ਪ੍ਰਸ਼ਨ ਅਤੇ ਉੱਤਰ: ਕੀ ਕੋਈ ਸਿੱਖ ਮਾਸ ਖਾ ਸਕਦਾ ਹੈ? । Question and Answer: Can a Sikh eat meat?

INTERVIEW WITH

SRI GURU GRANTH SAHIB JI ON THE TOPIC OF SIKHS AND MEAT

Question: Guru Ji please tell me can Sikhs eat meat?

Answer:

ਕਬੀਰ ਜੋਰੀ ਕੀਏ ਜੁਲਮੁ ਹੈ ਕਹਤਾ ਨਾਉ ਹਲਾਲੁ ॥
ਦਫਤਰਿ ਲੇਖਾ ਮਾਂਗੀਐ ਤਬ ਹੋਇਗੋ ਕਉਨੁ ਹਵਾਲੁ ॥੧੮੭॥
kabeer joree kee-e zulam hai, kehta naa-o halaal.

daftar lekha maangee-ai, tab hoe-go koun havaal. ||187||

"O Kabeer! To forcefully kill something is tyranny (cruelty), even if it considered acceptable (by others). Think, what will be their state when they have to go to God’s Court and God asks for the account of their actions? (187)"

(SGGS - Ang 1374)

Question: But my friends told me that I should eat meat because it is good for me and will make me strong. Is it that bad if I have meat now and again?

Answer:

ਕਬੀਰ ਖੂਬੁ ਖਾਨਾ ਖੀਚਰੀ ਜਾ ਮਹਿ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਲੋਨੁ ॥
ਹੇਰਾ ਰੋਟੀ ਕਾਰਨੇ ਗਲਾ ਕਟਾਵੈ ਕਉਨੁ ॥੧੮੮॥
kabeer khoob khaanaa keecharee, jaa mehi amrit lo-n.

heraa rote kaarne, galaa kattaavai koun. ||188||

"O Kabeer! The dinner of beans and rice is excellent, even if it is just flavoured with salt. For the sake of having meat with one’s bread, who would be willing to have the same fate as the animal (when paying off Karmic debt in the next life)? (188)"

(SGGS - Ang 1374)

Question: But Guru Ji, why can't Sikhs eat meat?

Answer:

ਦੂਖੁ ਨ ਦੇਈ ਕਿਸੈ ਜੀਅ ਪਤਿ ਸਿਉ ਘਰਿ ਜਾਵਉ ॥ 
dookh na de-ee kissai jeea, pat sio ghar jaavo.

"Do not (intentionally) cause suffering to any living being, and your soul shall go to its true home with honour and respect."

(SGGS - Ang 322)

Question: That's all good, but I heard Sikhs have their own religious way of slaughtering animals called ‘Jhatka’. So is this okay to eat?

Answer:

ਜੀਅ ਬਧਹੁ ਸੁ ਧਰਮੁ ਕਰਿ ਥਾਪਹੁ ਅਧਰਮੁ ਕਹਹੁ ਕਤ ਭਾਈ ॥
ਆਪਸ ਕਉ ਮੁਨਿਵਰ ਕਰਿ ਥਾਪਹੁ ਕਾ ਕਉ ਕਹਹੁ ਕਸਾਈ ॥੨॥
jeea badh-hu su dharam kar thaap-hu,

a-dharam kahahu kat bhaa-ee.

aapas ko muni-var kar thaap-hu,

kaa kou kasaa-ee. ॥2॥

"You kill living beings and call it a righteous action. Tell me, brother, what would you call an unrighteous action?  If (being cruel and unnecessarily killing animals) you are a religious person, then who do will we call a butcher? (2)"

(SGGS - Ang 1103)

Question: But Guru Ji, some animals like chickens are not intelligent animals, so is it okay for me to eat them?

Answer:
ਜਉ ਸਭ ਮਹਿ ਏਕੁ ਖੁਦਾਇ ਕਹਤ ਹਉ ਤਉ ਕਿਉ ਮੁਰਗੀ ਮਾਰੈ ॥੧॥ 

jou sabh mehi eyk kudhaa-e kehat hou,

tou kyo murgee maarai. ||1||

"If in all is the one God, then why kill a chicken? (1)"

(SGGS - Ang 1350)

Question: Some people say that eating meat does not affect them. Guru Ji, is that true?

Answer:

ਗਲਾ ਉਪਰਿ ਤਪਾਵਸੁ ਨ ਹੋਈ ਵਿਸੁ ਖਾਧੀ ਤਤਕਾਲ ਮਰਿ ਜਾਏ ॥
ਭਾਈ ਵੇਖਹੁ ਨਿਆਉ ਸਚੁ ਕਰਤੇ ਕਾ ਜੇਹਾ ਕੋਈ ਕਰੇ ਤੇਹਾ ਕੋਈ ਪਾਏ ॥
galaa upar tapaavas na hoee, 
vis khaadhee tat-kaal mar jaa-e.

bhaa-ee vekhahu niaa-o sach karte kaa, 
jehaa koee kare tehaa koee paa-e.

“Justice is not passed on mere words; if someone eats poison it will end up killing them. O brother! Look at the justice of the True Creator; as people act, so they are rewarded.”

(SGGS – Ang 308)

Question: But Guru Ji we are supposed to be ‘Singhs’. ‘Singh’ means lion and lions eat meat, so what do you say to that?

Answer:

ਸਿੰਘਚ ਭੋਜਨੁ ਜੋ ਨਰੁ ਜਾਨੈ ॥
ਐਸੇ ਹੀ ਠਗਦੇਉ ਬਖਾਨੈ ॥੨॥
singhach bhojan jo nar jaanai.

aise hee ttag-deo bakhaan-ai. ||2||

“If someone considers a (blood-thirsty) lion’s food as the diet of humans, then they are a master of deception. (2)”

(SGGS - Ang 485)

Question: Guru Ji some people don’t eat meat and think they are superior to meat-eaters and put others down. Is just being vegetarian alone good enough to get to God?

Answer:

ਮਾਸੁ ਮਾਸੁ ਕਰਿ ਮੂਰਖੁ ਝਗੜੇ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਧਿਆਨੁ ਨਹੀ ਜਾਣੈ ॥ 
maas maas kar moorakh jhagarrai,

giaan dhiaan nehee jaanai.

"If someone has no spiritual wisdom and does not meditate upon God, then arguing about meat is foolish.”

(SGGS - Ang 1289-1290)

Question: Guru Ji some people say just being vegetarian alone makes them religious. But they don’t do religious actions and do bad things. So what do you say about that?

Answer:
ਹਕੁ ਪਰਾਇਆ ਨਾਨਕਾ ਉਸੁ ਸੂਅਰ ਉਸੁ ਗਾਇ ॥
ਗੁਰੁ ਪੀਰੁ ਹਾਮਾ ਤਾ ਭਰੇ ਜਾ ਮੁਰਦਾਰੁ ਨ ਖਾਇ ॥
hak paraayaa naanakaa, us soo-ar us gaa-e.

gur peer haamaa taa bhar-e, jaa murdaar na khaa-e.   

“To take what rightfully belongs to another is as serious as eating pork (for Muslims) or eating beef (for Hindus). Our Guru, our Spiritual Guide, stands by us, only if we do not eat dead carcasses (i.e. stealing and taking what belongs to others is just as sinful as eating meat).”

(SGGS – 140)

Question: Guru Ji can you make it clear please… So are you saying we should have a cruelty-free diet but also make sure our behavior and actions are good and reflect that of a man of God?

Answer:
ਜੇ ਰਤੁ ਲਗੈ ਕਪੜੈ ਜਾਮਾ ਹੋਇ ਪਲੀਤੁ ॥
ਜੋ ਰਤੁ ਪੀਵਹਿ ਮਾਣਸਾ ਤਿਨ ਕਿਉ ਨਿਰਮਲੁ ਚੀਤੁ ॥

je rath lag-ai kaparrai, jaamaa ho-e paleet.

jo rath pee-vehi maansaa, tin sio nirmal cheet.

"If one's clothes are stained with blood, the garment becomes polluted. Those who drink the blood of others (whether of dead animals or living humans, i.e. causing harm to others) - how can such people's consciousness be pure?"

(SGGS - Ang 140)

Question: Guru Ji, I understand now that a Sikh doesn't eat anything that causes unnecessary suffering and cruelty to animals whether it be meat, fish, or eggs. I now know a Sikh should choose to eat a cruelty-free, compassionate, spiritual and healthy diet that helps us to connect with God. But please clear, if just becoming a vegetarian doesn't make a person religious, then what does make someone ‘religious’?

Answer:

ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਕਰਤ ਮਿਟੇ ਸਭਿ ਭਰਮਾ ॥
ਹਰਿ ਕੋ ਨਾਮੁ ਲੈ ਊਤਮ ਧਰਮਾ ॥
har har karat mitt-e sabh bharmaa.

har ko naam lai oo-tam dharma.

"Chanting the Name of God all doubts are cleared.  Connecting with ‘Naam’ (the Name of God) is the highest religion."

(SGGS – Ang 874)

Question: Guru Ji do you have any last message before ending this interview?

Answer:

ਜੋ ਜੀਇ ਹੋਇ ਸੁ ਉਗਵੈ ਮੁਹ ਕਾ ਕਹਿਆ ਵਾਉ ॥
ਬੀਜੇ ਬਿਖੁ ਮੰਗੈ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਵੇਖਹੁ ਏਹੁ ਨਿਆਉ ॥੨॥
jo jee-i hoe su ug-vai, muh kaa kehi-aa vaa-o. 

beeje bikh ma^Ngai amrit, vekhahu e-hu niaa-o. ||2||

“Whatever is in someone’s heart, it ends up coming out and being seen; just talk alone is useless. Look at the justice of humans! They sow the seeds of poison (i.e. thinking and acting in a way that causes harm to their soul) and yet demand the output of their actions to be ‘Amrit’ (i.e. which brings life and positivity to the mind and soul). (2)”

(SGGS – 474)