☀️ JOIN SPN MOBILE
Forums
New posts
Guru Granth Sahib
Composition, Arrangement & Layout
ਜਪੁ | Jup
ਸੋ ਦਰੁ | So Dar
ਸੋਹਿਲਾ | Sohilaa
ਰਾਗੁ ਸਿਰੀਰਾਗੁ | Raag Siree-Raag
Gurbani (14-53)
Ashtpadiyan (53-71)
Gurbani (71-74)
Pahre (74-78)
Chhant (78-81)
Vanjara (81-82)
Vaar Siri Raag (83-91)
Bhagat Bani (91-93)
ਰਾਗੁ ਮਾਝ | Raag Maajh
Gurbani (94-109)
Ashtpadi (109)
Ashtpadiyan (110-129)
Ashtpadi (129-130)
Ashtpadiyan (130-133)
Bara Maha (133-136)
Din Raen (136-137)
Vaar Maajh Ki (137-150)
ਰਾਗੁ ਗਉੜੀ | Raag Gauree
Gurbani (151-185)
Quartets/Couplets (185-220)
Ashtpadiyan (220-234)
Karhalei (234-235)
Ashtpadiyan (235-242)
Chhant (242-249)
Baavan Akhari (250-262)
Sukhmani (262-296)
Thittee (296-300)
Gauree kii Vaar (300-323)
Gurbani (323-330)
Ashtpadiyan (330-340)
Baavan Akhari (340-343)
Thintteen (343-344)
Vaar Kabir (344-345)
Bhagat Bani (345-346)
ਰਾਗੁ ਆਸਾ | Raag Aasaa
Gurbani (347-348)
Chaupaday (348-364)
Panchpadde (364-365)
Kaafee (365-409)
Aasaavaree (409-411)
Ashtpadiyan (411-432)
Patee (432-435)
Chhant (435-462)
Vaar Aasaa (462-475)
Bhagat Bani (475-488)
ਰਾਗੁ ਗੂਜਰੀ | Raag Goojaree
Gurbani (489-503)
Ashtpadiyan (503-508)
Vaar Gujari (508-517)
Vaar Gujari (517-526)
ਰਾਗੁ ਦੇਵਗੰਧਾਰੀ | Raag Dayv-Gandhaaree
Gurbani (527-536)
ਰਾਗੁ ਬਿਹਾਗੜਾ | Raag Bihaagraa
Gurbani (537-556)
Chhant (538-548)
Vaar Bihaagraa (548-556)
ਰਾਗੁ ਵਡਹੰਸ | Raag Wadhans
Gurbani (557-564)
Ashtpadiyan (564-565)
Chhant (565-575)
Ghoriaan (575-578)
Alaahaniiaa (578-582)
Vaar Wadhans (582-594)
ਰਾਗੁ ਸੋਰਠਿ | Raag Sorath
Gurbani (595-634)
Asatpadhiya (634-642)
Vaar Sorath (642-659)
ਰਾਗੁ ਧਨਾਸਰੀ | Raag Dhanasaree
Gurbani (660-685)
Astpadhiya (685-687)
Chhant (687-691)
Bhagat Bani (691-695)
ਰਾਗੁ ਜੈਤਸਰੀ | Raag Jaitsree
Gurbani (696-703)
Chhant (703-705)
Vaar Jaitsaree (705-710)
Bhagat Bani (710)
ਰਾਗੁ ਟੋਡੀ | Raag Todee
ਰਾਗੁ ਬੈਰਾੜੀ | Raag Bairaaree
ਰਾਗੁ ਤਿਲੰਗ | Raag Tilang
Gurbani (721-727)
Bhagat Bani (727)
ਰਾਗੁ ਸੂਹੀ | Raag Suhi
Gurbani (728-750)
Ashtpadiyan (750-761)
Kaafee (761-762)
Suchajee (762)
Gunvantee (763)
Chhant (763-785)
Vaar Soohee (785-792)
Bhagat Bani (792-794)
ਰਾਗੁ ਬਿਲਾਵਲੁ | Raag Bilaaval
Gurbani (795-831)
Ashtpadiyan (831-838)
Thitteen (838-840)
Vaar Sat (841-843)
Chhant (843-848)
Vaar Bilaaval (849-855)
Bhagat Bani (855-858)
ਰਾਗੁ ਗੋਂਡ | Raag Gond
Gurbani (859-869)
Ashtpadiyan (869)
Bhagat Bani (870-875)
ਰਾਗੁ ਰਾਮਕਲੀ | Raag Ramkalee
Ashtpadiyan (902-916)
Gurbani (876-902)
Anand (917-922)
Sadd (923-924)
Chhant (924-929)
Dakhnee (929-938)
Sidh Gosat (938-946)
Vaar Ramkalee (947-968)
ਰਾਗੁ ਨਟ ਨਾਰਾਇਨ | Raag Nat Narayan
Gurbani (975-980)
Ashtpadiyan (980-983)
ਰਾਗੁ ਮਾਲੀ ਗਉੜਾ | Raag Maalee Gauraa
Gurbani (984-988)
Bhagat Bani (988)
ਰਾਗੁ ਮਾਰੂ | Raag Maaroo
Gurbani (889-1008)
Ashtpadiyan (1008-1014)
Kaafee (1014-1016)
Ashtpadiyan (1016-1019)
Anjulian (1019-1020)
Solhe (1020-1033)
Dakhni (1033-1043)
ਰਾਗੁ ਤੁਖਾਰੀ | Raag Tukhaari
Bara Maha (1107-1110)
Chhant (1110-1117)
ਰਾਗੁ ਕੇਦਾਰਾ | Raag Kedara
Gurbani (1118-1123)
Bhagat Bani (1123-1124)
ਰਾਗੁ ਭੈਰਉ | Raag Bhairo
Gurbani (1125-1152)
Partaal (1153)
Ashtpadiyan (1153-1167)
ਰਾਗੁ ਬਸੰਤੁ | Raag Basant
Gurbani (1168-1187)
Ashtpadiyan (1187-1193)
Vaar Basant (1193-1196)
ਰਾਗੁ ਸਾਰਗ | Raag Saarag
Gurbani (1197-1200)
Partaal (1200-1231)
Ashtpadiyan (1232-1236)
Chhant (1236-1237)
Vaar Saarang (1237-1253)
ਰਾਗੁ ਮਲਾਰ | Raag Malaar
Gurbani (1254-1293)
Partaal (1265-1273)
Ashtpadiyan (1273-1278)
Chhant (1278)
Vaar Malaar (1278-91)
Bhagat Bani (1292-93)
ਰਾਗੁ ਕਾਨੜਾ | Raag Kaanraa
Gurbani (1294-96)
Partaal (1296-1318)
Ashtpadiyan (1308-1312)
Chhant (1312)
Vaar Kaanraa
Bhagat Bani (1318)
ਰਾਗੁ ਕਲਿਆਨ | Raag Kalyaan
Gurbani (1319-23)
Ashtpadiyan (1323-26)
ਰਾਗੁ ਪ੍ਰਭਾਤੀ | Raag Prabhaatee
Gurbani (1327-1341)
Ashtpadiyan (1342-51)
ਰਾਗੁ ਜੈਜਾਵੰਤੀ | Raag Jaijaiwanti
Gurbani (1352-53)
Salok | Gatha | Phunahe | Chaubole | Swayiye
Sehskritee Mahala 1
Sehskritee Mahala 5
Gaathaa Mahala 5
Phunhay Mahala 5
Chaubolae Mahala 5
Shaloks Bhagat Kabir
Shaloks Sheikh Farid
Swaiyyae Mahala 5
Swaiyyae in Praise of Gurus
Shaloks in Addition To Vaars
Shalok Ninth Mehl
Mundavanee Mehl 5
ਰਾਗ ਮਾਲਾ, Raag Maalaa
What's new
New posts
New media
New media comments
New resources
Latest activity
Videos
New media
New comments
Library
Latest reviews
Donate
Log in
Register
What's new
New posts
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Welcome to all New Sikh Philosophy Network Forums!
Explore Sikh Sikhi Sikhism...
Sign up
Log in
Discussions
Sikh Sikhi Sikhism
Fools Who Wrangle Over Flesh
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Randip Singh" data-source="post: 91878" data-attributes="member: 1323"><p>I found this excellent essay, by Gurbaksh Singh ji (who is not one of the authors for this essay here) :</p><p></p><p><a href="http://www.sikhs.wellington.net.nz/meat.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.sikhs.wellington.net.nz/meat.pdf</a></p><p></p><p><a href="http://www.sikhstudies.org/Periodicals.asp?TtlCod=214" target="_blank">http://www.sikhstudies.org/Periodicals.asp?TtlCod=214</a></p><p></p><p><strong>Page 1</strong>[/FONT]<span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'"> MEAT EATING AND REHIT MARYADA</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">G</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">URBAKHSH SINGH</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'"> *</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">Meat eating has unnecessarily become a controversial topic among the</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">Sikhs. The usual question asked is, —Is eating of meat permitted for a Sikh ?“</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">The expected answer is —yes“ or —no“. Unless explained properly, each answer,</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">whether —yes“ or —no“, can cause a problem. Both answers have, therefore,</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">been analysed in the light of Gurbani.</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">Interpretation of the Rehit Maryada Instructions</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">The decision of the Panth on the issue of meat eating, according to the</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">Rehit Maryada Bulletin, is : —Eating kuthha is prohibited for a Sikh. Kuthha</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">is meat of animals slaughtered in the Muslim way.“</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">There are no instructions in the booklet regarding eating or not eating</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">of other meat. Unfortunately, there are very strong and opposing opinions</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">about eating non-kuthha meat.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">Some Sikhs, in view of the prohibition of kuthha, assume that eating</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">non-kuthha meat (which is usually called jhatka) is not prohibited.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">Accordingly, they conclude that Sikhs are permitted to eat any meat,</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">beef, pork, poultry, etc., provided the animals have not been slaughtered</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">in the Muslim way.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">Other Sikhs do not agree with the above interpretation. They say kuthha</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">means a dead animal, hence Sikhs are not allowed to eat any kind of</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">meat. They argue that both methods, kuthha and jhatka, involve taking</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">away the life of an animal, which according to them is a sin. Therefore,</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">all kinds of meat are prohibited for a Sikh.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'"></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">A few Sikhs have a third view. They say being vegetarian is a Hindu</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">Vaishanav philosophy. To break away from that and to become a Sikh,</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">one must eat jhatka meat.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">Many articles and even books have been written by each side to justify</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">their opinion and to prove the other side to be wrong. Of course, both sides</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">support their view by quoting Gurbani. This issue has, thus, divided Sikhs</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">regarding the interpretation of Gurbani. Supporters of each view pick up a</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">few hymns and interpret them out of context to authenticate their own opinion.</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">* Gurdwara Sahib, Kanthala, Opp. Tribune Chowk, Chandigarh,</span></span></span></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>Page 2</strong></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'"> They translate hymns literally and ignore the real meaning. The present attempt</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">is to understand the correct message of the hymns related to the subject, and</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">discuss the meat issue under a wider perspective of Gurmat philosophy, with</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">Gurbani as the guiding light.</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">Literal Translation Misleading</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">Different meanings obtained from the same hymn are the result of</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">interpreting it literally and ignoring the context in which a word or a phrase</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">has been used. Here are a couple of examples.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">i.</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">s? ;kfjp eh pks fi nky? ej[ BkBe fenk dhi? ..</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">;h;[ tY/ efo p?;D[ dhi? ftD[ f;o ;/t eohi? ..</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">Guru Granth Sahib, p. 558</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">If someone speaks to you about the Lord, chop off your head and request</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">him to sit on it. Then serve him without the head on your body.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">ii.</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">ib e? wifB i/ rfs j't? fBs fBs w/Iv[e Bktfj ..</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">i?;/ w/Iv[e s?;/ UfJ Bo fcfo fcfo i'Bh nktfj ..</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">p. 484</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">If bathing could save a person, the frog bathes a lot. Anyone, who, like</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">a frog, takes bath again and again, will be reborn again and again.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">iii.</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">......</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">rktfj ykDh uko/ ..</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">Jap Pauri 27</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">The four khanis (categories of living beings) sing (His praises).</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">e/shnk ykDh e/shnk pkDh</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">......</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">Jap Pauri 35</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'"></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">The khani and bani (kinds of speech) number is beyond count.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">Obviously, the above literal translations either do not make sense or</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">convey a wrong message, which does not agree with Gurmat. However, if</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">we study words and phrases according to the context of the hymn, there is no</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">problem of understanding the correct message. The message of the above</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">three hymns is clear and all of us agree with it when we do not stick to their</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">literal translation :</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">i. A Sikh should show maximum respect and make highest sacrifice to</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">serve the person, who speaks about the virtues of God. (The hymn does</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">not ask a Sikh to literally chop off his head. It is a phrase to express</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">complete submission and highest sacrifice.)</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">ii. The hymn does not mean that bathing makes one to be reborn again and</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">again. Actually it tells that repeated physical bathing has no spiritual</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">benefit (bathing does not clean the mind). Those, who believe that just</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">bathing at sacred places will benefit them, are ignorant and, therefore,</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">they remain in the cycle of birth and death.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">iii. The numbers of khanis mentioned in the two pauris do not agree. In</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">pauri 27, Guru Nanak does not mean to say that only four khanis of</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">living beings sing His praises. The mention of the number four means all</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">the khanis (which according to the Guru are innumerable as stated in</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">pauri 35.) The Guru here is using the old Indian terminology (the whole</span></span></span></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>Page 3</strong></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'"> A</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">BSTRACTS </span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">O</span></span><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">F </span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">S</span></span><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">IKH </span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">S</span></span><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">TUDIES</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'"> –J</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">ANUARY </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">- M</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">ARCH </span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">2000 </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">16 hymn refers to the Hindu mythology related to creation) which classifies</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">all life into four khanis.</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">What is Meat Eating ?</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">Guru Nanak has given a very unique definition of —meat eating“. He</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">says that taking away the rights of others is the worst kind of sin, because it</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">is like sucking the blood of human beings.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">i.</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">je[ gokfJnk BkBek T[;[ ;{no T[;[ rkfJ ..</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">p. 141</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">Any person who takes away the rights of others is extremely sinful, like</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">a Muslim who eats pork or like a Hindu who eats beef.</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">i/ os[ br? egV? ikwk j'fJ gbhs[ ..</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">i' os[ ghtfj wkD;k fsB feT[ fBowb[ uhs[ ..</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">p. 140</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">A dress stained with blood is considered polluted. How can the mind of</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">those who suck the blood of human beings (make dishonest earnings, it</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">does not mean literally drinking of actual blood of people) be pure ?</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">e{V[ p'fb w[odko[ ykfJ ..</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">p. 139</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">Telling lies (cheating people and taking the rights of others) is eating a</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">corpse.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'"></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">The message of Gurbani, thus, is that taking the rights of others is</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">—sucking their blood“, that is —eating their meat“. Hence, it is sinful to take</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">away the rights of other people.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">ii. Other hymns, which endorse the above statement, i.e., to take away the</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">rights of the weak or helpless by the misuse of authority (religious or</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">political) is un-pious and sinful, are given below :</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">wkD; ykD/ eofj fBtki .. S[oh trkfJfB fsB rfb skr ..</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">p. 471</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'"></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">Literally, the hymn says that a Mullah, though performs Nimaz, (an</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">essential religious act for a Muslim), but devours human beings. A</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">Brahmin wears a holy thread (to show himself to be a religious person),</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">but carries a dagger (to get blood of the people).</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">Neither a Mullah devours human beings nor is a Brahmin going around</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">killing people with a dagger. These words</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'"></span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">wkD; ykD/</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">and</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'"> S[oh</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'"></span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">are phrases, and </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">both mean to take away the rights of the weak. The Guru used strong words</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">to severely criticise religious hypocrites, because they perform rituals only to</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">maintain their credibility among their followers. Actually, such persons are</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">most sinful, because they extract donations from the naive believers and make</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">false promises of assuring them heaven after their death. Guru Nanak says</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">that extracting donations from the people is —eating meat of the people“ and</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">declares it to be a most sinful act.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">Another hymn of the Guru repeats the same message for the leaders of</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">the three major religions, Kazi, Brahmin, and Yogi :</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">ekdh e{V[ p'fb wb[ ykfJ .. pqkjwD Bkt? ihnk xkfJ ..</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">i'rh i[[rfs B ikD? nzX[ .. shB/ UikV/ ek pzX[ ..</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">p. 662</span></span></span></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>Page 4</strong></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'"> 17 </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">M</span></span><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">EAT </span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">E</span></span><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">ATING </span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">A</span></span><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">ND </span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">R</span></span><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">EHIT </span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">M</span></span><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">ARYADA</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'"> iii. The Guru also protested against the unjust and tyrannical rulers by calling</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">them blood-sucking beasts (they were drinking the blood of the poor by</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">taking away their rights).</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">oki/ ;hj w[edw e[s/ ..</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">p. 1288</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'"></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">These hymns give a clear message of Gurmat, that taking away the</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">rights of others is a most sinful act, it is —eating flesh of human beings“. This</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">—meat eating“ is unambiguously and strictly prohibited for a Sikh. However,</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">we rarely talk about it. There is no organization which campaigns against this</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">kind of —meat eating“, that is, taking away the rights of the weak.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">The sakhi of Bhai Lalo and Malik Bhago is told to show the greatness</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">of Guru Nanak; he squeezed milk from the bread of Bhai Lalo, an honest</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">worker, and blood from the delicious food of Malik Bhago, a corrupt official.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">We miss the lesson to be learnt from this sakhi, that honest earnings are the</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">path of a Sikh. One should enjoy the earnings of hard labour and avoid dishonest</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">earnings, which is like sucking the blood of innocent people. Therefore, we</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">should give priority to preach and practise honest living, that is, —not eating</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">human meat“ or not usurping the rights of others.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'"></span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">Meat Eating – A Non-Issue</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">According to Gurbani, one can lead a pious life without getting involved</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">in the controversy over meat eating.</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">wk;[ wk;[ efo w{oy[ MrV/, frnkB[ fXnkB[ Bjh ikD? ..</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">eT[D[ wk;[ eT[D[ ;kr[ ejkt?, fe;[ wfj gkg ;wkD/ ..</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">p. 1289</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">A fool, without knowing the truth, unnecessarily quarrels (argues) about</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">eating or not eating meat. Who knows what is</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">wk;</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">(meat) and what is</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">;kr</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">(vegetarian food)* ? Further, who can say where does the sin lie, in</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">eating meat or in eating vegetarian food ?</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'"></span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">Attachment Prohibited</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">Gurbani says attachment (addiction, weakness for anything) is wrong.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">Here is the hymn which explains that attachment not only to meat, but also to</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">many other things of daily use is wrong.</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">bp[ e[sk, e{V[ u{jVk mfr ykXk w[odko[ ..</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">go fBzdk go wb[ w[fy ;[Xh nrfB eq'X[ uzvkb[ ..</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">o; e; nkg[ ;bkjDk, J/ eow w/o/ eosko ..1..</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">pkpk p'bhn? gfs j'fJ ..</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">T{sw ;/ dfo T{sw ejhnfj Bhu eow pfj o'fJ ..1.. ojkT[ ..</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">o;[ ;[fJBk o;[ o[gk ekwfD o;[ gowb eh tk;[ ..</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">* Milk is the changed form of the blood of the cow. Is it meat or not ? We cannot</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">decide, we can only argue about it. Those who are vegetarian and drink milk give</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">101 arguments to justify drinking milk, but the fact remains that milk is a changed</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">form of cow‘s blood, red cells are sieved out and fat is added to it.</span></span></span></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>Page 5</strong></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'"> A</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">BSTRACTS </span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">O</span></span><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">F </span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">S</span></span><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">IKH </span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">S</span></span><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">TUDIES</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'"> –J</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">ANUARY </span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">- M</span></span><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">ARCH </span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">2000</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'"></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">18 </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">o;[ x'V/ o;[ ;/ik wzdo o;[ whmk o;[ wk;[ ..</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">J/s/ o; ;oho e/ e? xfN Bkw fBtk;[ ..2..</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">p. 15</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">Essence : Holy people are honoured in His court. They, who commit</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">vices, have to repent there. O man, therefore, speak those words (perform</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">those actions), which will bring honour to you (in His court).</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">In the first part of the hymn, the Guru names some common vices</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">(greed, cheating, anger, etc.) in society and tells us how they hurt people.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">In the second part, he mentions some routine human needs (wealth,</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">spouse, meat eating, etc.), which also become vices, if one gets attached to</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">them. In the last line, the message is clear. How can a mind attached to</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">(addicted to) so many worldly pleasures (eating meat is only one of them)</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">enjoy the taste of Naam ?</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'"></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">The theme of the hymn is that God provides human beings with the</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">necessities of life. However, if one gets attached to them (i.e., gets addicted</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">to them, uses them not for need, but suffers from a weakness for them), they</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">become vices. Addiction to anything, including meat, therefore, is wrong.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">We know that earning money honestly is not prohibited for a Sikh.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'"></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">Love of wealth (addiction to wealth) is, however, prohibited, because the</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">mind devoted to wealth cannot be devoted to God. Further, addiction to</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">wealth leads one to collecting it even through dishonest means.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'"></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">No one disagrees with this interpretation. The whole hymn needs to be</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">interpreted in the same spirit. Some other aspects of life, riding horses,</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">marrying, living in palaces, eating tasty foods, meat, etc., have also been</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">mentioned in the hymn. Obviously, not their use, but addiction to them is</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">prohibited in this hymn. We should have no difficulty to conclude from this</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">hymn that not eating meat, but craving for meat (addiction to eating meat) is</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">prohibited for a Sikh.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'"></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">Keeping in view the above message of Gurmat, we can say that those,</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">who crave meat and eat it to calm the craving for it, commit a sin. However,</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">if a person eats meat as just another food, (because he is hungry), he does not</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">do anything against the Rehit.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'"></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">This explains why Rehit Maryada does not say whether one should or</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">should not eat meat. It is not the meat which matters, it is the reason for</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">eating meat which matters.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'"></span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">Message of the —Meat Prohibiting“ Hymns</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">The following hymn is often quoted to support the view that a Sikh</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">should not consume meat.</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">epho GKr wkS[bh ;[ok gkfB i' i' gqkBh yKfj ..</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">shoE pos B/w ehJ/ s/ ;G? o;ksfb iKfj ..233..</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">p. 1377</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">Bhagat Kabir says that those who consume bhang (marijuana), fish</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">(machhali is also a name given to a kind of drug), or alcohol, will lose the</span></span></span></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>Page 6</strong></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'"> 19 </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">M</span></span><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">EAT </span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">E</span></span><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">ATING </span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">A</span></span><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">ND </span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">R</span></span><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">EHIT </span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">M</span></span><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">ARYADA</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'"></span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">benefit of practising </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">shoE pos B/w, the holy rituals.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">However, Gurbani repeatedly says there is no benefit at all of</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">shoE pos </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">B/w like actions.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'"> pos B/w ;ziw wfj ojsk fsB ek nkY[ B gkfJnk ..</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">nkr? ubD[ nT[o[ j? GkJh T{Ijk ekfw B nkfJnk ..</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">p. 216</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">pos B/w shoE ;fjs rzrk ..</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">p. 1305</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'"></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">Should we, therefore, conclude that one loses nothing by eating fish</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">and drinking alcohol ? This interpretation, of course, does not agree with the</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">message of Gurmat.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'"></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">In this hymn, the words, </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">GKr wkS[bh ;[okgkfB are used as a phrase (which</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">does not mean these three specific things, but it means all vices), and refer to</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">a vicious life in which people do not restrain themselves. Today, such persons</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">are mentioned as shrabi-kababi, i.e., living a vicious life.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'"></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">Similarly, in the second line, </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">shoE, B/w, pos, do not mean just these three</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">rituals, i.e., visiting holy places, daily rituals, and fasting, but refer to all kinds</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">of rituals.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'"></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">The meaning of the hymn, therefore, is that one does not benefit at all</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">by performing holy rituals or doing religious deeds, if one continues to lead a</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">vicious life (sinful life). The message is that one must give up vices to benefit</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">from religious practices. This hymn, thus, prohibits a vicious life, which has</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">been explained in the hymn above, it does not say anything for or against</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">eating meat.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'"></span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">Why Prohibition of Kuthha ?</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">Some argue that kuthha is prohibited because the animal suffers a lot</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">during slow killing. This is not the reason. We know that birds and animals,</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">when shot by a gun, may not die immediately. They do suffer pain after being</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">hit by a bullet till they breathe their last. Even by jhatka method, the animal</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">does not die immediately, it does suffer pain for some time. In some cases,</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">the animal may walk a few steps (as a reflex) even after losing its head.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">Kuthha (halal, sanctified meat according to the Muslims) is prohibited</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">for a Sikh, because it is fed to non-Muslims to convert them to Islam, as it is</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">sanctified by Muslim ritual.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'"></span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">Conclusion</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">In the end, for the information of the readers, it may be stated that</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">eating or not eating meat has a religious sanction in all major faiths; for example,</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">Kosher is allowed for Jews, Halal for Muslims, Bali for Hindus (killed in the</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">name of the goddess). Secondly, some religions prohibit meat of certain</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">animals; pork is prohibited for Muslims and Jews, and beef for Hindus. Some</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">prohibit eating meat, or a particular kind of meat, on some days.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">Sikh faith is unique in not prescribing any such condition for eating</span></span></span></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>Page 7</strong></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'"> A</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">BSTRACTS </span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">O</span></span><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">F </span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">S</span></span><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">IKH </span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">S</span></span><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">TUDIES</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'"> –J</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">ANUARY </span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">- M</span></span><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">ARCH </span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">2000</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">20 </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">meat, if it is needed to meet the hunger of a Sikh. Addiction (u;ek,o, not</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">only to meat, but even to ”things‘ of daily use (spouse, wealth, affluent life,</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">etc.), is prohibited.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'"></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">The purpose of this article is to explain, in the light of Gurbani, the</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">correctness of the injunction of the Rehit Maryada, prohibiting only kuthha</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">meat (meat of animals slaughtered in the Muslim way) and not saying anything</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">about other meat. I do not eat meat, not even eggs, but I feel hurt when some</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">Sikh preachers declare that meat eating (actually a non-issue) is a cardinal sin</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">(</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">pio e[ofjs) by misinterpreting the meaning of Gurbani. This creates</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">unnecessary and undesirable divisions and bitterness among Sikhs. These</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">preachers are requested to preach, with the same enthusiasm, Guru Nanak‘s</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">message</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'"></span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">je[ gokfJnk BkBek, T[;[ ;{no T[;[ rkfJ</span></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">(taking away the rights of others</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">is as sinful as eating beef by a Hindu and pork by a Muslim.)</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'"></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">If a Sikh lives an honest life and is known not to take away the rights of</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">others (is not corrupt, is not a liar), people will hold such a Sikh in high</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">esteem, and the community will be respected by everyone. Let, therefore, all</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">the sants and preachers vigorously advise Sikhs not to take — </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">je[ gokfJnk</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'"> “, it</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">being the greatest sin; it is —os[ ghtfj wkD;k“, drinking human blood. The</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">unnecessary controversy about eating meat may be avoided, and preference</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Times'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">be given to the preaching of truthful living (</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times'">T[gfo ;u[ nkuko[).</span></span></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Randip Singh, post: 91878, member: 1323"] I found this excellent essay, by Gurbaksh Singh ji (who is not one of the authors for this essay here) : [URL]http://www.sikhs.wellington.net.nz/meat.pdf[/URL] [URL]http://www.sikhstudies.org/Periodicals.asp?TtlCod=214[/URL] [B]Page 1[/B][/FONT][FONT=Times][SIZE=3][FONT=Times] MEAT EATING AND REHIT MARYADA G[/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][SIZE=3][FONT=Times]URBAKHSH SINGH[/FONT][/SIZE] [FONT=Times][SIZE=3][FONT=Times] * Meat eating has unnecessarily become a controversial topic among the Sikhs. The usual question asked is, —Is eating of meat permitted for a Sikh ?“ The expected answer is —yes“ or —no“. Unless explained properly, each answer, whether —yes“ or —no“, can cause a problem. Both answers have, therefore, been analysed in the light of Gurbani. Interpretation of the Rehit Maryada Instructions The decision of the Panth on the issue of meat eating, according to the Rehit Maryada Bulletin, is : —Eating kuthha is prohibited for a Sikh. Kuthha is meat of animals slaughtered in the Muslim way.“ There are no instructions in the booklet regarding eating or not eating of other meat. Unfortunately, there are very strong and opposing opinions about eating non-kuthha meat.[/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT] [SIZE=3][FONT=Times] Some Sikhs, in view of the prohibition of kuthha, assume that eating[/FONT][/SIZE] [FONT=Times][SIZE=3][FONT=Times]non-kuthha meat (which is usually called jhatka) is not prohibited. Accordingly, they conclude that Sikhs are permitted to eat any meat, beef, pork, poultry, etc., provided the animals have not been slaughtered in the Muslim way.[/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT] [SIZE=3][FONT=Times] Other Sikhs do not agree with the above interpretation. They say kuthha[/FONT][/SIZE] [FONT=Times][SIZE=3][FONT=Times]means a dead animal, hence Sikhs are not allowed to eat any kind of meat. They argue that both methods, kuthha and jhatka, involve taking away the life of an animal, which according to them is a sin. Therefore, all kinds of meat are prohibited for a Sikh. A few Sikhs have a third view. They say being vegetarian is a Hindu Vaishanav philosophy. To break away from that and to become a Sikh, one must eat jhatka meat. Many articles and even books have been written by each side to justify their opinion and to prove the other side to be wrong. Of course, both sides support their view by quoting Gurbani. This issue has, thus, divided Sikhs regarding the interpretation of Gurbani. Supporters of each view pick up a few hymns and interpret them out of context to authenticate their own opinion. * Gurdwara Sahib, Kanthala, Opp. Tribune Chowk, Chandigarh,[/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT] [B] Page 2[/B] [FONT=Times][SIZE=3][FONT=Times] They translate hymns literally and ignore the real meaning. The present attempt is to understand the correct message of the hymns related to the subject, and discuss the meat issue under a wider perspective of Gurmat philosophy, with Gurbani as the guiding light. Literal Translation Misleading Different meanings obtained from the same hymn are the result of interpreting it literally and ignoring the context in which a word or a phrase has been used. Here are a couple of examples. i. s? ;kfjp eh pks fi nky? ej[ BkBe fenk dhi? .. ;h;[ tY/ efo p?;D[ dhi? ftD[ f;o ;/t eohi? .. Guru Granth Sahib, p. 558 If someone speaks to you about the Lord, chop off your head and request him to sit on it. Then serve him without the head on your body. ii. ib e? wifB i/ rfs j't? fBs fBs w/Iv[e Bktfj .. i?;/ w/Iv[e s?;/ UfJ Bo fcfo fcfo i'Bh nktfj .. p. 484 If bathing could save a person, the frog bathes a lot. Anyone, who, like a frog, takes bath again and again, will be reborn again and again. iii. ...... rktfj ykDh uko/ .. Jap Pauri 27 The four khanis (categories of living beings) sing (His praises). e/shnk ykDh e/shnk pkDh ...... Jap Pauri 35 The khani and bani (kinds of speech) number is beyond count. Obviously, the above literal translations either do not make sense or convey a wrong message, which does not agree with Gurmat. However, if we study words and phrases according to the context of the hymn, there is no problem of understanding the correct message. The message of the above three hymns is clear and all of us agree with it when we do not stick to their literal translation : i. A Sikh should show maximum respect and make highest sacrifice to serve the person, who speaks about the virtues of God. (The hymn does not ask a Sikh to literally chop off his head. It is a phrase to express complete submission and highest sacrifice.) ii. The hymn does not mean that bathing makes one to be reborn again and again. Actually it tells that repeated physical bathing has no spiritual benefit (bathing does not clean the mind). Those, who believe that just bathing at sacred places will benefit them, are ignorant and, therefore, they remain in the cycle of birth and death. iii. The numbers of khanis mentioned in the two pauris do not agree. In pauri 27, Guru Nanak does not mean to say that only four khanis of living beings sing His praises. The mention of the number four means all the khanis (which according to the Guru are innumerable as stated in pauri 35.) The Guru here is using the old Indian terminology (the whole[/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT] [B] Page 3[/B] [FONT=Times][SIZE=3][FONT=Times] A[/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][SIZE=2][FONT=Times]BSTRACTS [/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=3][FONT=Times]O[/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=2][FONT=Times]F [/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=3][FONT=Times]S[/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=2][FONT=Times]IKH [/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=3][FONT=Times]S[/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=2][FONT=Times]TUDIES[/FONT][/SIZE] [FONT=Times][SIZE=3][FONT=Times] –J[/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][SIZE=2][FONT=Times]ANUARY [/FONT][/SIZE][FONT=Times][SIZE=3][FONT=Times]- M[/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][SIZE=2][FONT=Times]ARCH [/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=3][FONT=Times]2000 16 hymn refers to the Hindu mythology related to creation) which classifies[/FONT][/SIZE] [FONT=Times][SIZE=3][FONT=Times]all life into four khanis. What is Meat Eating ? Guru Nanak has given a very unique definition of —meat eating“. He says that taking away the rights of others is the worst kind of sin, because it is like sucking the blood of human beings. i. je[ gokfJnk BkBek T[;[ ;{no T[;[ rkfJ .. p. 141 Any person who takes away the rights of others is extremely sinful, like a Muslim who eats pork or like a Hindu who eats beef. i/ os[ br? egV? ikwk j'fJ gbhs[ .. i' os[ ghtfj wkD;k fsB feT[ fBowb[ uhs[ .. p. 140 A dress stained with blood is considered polluted. How can the mind of those who suck the blood of human beings (make dishonest earnings, it does not mean literally drinking of actual blood of people) be pure ? e{V[ p'fb w[odko[ ykfJ .. p. 139 Telling lies (cheating people and taking the rights of others) is eating a corpse. The message of Gurbani, thus, is that taking the rights of others is —sucking their blood“, that is —eating their meat“. Hence, it is sinful to take away the rights of other people. ii. Other hymns, which endorse the above statement, i.e., to take away the rights of the weak or helpless by the misuse of authority (religious or political) is un-pious and sinful, are given below : wkD; ykD/ eofj fBtki .. S[oh trkfJfB fsB rfb skr .. p. 471 Literally, the hymn says that a Mullah, though performs Nimaz, (an essential religious act for a Muslim), but devours human beings. A Brahmin wears a holy thread (to show himself to be a religious person), but carries a dagger (to get blood of the people). Neither a Mullah devours human beings nor is a Brahmin going around killing people with a dagger. These words wkD; ykD/[/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT] [SIZE=3][FONT=Times]and[/FONT][/SIZE] [FONT=Times][SIZE=3][FONT=Times] S[oh are phrases, and [/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][SIZE=3][FONT=Times]both mean to take away the rights of the weak. The Guru used strong words[/FONT][/SIZE] [FONT=Times][SIZE=3][FONT=Times]to severely criticise religious hypocrites, because they perform rituals only to maintain their credibility among their followers. Actually, such persons are most sinful, because they extract donations from the naive believers and make false promises of assuring them heaven after their death. Guru Nanak says that extracting donations from the people is —eating meat of the people“ and declares it to be a most sinful act. Another hymn of the Guru repeats the same message for the leaders of the three major religions, Kazi, Brahmin, and Yogi : ekdh e{V[ p'fb wb[ ykfJ .. pqkjwD Bkt? ihnk xkfJ .. i'rh i[[rfs B ikD? nzX[ .. shB/ UikV/ ek pzX[ .. p. 662[/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT] [B] Page 4[/B] [FONT=Times][SIZE=3][FONT=Times] 17 [/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][SIZE=3][FONT=Times]M[/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=2][FONT=Times]EAT [/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=3][FONT=Times]E[/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=2][FONT=Times]ATING [/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=3][FONT=Times]A[/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=2][FONT=Times]ND [/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=3][FONT=Times]R[/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=2][FONT=Times]EHIT [/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=3][FONT=Times]M[/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=2][FONT=Times]ARYADA[/FONT][/SIZE] [FONT=Times][SIZE=3][FONT=Times] iii. The Guru also protested against the unjust and tyrannical rulers by calling them blood-sucking beasts (they were drinking the blood of the poor by taking away their rights). oki/ ;hj w[edw e[s/ .. p. 1288 These hymns give a clear message of Gurmat, that taking away the rights of others is a most sinful act, it is —eating flesh of human beings“. This —meat eating“ is unambiguously and strictly prohibited for a Sikh. However, we rarely talk about it. There is no organization which campaigns against this kind of —meat eating“, that is, taking away the rights of the weak. The sakhi of Bhai Lalo and Malik Bhago is told to show the greatness of Guru Nanak; he squeezed milk from the bread of Bhai Lalo, an honest worker, and blood from the delicious food of Malik Bhago, a corrupt official. We miss the lesson to be learnt from this sakhi, that honest earnings are the path of a Sikh. One should enjoy the earnings of hard labour and avoid dishonest earnings, which is like sucking the blood of innocent people. Therefore, we should give priority to preach and practise honest living, that is, —not eating human meat“ or not usurping the rights of others. Meat Eating – A Non-Issue According to Gurbani, one can lead a pious life without getting involved in the controversy over meat eating. wk;[ wk;[ efo w{oy[ MrV/, frnkB[ fXnkB[ Bjh ikD? .. eT[D[ wk;[ eT[D[ ;kr[ ejkt?, fe;[ wfj gkg ;wkD/ .. p. 1289 A fool, without knowing the truth, unnecessarily quarrels (argues) about eating or not eating meat. Who knows what is wk; (meat) and what is ;kr (vegetarian food)* ? Further, who can say where does the sin lie, in eating meat or in eating vegetarian food ? Attachment Prohibited Gurbani says attachment (addiction, weakness for anything) is wrong. Here is the hymn which explains that attachment not only to meat, but also to many other things of daily use is wrong. bp[ e[sk, e{V[ u{jVk mfr ykXk w[odko[ .. go fBzdk go wb[ w[fy ;[Xh nrfB eq'X[ uzvkb[ .. o; e; nkg[ ;bkjDk, J/ eow w/o/ eosko ..1.. pkpk p'bhn? gfs j'fJ .. T{sw ;/ dfo T{sw ejhnfj Bhu eow pfj o'fJ ..1.. ojkT[ .. o;[ ;[fJBk o;[ o[gk ekwfD o;[ gowb eh tk;[ .. * Milk is the changed form of the blood of the cow. Is it meat or not ? We cannot decide, we can only argue about it. Those who are vegetarian and drink milk give 101 arguments to justify drinking milk, but the fact remains that milk is a changed form of cow‘s blood, red cells are sieved out and fat is added to it.[/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT] [B] Page 5[/B] [FONT=Times][SIZE=3][FONT=Times] A[/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][SIZE=2][FONT=Times]BSTRACTS [/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=3][FONT=Times]O[/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=2][FONT=Times]F [/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=3][FONT=Times]S[/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=2][FONT=Times]IKH [/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=3][FONT=Times]S[/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=2][FONT=Times]TUDIES[/FONT][/SIZE] [FONT=Times][SIZE=3][FONT=Times] –J[/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][SIZE=2][FONT=Times]ANUARY [/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=3][FONT=Times]- M[/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=2][FONT=Times]ARCH [/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=3][FONT=Times]2000[/FONT][/SIZE] [FONT=Times][SIZE=3][FONT=Times] 18 [/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][SIZE=3][FONT=Times]o;[ x'V/ o;[ ;/ik wzdo o;[ whmk o;[ wk;[ ..[/FONT][/SIZE] [FONT=Times][SIZE=3][FONT=Times]J/s/ o; ;oho e/ e? xfN Bkw fBtk;[ ..2.. p. 15 Essence : Holy people are honoured in His court. They, who commit vices, have to repent there. O man, therefore, speak those words (perform those actions), which will bring honour to you (in His court). In the first part of the hymn, the Guru names some common vices (greed, cheating, anger, etc.) in society and tells us how they hurt people. In the second part, he mentions some routine human needs (wealth, spouse, meat eating, etc.), which also become vices, if one gets attached to them. In the last line, the message is clear. How can a mind attached to (addicted to) so many worldly pleasures (eating meat is only one of them) enjoy the taste of Naam ? The theme of the hymn is that God provides human beings with the necessities of life. However, if one gets attached to them (i.e., gets addicted to them, uses them not for need, but suffers from a weakness for them), they become vices. Addiction to anything, including meat, therefore, is wrong. We know that earning money honestly is not prohibited for a Sikh. Love of wealth (addiction to wealth) is, however, prohibited, because the mind devoted to wealth cannot be devoted to God. Further, addiction to wealth leads one to collecting it even through dishonest means. No one disagrees with this interpretation. The whole hymn needs to be interpreted in the same spirit. Some other aspects of life, riding horses, marrying, living in palaces, eating tasty foods, meat, etc., have also been mentioned in the hymn. Obviously, not their use, but addiction to them is prohibited in this hymn. We should have no difficulty to conclude from this hymn that not eating meat, but craving for meat (addiction to eating meat) is prohibited for a Sikh. Keeping in view the above message of Gurmat, we can say that those, who crave meat and eat it to calm the craving for it, commit a sin. However, if a person eats meat as just another food, (because he is hungry), he does not do anything against the Rehit. This explains why Rehit Maryada does not say whether one should or should not eat meat. It is not the meat which matters, it is the reason for eating meat which matters. Message of the —Meat Prohibiting“ Hymns The following hymn is often quoted to support the view that a Sikh should not consume meat. epho GKr wkS[bh ;[ok gkfB i' i' gqkBh yKfj .. shoE pos B/w ehJ/ s/ ;G? o;ksfb iKfj ..233.. p. 1377 Bhagat Kabir says that those who consume bhang (marijuana), fish (machhali is also a name given to a kind of drug), or alcohol, will lose the[/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT] [B] Page 6[/B] [FONT=Times][SIZE=3][FONT=Times] 19 [/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][SIZE=3][FONT=Times]M[/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=2][FONT=Times]EAT [/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=3][FONT=Times]E[/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=2][FONT=Times]ATING [/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=3][FONT=Times]A[/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=2][FONT=Times]ND [/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=3][FONT=Times]R[/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=2][FONT=Times]EHIT [/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=3][FONT=Times]M[/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=2][FONT=Times]ARYADA[/FONT][/SIZE] [FONT=Times][SIZE=3][FONT=Times] benefit of practising [/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][SIZE=3][FONT=Times]shoE pos B/w, the holy rituals.[/FONT][/SIZE] [FONT=Times][SIZE=3][FONT=Times]However, Gurbani repeatedly says there is no benefit at all of shoE pos [/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][SIZE=3][FONT=Times]B/w like actions.[/FONT][/SIZE] [FONT=Times][SIZE=3][FONT=Times] pos B/w ;ziw wfj ojsk fsB ek nkY[ B gkfJnk .. nkr? ubD[ nT[o[ j? GkJh T{Ijk ekfw B nkfJnk .. p. 216 pos B/w shoE ;fjs rzrk .. p. 1305 Should we, therefore, conclude that one loses nothing by eating fish and drinking alcohol ? This interpretation, of course, does not agree with the message of Gurmat. In this hymn, the words, [/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][SIZE=3][FONT=Times]GKr wkS[bh ;[okgkfB are used as a phrase (which[/FONT][/SIZE] [FONT=Times][SIZE=3][FONT=Times]does not mean these three specific things, but it means all vices), and refer to a vicious life in which people do not restrain themselves. Today, such persons are mentioned as shrabi-kababi, i.e., living a vicious life. Similarly, in the second line, [/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][SIZE=3][FONT=Times]shoE, B/w, pos, do not mean just these three[/FONT][/SIZE] [FONT=Times][SIZE=3][FONT=Times]rituals, i.e., visiting holy places, daily rituals, and fasting, but refer to all kinds of rituals. The meaning of the hymn, therefore, is that one does not benefit at all by performing holy rituals or doing religious deeds, if one continues to lead a vicious life (sinful life). The message is that one must give up vices to benefit from religious practices. This hymn, thus, prohibits a vicious life, which has been explained in the hymn above, it does not say anything for or against eating meat. Why Prohibition of Kuthha ? Some argue that kuthha is prohibited because the animal suffers a lot during slow killing. This is not the reason. We know that birds and animals, when shot by a gun, may not die immediately. They do suffer pain after being hit by a bullet till they breathe their last. Even by jhatka method, the animal does not die immediately, it does suffer pain for some time. In some cases, the animal may walk a few steps (as a reflex) even after losing its head. Kuthha (halal, sanctified meat according to the Muslims) is prohibited for a Sikh, because it is fed to non-Muslims to convert them to Islam, as it is sanctified by Muslim ritual. Conclusion In the end, for the information of the readers, it may be stated that eating or not eating meat has a religious sanction in all major faiths; for example, Kosher is allowed for Jews, Halal for Muslims, Bali for Hindus (killed in the name of the goddess). Secondly, some religions prohibit meat of certain animals; pork is prohibited for Muslims and Jews, and beef for Hindus. Some prohibit eating meat, or a particular kind of meat, on some days. Sikh faith is unique in not prescribing any such condition for eating[/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT] [B] Page 7[/B] [FONT=Times][SIZE=3][FONT=Times] A[/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][SIZE=2][FONT=Times]BSTRACTS [/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=3][FONT=Times]O[/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=2][FONT=Times]F [/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=3][FONT=Times]S[/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=2][FONT=Times]IKH [/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=3][FONT=Times]S[/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=2][FONT=Times]TUDIES[/FONT][/SIZE] [FONT=Times][SIZE=3][FONT=Times] –J[/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][SIZE=2][FONT=Times]ANUARY [/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=3][FONT=Times]- M[/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=2][FONT=Times]ARCH [/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=3][FONT=Times]2000[/FONT][/SIZE] [FONT=Times][SIZE=3][FONT=Times]20 [/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT] [SIZE=3][FONT=Times] meat, if it is needed to meet the hunger of a Sikh. Addiction (u;ek,o, not[/FONT][/SIZE] [FONT=Times][SIZE=3][FONT=Times]only to meat, but even to ”things‘ of daily use (spouse, wealth, affluent life, etc.), is prohibited. The purpose of this article is to explain, in the light of Gurbani, the correctness of the injunction of the Rehit Maryada, prohibiting only kuthha meat (meat of animals slaughtered in the Muslim way) and not saying anything about other meat. I do not eat meat, not even eggs, but I feel hurt when some Sikh preachers declare that meat eating (actually a non-issue) is a cardinal sin ([/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][SIZE=3][FONT=Times]pio e[ofjs) by misinterpreting the meaning of Gurbani. This creates[/FONT][/SIZE] [FONT=Times][SIZE=3][FONT=Times]unnecessary and undesirable divisions and bitterness among Sikhs. These preachers are requested to preach, with the same enthusiasm, Guru Nanak‘s message je[ gokfJnk BkBek, T[;[ ;{no T[;[ rkfJ (taking away the rights of others is as sinful as eating beef by a Hindu and pork by a Muslim.) If a Sikh lives an honest life and is known not to take away the rights of others (is not corrupt, is not a liar), people will hold such a Sikh in high esteem, and the community will be respected by everyone. Let, therefore, all the sants and preachers vigorously advise Sikhs not to take — [/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][SIZE=3][FONT=Times]je[ gokfJnk[/FONT][/SIZE] [FONT=Times][SIZE=3][FONT=Times] “, it[/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][SIZE=3][FONT=Times]being the greatest sin; it is —os[ ghtfj wkD;k“, drinking human blood. The[/FONT][/SIZE] [FONT=Times][SIZE=3][FONT=Times]unnecessary controversy about eating meat may be avoided, and preference be given to the preaching of truthful living ([/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][SIZE=3][FONT=Times]T[gfo ;u[ nkuko[).[/FONT][/SIZE] [FONT=Times][SIZE=3][FONT=Times][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT] [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Discussions
Sikh Sikhi Sikhism
Fools Who Wrangle Over Flesh
This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
Accept
Learn more…
Top