Article: Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji (SGGS) on Meat
Nothing will benefit human health and increase the
chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the
evolution to a vegetarian diet." -- Albert Einstein
Gurbani is the only spiritual and moral guide for the Sikhs in everything that they do. No Hukamnama by anyone else can move the Guru's Sikh away from this stand. Gurbani offers clear guidance on this issue. There is no reason to rely on advice by any other third party. The following quotes from Sri Guru Granth Sahib give the Sikhs clear and concise direction on what a Sikh should eat and other aspect of this facet of human life:
[P.S. Please click on the SGGS link for every reference, and on the top right corner please choose Prof. Sahib Singh for "Teeka". I'm sure the punjabi translation gives a better picture of the whole sentence. Below references are only a part of the pankhti.It is important to understand the whole sentence before coming to any conclusion.]
...and yet he does not hesitate to take the lives of others.((3)) (SGGS p201)
They burn away the bonds of the world, and eat a simple diet of grain and water.(SGGS p467)
The world eats dead carcasses, living by neglect and greed. ((Pause)) Like a goblin, or a beast, they kill and eat the forbidden carcasses of meat.(SGGS p723)
You kill living beings, and call it a righteous action. Tell me, brother, what would you call an unrighteous action? (SGGS p1103)
He kills his self-conceit, and does not kill anyone else. ((3)) (SGGS p1128)
Even with only dry crusts of bread, and a hard floor on which to sleep, my life passes in peace and pleasure with my Beloved, O sisters. ((2)(3)(42)) (SGGS p1306)
You say that the One Lord is in all, so why do you kill chickens? (SGGS p1350)
You seize a living creature, and then bring it home and kill its body; you have killed only the clay.(SGGS p1350)
Kabeer, I will remain in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, even if I have only coarse bread to eat. (SGGS p1369)
Kabeer, they oppress living beings and kill them, and call it proper. (SGGS p1375)
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)) (SGGS p1374)
Kabeer, those mortals who consume marijuana, fish and wine - no matter what
pilgrimages, fasts and rituals they follow, they will all go to hell. ((233)) (SGGS p1377)
For further details please visit following link:
http://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Vegetarianism
For the benefit of readers dass would like to put forward below appended article about Bhai Gurdas Ji's view on killing animals and eating their meat.
BHAI GURDAS JI SAID SO ... (By Prahlad Singh Ji, Canada)
About Bhai Gurdas Ji: Bhai Gurdas Ji is recognized not only as first great Sikh scholar and interpretter of Gurubani of Guru Granth Sahib ji, but he was also a brahamgiani. He was honoured by physical and spiritual closeness of four embodiments of Guru Nanak (From Guru Amardas Ji to Guru Hargobind Singh Ji). He remained in personal service ("Hazoori Sewa") of GuruJi,s for good length of time. He also used to do "Katha" (interpretations) of Gurubani for sangat in the very presence of Guru Ji, in his darbar. He was a great scholar not only of Gurmukhi, but also of Hindi, Sanskrit and Brij languages.> He had the previledge of compiling very first "swaroop" of Guru Granth Sahib Ji under direct supervision and editorial guidance of Guru Arjun Dev Ji both at physical and spiritual levels.
His own writtings are as "Vaars" in punjabi and "Kabit's" and "Swaiya,s" in Brij language. How much he understood the Sikh religion and Guruji's -- is evident from the fact that GURU ARJUN DEV JI SAID IF GURUBANI IN GRANTH SAHIB JI IS LOCK, BHAI GURDAS JI'S WRITTINGS ARE KEY TO IT. Thus Guru ji himself directed sikhs to follow Bhai Gurdas ji's bani to understand Guru Granth Sahib ji in its true sense.
So since the time of Guruji,s physical embodiments, the Bani of Bhai Sahib Ji is being used by sikh scholars and saints to understand some of very high spiritual and critical issues pertaining to progress on Guru's path.
In this article Bhai Gurdas Ji's view on killing animals and eating their meat are given for the benefit of readers.
In one of his writtings, Bhai Gurdas ji wanted to compare the lowness of wickedness and immoral conduct of thankless person ("Akritghan"), and he searched for most low and hateful worldly thing for its use in comparision for his example. He thought about all the bad things in this world to choose the worst. He finally selected the "meat"! And to further intensify his expression he described it as of dog's meat and being cooked in alcohol (drink). This he found most suitable to compare wickedness and immoralness of thankless person. He says:
> "Mad wich ridha paye ke kute da maas, Nadari pave akritghan, hoi jai vinaas"
It is critical to understand that meat of dog cooked in alcohol is already rejectable and useless thing in bhai Sabib's view, but it still gets further deteriorated if it is seen by a thankless person. Such is the result of company of thankless person. And who is thankless? -- one who gets the gift of human body from God and then forgets him !! ... ..betrays his Guruji just for little easy life and some better worldly opportunities !!! --that is what Gurubani says.
While describing the fate of those who kill the poor creatures of God and eat them, Bhai Sahib uses instance of the goat who is caught by a lion and is moments away from being ripped into pieces and eaten. In goats words Bhai Sahib Ji explains:
> "Sheeh pajooti Bakkari, maradi hoie harh harh hassi, Ak Dhatura khadian kuh kuh khal ukhal vinassi, Maas Khan gal wad ke, haal tinada kaun hovassi. (Vaar 25-7)
Means the goat says, "I was eating Ak and Dhatura plants (weed plants found in India) for whole of my life, to which no body else liked to eat. And even then I am being brutally killed and my skin being ripped, WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THOSE WHO CUT MY THROAT AND EAT MY MEAT ??????
At some other place, Bhai Sabib talks about goat being cut by butcher to be eaten :
> "kuhe Kassai Bakkari, lai loon seekh mass proyia" Hass hass bole kuhidi, khade ak haal eh hoyia, Maas khan gal churi de, haal tinada kaun aloyia" (Vaar 37-21)
Means: Goat is being killed, cut into pieces and salt being spread on the pieces. While being killed goat says this all happened to me while I was just eating Ak plant (weed found in India's desert fields). In last line goat puts a question, WHAT WILL BE FATE OF THOSE IN COURT OF LORD WHO CUT MY THROAT WITH KNIFE AND EAT MY MEAT ??????
Bhai Gurdas Ji in Vaar 31 gives strong warning against eating meat. He said, due to some good doings in previous births, Pootna (a witch who tried to poison Krishna Ji) was forgiven. But don't take it as that act of poisoning others is acceptable. And due to some pious acts in previous births and grace of Lord, Sadhana the butcher was forgiven (there is mention about him in Gurubani too, later on he became bhagat). But it should not be interpretted as, that killing animals and eating their meat (word "Bhanga" here) is acceptable. Please read the following lines of Bhai Sahib Ji:
> "Jekar udhari pootna, Wihu pialan kam na changa, Je Kassai udharia, jeean ghai na khaiye Bhanga" (Vaar 31-5)
(I wish everyone could read this as in Gurmukhi)
So dear sikh brotheren, listen carefully to this warning of Bhai Gurdas ji, whose bani has been asked to be followed by our Guru ji as "key to Guru Granth Sahib Ji". Have a fear of account being taken in the court of Akal Purakh ("Dargah"). Remeber Guru Nanak Ji has clearly warned us:
"Guru Pir Hama Ta Bhare, ja Murdar Na Khai" page 141 in Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji. Means Guru or Peer only helps in the court of Akal Purakh if some one abstains from "Murdaar" means meat. Murdaar word has come from Murda which means dead one. Murdaar means flesh of dead ie meat.
With sincere regards and apologies for any hurt feelings of anyone.
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