MEAT AND GURMAT

GURMAT AND MEAT

A large number of Sikhs is still confused about the verdict of Guru Granth Sahib on the issue of eating meat – whether eating meat is permitted or not.  Unfortunately, there are some people who misinterpret a few holy Shabads in Guru Granth Sahib to mislead people and to convince them that eating meat is not allowed in Gurmat. We will examine most of the Shabads in Guru Granth Sahib (and there are only a few) on the subject to decide whether or not eating meat is permitted in Sikhism.

There are 35 Great Souls (6 Guru Sahiban, 15 Bhagats, 11 Bhatts, Satta Ji, Balwand Ji, and Sundar Ji) whose baanis have been enshrined in Guru Granth Sahib. But, it is interesting to note that only two Great Souls – Guru Nanak Sahib and Bhagat Kabir Ji – have written on the Subject; and there are only six or seven such holy Shabads.  The other 33 Great Souls have not discussed the subject at all.  This fact is very important in itself because it shows that this issue is not very important in Gurmat leaving the choice to the individuals if they want to eat meat or not. In stark contrast to this subject, the important Principles of Gurmat are discussed countless times in Guru Granth Sahib.  Guru Arjun Sahib has contributed the most to Guru Granth Sahib in terms of the number of shabads – about 40% of the total – but there is not even a single shabad on eating meat.  Such conspicuous absence of any shabad by Guru Arjun Sahib again proves that eating meat is NOT an important subject to discuss. But before drawing any conclusion, let us discuss the issue more systematically.

LAW OF NATURE ABOUT FOOD

The world has been created by Waheguru (God) in such a way that one life form (animal) is a food for others.  As an example, bigger fishes eat smaller fishes, carnivores (meat eating animals) prey on most other animals and so do the birds of prey. This Law of Nature maintains a healthy balance among all living beings and vegetation (which also has life) for their survival and to meet their needs. If every living being ate vegetation only, there will be three major problems as follows:

1. If no animals were being eaten by others, the number of animals of all kinds will grow quickly to the extent that there will be no food for everybody, and all will die of starvation.

2. If all living beings ate vegetation, there will be no trees left to be used in building houses and other buildings, and for making paper and other necessary things. Even birds and other animals will have no shelter.

3. At present, vegetation produces oxygen for other life forms to breathe; but with vegetation being consumed at a very fast rate, there will be no vegetation left to replace the oxygen being consumed.  At the same time, so much carbon dioxide will be produced that no living being will be able to survive and the Earth will be a dead planet.

So, the perfect law of nature where one animal is the food for others does wonders to ensure a healthy balance.  Guru Angad Dev Ji has summed up this Law beautifully as follows:

§ Sloak M:2 (955): Don’t worry about your food needs oh man! The Creator, Waheguru looks after such needs of all living beings. ----------- He has arranged for food for animals even in water. ----------- He has created the world in such a way that one life form is the food for others.

There are many more shabads in Guru Granth Sahib which testify to the fact that God has created this world in which some life forms (animals or other living beings) are food for others.

SOME KILLING ALMOST UNAVOIDABLE

Whether we eat meat or not, but, we do kill countless living beings either on purpose or innocently.  There are many ways in which we do that. Some of them are listed below.

1. Wood and some other types of fuel (dried leaves, grass and animal dung cakes, to name a few) have countless bugs or worms in them. When we burn these items, we are also killing billions of living beings with them.  Also, when sugarcane is squeezed in big roller mills to get its juice, millions of bugs attached to the canes get killed.  Likewise, we kill countless bugs when wheat or some other types of beans are milled to produce flour or make cereals.  We could have killed the bugs before the milling process with insecticides, but we are killing them one way or the other.

2. We know some bugs like moth are attracted to light, and millions of them are killed by the heat or flame. Does anyone ever shut off light to save the bugs?

3. We trample over thousands of earth worms and other bugs on roads and trails everyday while walking or driving.  Windshields of cars and trucks get covered with dead bugs in summer time. We know thousands of lobsters are killed in on roads near the ocean in Australia during their migration, and thousands of snakes are killed on roads in Manitoba during their mating season. Despite our best efforts to save them, many of them get killed anyway.

4. We also kill zillions of bacteria and other harmful blood-suckers and insects (mosquitoes, flies, lice, ticks, wasps, yellow-jackets etc.) every day to save ourselves from their harmful bites or effects.  We also kill countless disease- causing bacteria using anti-biotic drugs.

5. Do vegetarians and people who vehemently oppose eating meat realize that their favourite foods like yogurt, butter, and cheese are made by zillions of living bacteria present in the culture which is used to make yogurt?

So, knowingly or innocently, we kill billions of living beings every day while enjoying foods or building fires.

ABUSING LIVING BEINGS IN MANY OTHER WAYS

If we preach kindness to animals, then eating their meat is NOT the only way by which we hurt them. We hurt them in many other ways as follows:

1. We abuse beasts of burden like oxen, horses, donkeys, camels, elephants and yaks etc. by making them do extremely hard work. They do hard farm work for us and are used as means for transportation. Many of them get killed in battles. Reindeer and dogs are still used by Eskimos to pull their sleds.

2. Domestic milk-cattle like buffaloes, cows and goats produce milk for their young ones; but who uses them?  Most certainly, vegetarians of course!  Is not this injustice (or cruelty) to them?

3. Bees do not make honey for us; and silk-worms do not make silk for us. Do we let these insects enjoy their products which they produce with hard labour?

4. Also, we use wool of sheep. Many animals are purposely killed for their hides which we use for our comfort.

5. Some people abuse exotic animals like snakes, monkeys, bears, lions and elephants etc. for entertainment or to earn their living. For example in circuses and on a personal level.

6. Animals are used as guinea pigs to carry out research to develop new drugs or medical procedures for improving health of humans. Is not this cruelty to animals?

7. There are zillions of friendly bacteria in our body which protect us against harmful diseases. While protecting us, they get killed by the disease-carrying invading bacteria which outnumber the friendly bacteria.  Without realizing this marvel of Nature, we allow zillions of living beings to sacrifice their lives for us.

As is clear from this discussion, we cannot avoid killing of some living beings no matter how hard we try. Those who think otherwise are completely misled.  Jains, who go to an extreme to save insects, animals or other invisible living beings so much so that they cover their mouths to avoid inhaling some micro living being so as not to kill them; pull their hair from the roots rather than shaving their heads to avoid killing lice; and rarely bathe so as not to scare away life in water are highly ignorant. Guru Nanak Sahib has written the following holy Shabad to describe their ignorance.

§ Sloak M:1, Pauri, Malhar Ki Vaar (1258). The Jains are completely misguided by the Will of Waheguru Himself. They have no concept of Waheguru (God) and His Laws. They are so obsessed with the belief of mercy to the animals that they cover their mouths to avoid inhaling any living beings. Rather than shaving their heads, they pull their hair from the roots so as not to kill lice, if any; and they do not bathe for a long time so as not to scare animals in water or not to kill microorganisms in water. When they travel, they do so in queues with their leader having a whisk in his hands so as to dispel any bugs or insects out of their way. They even scatter their faeces to avoid any growth of germs in there. They are always depressed and find no joy in life because of their restrictive faith.

VEGETATION HAS LIFE TOO

Scientists have now proved beyond any doubt that vegetation has life too. Not only it has life, but most plants have feelings and wisdom just like human beings even though there is great difference in degree.  But the important thing is that Guru Nanak Sahib had said the same more than 500 years ago.  Pay attention to the following holy lines written by Guru Nanak Sahib.

§ Sloak M:1, Malhar ki Vaar (1289): Only a foolish person devoid of any knowledge of Divinity will debate the subject of eating meat. It is NOT even possible to clearly categorize life into meat (animals) and vegetation (which means both have life). For this reason, you cannot decide whether eating of meat or vegetation constitutes a sin. (This holy Shabad will be discussed in more detail later)

Plants Have Feelings: The scientists have proved recently that some plants have emotions like human beings. In one experiment, scientists connected a plant to an oscilloscope (a device similar to electrocardiogram) to study the electrical impulses generated by the plant under different conditions.  Under normal conditions, the plant displayed a normal pattern of impulses. Then a fake murder was committed before the plant.  At that point, the plant displayed a very different pattern of impulses as it was under stress or was afraid of something. The more striking point of the display of impulses was that whenever the fake murderer was brought before the plant, it displayed the same pattern of impulses confirming the conclusion that not only do the plants have life, they have feelings too.

As a result of this study, scientists believe in some criminal cases similar changes in feelings in plants could be used as an evidence to identify the criminals.

Communication Among Plants: Another very interesting study was carried out in Africa involving giraffes and trees.  Scientists were surprised to note that after eating the small branches of a tree, when giraffes tried to eat the branches of the neighbouring trees, they quit quickly and went to trees farther away from the first tree for more food and enjoyed the branches of the farther trees. When scientists analysed the branches of the neighbouring trees, they found out that their leaves had become poisonous making them unfit as food for the giraffes!!  This study proves conclusively that plants can communicate among themselves. When a giraffe eats branches of tree, the tree under attack sends some type of signal to the neighbouring trees warning them of the impending attack by the giraffe.  The neighbouring trees use their natural defense ability and make their leaves poisonous.

Carnivorous (Meat eating) Plants: You may be shocked to learn that according to Wikipedia, there are about 630 varieties of plants that trap, kill and digest the juices of their prey.   Venus Fly trap is very common among such plants. Most of these plants kill small insects, but some plants can devour bigger animals like frogs and mice.  So, when we claim to be vegetarian, do we believe that we are not killing living species for food?

Some Sea Plants Are Half Animals: Even though there are many plants that are carnivores, but they still have all the characteristics of plant kingdom. However, there are many animals in the sea that look like plants and can easily be mistaken for plants. But there are some organisms in the sea which have characteristics of both, the plants and the animals. An example is provided by the Sea Anemones – they are half animals and half plants.

Even though there is no need of any external proof, but clearly in the light of the above information, Guru Nanak Sahib’s assertion of 500 years ago is proved scientifically and it is proved beyond any doubt that even vegetation has life, and it is impossible to draw a clear line between animal and plant kingdoms.  So, how can one claim that they are vegetarians?

In the light of all these proven characteristics of plants, there is no doubt left that not only plants have life, they also have feelings, and some of them consume living organisms to supplement their diet.  So, how can we justify  that plants are any different from other living organisms especially - for the purpose of deciding whether eating meat is more sinful than eating vegetation?  What Guru Nanak Sahib had stated 500 years ago has been proved conclusively by science.

HISTORY OF EATING MEAT

Man has been known to eat meat ever since he appeared on the face of the Earth.  The Vedas mention of eating of meat even by the gods. Lord Indra is described to have been eating a whole buffalo in his meals.  Guru Nanak Sahib also testifies that meat was served at yuggas when animals like horses and buffaloes were sacrificed to please gods and goddesses. Not only in yuggas, meat was also served at weddings and other functions.

§ Sloak M:1 (1289). ---------- There is mention of meat being served in the Puranas (Hindu holy books) as also in the holy books of the Western religions (Koran, Bible, Torah etc.) in which it is mentioned that meat was served during all the four accepted eons of Hindu belief – Sat yug, Treta, Duaapar, Kal yug. Meat is still served at yuggas, marriages, and other happy functions. ----------

Lord Rama must have been a hunter himself otherwise he would not kill the mythical golden deer.

Guru Nanak Sahib also confirms that serving goat meat was a part of the popular Hindu ceremony of janeyoo even at His time.

§ Sloak M:1 (471). (Discussing the irrelevance of the janeyoo, Guru Nanak Sahib writes) the thread of the janeyoo is made of cotton and the Brahman twirls it to make a janeyoo. The ceremony is completed with serving goat meat when the Brahman happily tells everybody present that the janeyoo has been worn (the ceremony is complete). ------------

Even though Guru Nanak Sahib refused to wear the traditional janeyoo (the supposedly holy cotton thread) at His purported Janeyoo wearing ceremony, it is clear from this holy Shabad that goat meet must have been prepared for the Event.

Guru Granth Sahib also highlights the fact that Waheguru creates food for every species of living beings before the species is created.

§ Sarang M:5, Ashatpadi (1235). I have seen Your magnanimity, oh Lord (Waheguru)! ---------- Every heart is singing Your praise and everybody longs to connect with You. You created food for all living beings before You created them.

There were many species of living beings before the man appeared on this planet. Even though there must have been cereal grains growing in the wild for human consumption, but the man could not have learned the ways to produce edible food from them. Initially, he must have been copying animals for food, and eating fruit and raw meat like most other animals.

Today about 85% of the world population eats meat – not necessarily on regular basis but it is non-vegetarian.  So, meat is a part of food for a vast population.

HISTORY OF MEAT EATING IN SIKHISM

Before we discuss the verdict of Guru Granth Sahib on the subject of eating meat, let us have a quick glance at the relevant pages of Sikh History.

During His first odyssey, Guru Nanak Sahib visited Kurukshetra, an important Hindu holy place where the Mahabharat war is said to have been fought. Hindus – especially the Brahmans - are supposed to be strictly vegetarian. It was a time of solar eclipse, and let cooking of meat alone, even lighting of fire was strictly prohibited during the eclipse.  Guru Sahib was staying on top of a mound about 4 km from the main temple. It was late evening and there was a small gathering around Guru Sahib as some people had been attracted by Guru Sahib’s melodious voice and His lovely deep-meaning words when He was singing Waheguru’s praise. Disregarding the Brahmans’ order prohibiting the building of fire, a few Sikhs had built an open fire to cook food. The prince of a small state was on the run as he was driven from his state by his enemies. He saw the fire and a small crowd on the mound. He decided to take shelter there.  When he got there, he was so impressed by Guru Sahib’s personality that he could not help kneeling before Him. Guru Sahib blessed him and listened to his woeful story.  He had killed a deer for food but neither had time nor the facility to cook that.  He was also aware of the restriction to build a fire. Quoting many sources, Bhai Vir Singh writes that Guru Sahib asked His Sikhs to cook the deer meat which was served to everybody present.  Guru Sahib also ate a small portion.  Seeing the smoke and the fire, Nanu, the lead Brahman along with some very angry Brahmans rushed to the scene and began to debate with Guru Sahib.  Nanu, who was acknowledged as highly knowledgeable and great at debates so much so that he had never lost a debate, had no answer for Guru Sahib’s solid and logical arguments. At last, they knelt down to Guru Sahib, and left the scene highly impressed.

Bhai Vir Singh Also writes that meat was served in the Sikh Lungar (free meals served to the visiting Sikhs and everybody else who wants them) at the time of Guru Angad Dev Ji.

Guru Hargobind Sahib, the Sixth Master and Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the Tenth Master, are well documented to hunt and eat meat.  When Guru Gobind Singh Ji was in Nander (Maharashtra) and went to see ascetic Madho Das (later Baba Banda Singh Bahadur), the latter was away. Guru Sahib asked His Sikhs to kill a goat or two owned by Madho Das for the meal. So, clearly, Guru Sahib ate meat of the goats owned by a perfectly vegetarian, Madho Das. The rest of the history is not pertinent at this point.

The point is that not only, eating meat is permitted in Sikhism, Guru Sahiban themselves showed no hesitance to eat or serve meat.

Sikh warriors are well known to have been eating meat particularly when they did not have access to, or when no vegetarian food was available.

FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE ABOUT FOOD IN GURMAT (SIKHISM)

Guru Granth Sahib maintains that no food is good or bad on its own; it is the way it is used. If you become slave to your tastes that you cannot live without a particular food – vegetarian or non-vegetarian – and can resort to crime or sin to acquire that food, you are a sinner and no better than a practicing vegetarian.  Pay attention to the following holy Shabad by Guru Nanak Sahib.

§ Siri Rag M:1 (15). Greed is like a dog, and a lying is like being the member of a very low caste. Cheating others for living is really like eating flesh of humans. Malicious criticism of others is like having others’ dirt in the mouth; and the fire of rage is like a ruthless killer. I possess all these bad qualities, oh my Waheguru! On top of that I am a slave of my tastes and entertainment, and still I indulge in self-praise. ----------- Wearing gold or silver, too much attraction for wife (lust), and the smell of fragrances are all vices because you become slave to them. Similarly, horse riding, luxurious beds, big houses, love for sweets, and eating meat can be vices. With all these vices in your heart, how can you harbour Waheguru’s Naam in your heart? ------------

Becoming slave to one’s habits could lead a person to commit sins and crimes. You must have known some gamblers or druggies who start selling their own belongings first to satisfy their habit, and then start stealing others’ valuables and can even commit murders to feed their uncontrollable body demands. Likewise, is a rapist, who  abuses somebody else’s body and deprives them of their dignity any better than a person who just eats meat once in a while?

High moral values are most important in Sikhism.  A person who earns his livelihood by usurping the rights of others or by dishonest means is considered a big sinner and a real murderer and a cannibal, while as we will discuss shortly, eating meat is not considered a sin on its own.  Pay attention to the following holy Shabads.

§ Sloak M:1 (471). Some people pretend to be religious and offer nivaj (Muslim prayer) in public, but they in fact, are human flesh eaters because they cheat others or force them to bribe them (the cheats).

§ Sloak M:1 Vaar Majh (140). [If the dress of a Muslim gets some blood on it, it is considered to be un-pious, and the wearer cannot perform nivaj (prayer)]. (With this observation Guru Nanak Sahib questions) that if a dress is considered un-pious simply because it got some blood on it, how can the thoughts of people who drink human blood (usurp their belongings including money or otherwise deprive them of their rightful ownership) can holy? ---------

§ Sloak M:1 Vaar Majh (140). [Hindus consider it a grim sin to eat beef and for Muslims eating pork is an equally heinous sin]. In the light of this, Guru Nanak Sahib professes that snatching (overtly or covertly) someone else’s wealth is the same level of sin as for a Hindu to eat beef or for a Muslim to eat pork. The Guru or the Peer (for Muslims) will support you in Waheguru’s Court only if you do not usurp someone else’s right, oh man! ---------

There are many more holy shabads in Guru Granth Sahib which emphasise the importance of being fair to everybody and not to control someone else’s belongings. Cheating others is considered worse than eating meat in Gurmat.

No Animal is Sacred: Hindus consider a large number of animal families to be sacred because they were used by the gods either for transportation or for their products, or because some of them looked like animals. For these reasons, the cow, the monkey, the elephant, the mouse, the lion and a whole bunch of other animal families are considered holy.  But Guru Granth Sahib does not believe that any animal is sacred for whatever reason.  On the contrary there are shabads in Guru Granth Sahib which state that a cow which does not produce milk is worthless.

§ Assa M:1 (354). Just as a cow without producing milk, a bird without wings, a crop without getting any water, and a king without any power are not worth of anything, a human heart without Your Naam in it is completely dark (is worthless), oh my Waheguru! --------- 19.

§ Majh M:5 (133). ----------- Just as a cow which does not produce any milk, and just as a crop which does not receive any water and thus fetches no money, and are both useless otherwise, a human heart does not find any peace without any connection with Waheguru. -----------

FINAL VERDICT

Guru Granth Sahib strongly maintains that eating any type of food – vegetarian or non-vegetarian - without remembering Waheguru leads to sickness and vices (because when people forget Waheguru, their minds are normally occupied by unholy ideas). So, it is not eating meat that is disapproved in Gurmat, it is forgetting Waheguru which is absolutely disapproved. Study the following holy Shabad.

§ Siri Rag M:1 (16). One enjoys all the salty tastes if one listens to Waheguru’s Naam with full dedication while all sweet tastes are provided if one obeys the Commandments of Waheguru. Sour tastes are enjoyed when one recites Waheguru’s Naam with his tongue. Similarly, all spicy tastes are provided when one sings Waheguru’s praise. When Waheguru is kind to someone as a result of which he begins to love Waheguru, he feel as if all the thirty-six foods are served to him. Eating any food without remembering Waheguru kills your enjoyment and you suffer from sickness, and unholy thoughts begin coming to your mind. Pause. --- 7.

As discussed earlier, Guru Nanak Sahib has discussed in detail that vegetation has life just like animals, so eating meat or vegetation (cereals, vegetables, fruits etc.) are no different from each other. If eating meat is sin, then so is eating vegetation.  Because it was mostly Brahmans who preached vegetarianism vehemently calling eating meat a grim sin, the following holy Shabad by Guru Nanak Sahib has been addressed to a Brahman.  However, it is meant for the whole humanity.

§ Sloak M:1, Malhar ki Vaar (1289). Only foolish engage in a hot debate about meat because they are devoid of any knowledge (about Divinity and about meat). It is not even possible to clearly delineate between meat and vegetation. So, as a result, how can we say that eating one or the other is a sin? (The early Hindu holy books clearly say) that people had been performing yugs or yuggas (serving free food after sacrificing some animals with full rituals to please some god) at which rhinoceroses (or other rare animals) were sacrificed. (So, eating meat has been common among Hindus ever since). We abuse animals or even human beings in many other ways. ----------- The foundation of our bodies is laid with flesh and we are born out of flesh (so a child consumes some flesh of its mother in some form). So, a Brahman who has no deep knowledge of all this declares himself very wise (and preaches against meat). The use of meat by man has been mentioned in the holy books of Hindus in all the four eons, and of the Western religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Parseeism etc.). Meat is also served at yugs, weddings, and other happy occasions. You have no idea where the meat has originated from, oh ignorant Brahman! The basic source of all life is water. So, (Guru) Nanak reveals something for you to deeply ponder on, oh Brahman! If you can avoid the use of water, only then you deserve to be called a real renouncer! (Because water is the source of all life; so if you do not want to hurt life, do not consume water).

Some ignorant people misinterpret the following holy Shabad of Kabir Sahib to support their view of opposing meat.

§ Sloak Kabir Ji (1374). (Literal Interpretation) Gruel (a mixture of rice and different beans) is a great food because it is cooked with amrit-like salt only, oh Kabir! Otherwise who will have his throat cut for eating meat? (Meaning a meat eater’s throat is cut when his deeds are evaluated by God). 188.

NOTES: (1) Before we discuss the correct interpretation of this holy Shabad, we must ensure that the interpretation does not violate the fundamental Principles of Guru Granth Sahib. If we ignore this basic consistency, we will be guilty of creating contradictions within Guru Granth Sahib which is not possible because we have this unshakable belief that Guru Granth Sahib is the Perfect Guru which will never have contradictions.

(2) Many foods like milk, yogurt, butter, and honey etc. (there are thirty-six in number) have been called amrit in Guru Granth Sahib.  However, the real Amrit is Guru’s Shabad or Waheguru’s Naam.

(3) We have also discussed earlier that claiming someone else’s money (or other belongings) or doing injustice to others is considered a great sin in Guru Granth Sahib and is equivalent to eating human flesh. So, when we come across something like “cutting throat of someone, or eating human flesh etc.” in Guru Granth Sahib, it most likely means to cheat others of their wealth or dignity.

In the light of these three notes, let us discuss the true interpretation of the Shabad.

Correct Interpretation: Gruel is a great food because it uses only salt which everybody can afford without having to cheat others, oh Kabir.  To satisfy your taste buds of eating meat (especially on regular basis), you will have to cheat others (cut their throats). So, whose throat will you cut (who will you cheat) for you sensual pleasures, oh slave of your tastes?

§ Sloak Kabir Ji (1377). (Literal Interpretation) Whosoever takes marijuana, fish and alcohol, has all his pilgrimages, fasting and other rituals go unrewarded, oh Kabir! 233.

NOTES: (1) Had Kabir Sahib wished to oppose eating meat, why would he use just fish, and not all animals? Clearly, his objective here is not to preach against meat. The fact is that all the three habits are addictive and they enhance you sexual desire. As a result, they are highly likely to lead to other vices like stealing, infidelity and even murder.

(2) According to Guru Granth Sahib, pilgrimage, fasting and other rituals carry no value as far as  enhancement in the spiritual world is concerned.

Correct Interpretation: A man who undertakes pilgrimage, fasting or performs other rituals for spiritual advancement – which already have no spiritual value - but also uses marijuana, fish, and alcohol gets no reward at all for his efforts because he is likely to commit even bigger sins because of addictive habits.

So, we see that there is no restriction on eating meat in GURMAT.