰੇ ਰਸ ਦੀ ਗੁਲਾਮੀ ਵਿੱਚ ਹੈ, ਉਤਨੀ ਦੇਰ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਦੇ ਨਾਮ ਦਾ ਨਿਵਾਸ ਨਹੀਂ ਹੋ ਸਕਦਾ, ਇਸ ਵਿੱਚ ਰਸ ਚਾਹੇ ਤੁਸੀਂ ਮਹਿਲਾਂ ਦਾ ਲੈ ਰਹੇ ਹੋ, ਵਾਸਨਾ ਅਧੀਨ ਹੋਕੇ ਔਰਤਾਂ ਦੇ ਰੂਪ ਵਿੱਚ ਗਿੱਝੇ ਹੋ, ਚਾਹੇ ਮਿੱਠੇ - ਫਾਸਟ ਫੂਡ - ਮਾਸ ਦੀ ਗੱਲ ਹੋਵੇ, ਇੰਦਰੇ ਰਸ ਹੋਣ ਕਰਕੇ ਸਭ ਹੀ ਮਨ ਨੂੰ ਚੰਚਲ ਕਰਨ ਵਾਲੇ ਹਨ। ਦੇਹੀ ਪਾਲਣ ਲਈ ਖਾਣਾ ਜਰੂਰੀ ਹੈ, ਜੋ ਗੁਰਸਿਖਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦੇ ਇਲਾਕੇ ਦੇ ਹਿਸਾਬ ਨਾਲ ਖਾਣ ਨੂੰ ਮਿਲ ਰਿਹਾ ਮੁਬਾਰਕ ਹੈ। ਪਰ ਜੇ ਤੁਹਾਡੇ ਮੂੰਹ ਚੋਂ ਜੇ ਪਾਣੀ ਕਿਰ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੋਵੇ ਕਿ ਅੱਜ ਤਾਂ ਬਕਰਾ ਮਿਲ ਜੇ ਖਾਣ ਨੂੰ, ਅੱਜ ਤਾਂ ਸਾਗ ਮਿਲੇ ਸੁਆਦ ਆ ਜੇ, ਤਾਂ ਸਹਿਜ ਅਵਸਥਾ ਜਾਂ ਤੁਰੀਆਵਸਥਾ ਦਾ ਸਫ਼ਰ ਬਹੁਤ ਲੰਮਾ ਹੈ।

In the end, we can only say that eating meat or not eating meat is not a Sikh etiquette, it is up to each one to decide what to eat and what not to eat. Will be said. If you do not agree with these views or you think that this article contains contradictory views on Gurmat then you can send your views without hesitation so that other readers can also understand the Real Gurmat.