When I tell people I am vegetarian, they remark that I was born a Sikh. It is true that a large number of Sikhs eat meat and confuse it with machismo. In fact, during the separatist movement for a Sikh nation, the joke was that its national bird would be tandoori murgha.

However lakhs of Sikhs are vegetarian. The holiest places of the Sikhs are the five Takhts: Akal Takht in Amritsar, Keshgarh Sahib Anandpur, Damdama Sahib Bhatinda, Patna Sahib andHazoor Sahib Nanded are all pure vegetarian. The first Guru established vegetarian kitchens and every Gurudwara, till today, serves only vegetarian food to the lakhs of people that eat there. The Gurus were vegetarian. Akali Dal members are supposed to be

vegetarian.

Open to interpretation

No Gurus and holy prophets of any religion have eaten meat. From Jesus who was an Essene, a tribe that remains vegetarian till today, to the holy prophet Mohammad who urges his people not to make their stomachs a graveyard for animals. The argument that the Sikhs are not bound to be meat free comes from the verse of Guru Nanak Pg 1289-90 of the Guru Granth Sahib. This verse has been interpreted in many ways by different writers. I took these from the internet and the writer insists that because the Guru has said we are flesh we can eat flesh. I will attempt to interpret it. Could he be saying simply this:

All humans, high or low, are made simply of flesh. It is only when they are touched by the divine (surrender to the Guru) that they become more than simply a lump of flesh.

Born out of flesh, in flesh does man live.

With life comes love of flesh, bones, skin, limbs

All are flesh.

As from flesh the living body issues, the breast that is flesh,

It grasps in mouth.

Of flesh is the mouth, of flesh

the tongue,

Through flesh is breath drawn.

As is man grown up, matrimony he enters,

And brings home flesh.

Of flesh is born flesh,

With flesh are all relationships established.

Not by man’s own effort comes liberation:

Saith Nanak: Such talk only to perdition leads.

Over eating meat dispute blind fools,

Of enlightenment and contemplation ignorant.

Which is flesh, which vegetation?

Which to sin leads?

Those that at night-time gobble

up flesh,

Pose to discard flesh and stop their noses.

A great show of piety they make before others—

Of enlightenment and contemplation ignorant.

Saith Nanak: What avail arguing with the purblind.

Neither would they say anything sensible,

Nor follow whatever is told to them.

Truly blind is one whose actions are blind—

The mind’s eye he lacks.

From mother’s and father’s blood are they born,

Yet flesh and flesh they abjure.

As at night come woman and man together,

Foul is their conduct.

Of flesh are we begotten, from flesh born;

Of flesh are we vessels.

Brahmin! ignorant of enlightenment and contemplation,

Thou art yet reputed to be wise.

Revered sir! the flesh that is brought from outside dost thou discard,

But those in thy home, of flesh made, thou thinkst good.

From flesh are all living

objects made.

In flesh is life lodged.

Those by the false preceptor instructed;

Consume what is forbidden and discard what is lawful to each;

Know, that of flesh are we begotten, from flesh born;

Of flesh are we vessels.

Brahmin! ignorant of enlightenment and contemplation,

Thou art reputed to be wise…..

Women and men, of flesh are born,

As also are kings and great

potentates.

Shouldst thou feel to hell are they wending their way,

Receive thou not their charity.

What absurdity that the donor to hell may go,

While the recipient to enter heaven is believed.

Brahmin! ignorant thyself, others thou dost instruct—

Strange that thou art declared wise!

Brahmin! thou knowest not where from is flesh born:

From water grows grain, sugarcane and cotton;

From water is the world

reckoned born.

Water claims to be pure, yet from water comes much that

arouses evil.

Saith Nanak after contemplation:

Shouldst thou discard all such delectable objects,

Mayst thou claim to have exercised true renunciation.

Could it be interpreted simply as an instruction to the Brahmins? After all Sikhism was a breakaway group. The Guru advises the Brahmin not to pretend to know everything regarding sin, heaven and hell and not to concentrate simply on one part of piety—which is becoming vegetarian. A human needs to renounce many other wickednesses as well and adopt a lifestyle of humility, remembrance of God and honesty.

I would never have interpreted this as an instruction to eat meat. But it has left the door open and the human is such that even if there is a tiny element of doubt, he will use it to the advantage of what he wants to do.

According to Dabistan-e-Mazahib (a contemporary Persian chronology of the Sikh Gurus), Guru Nanak did not eat meat, and Guru Arjan  thought that meat eating was not in accordance with Nanak’s wishes. But the Akal Takht (Central Body for Sikh Temporal Affairs) Hukamnama  issued by Akal Takht head priest Sadhu Singh Bhaura states that eating meat does not go against the code of conduct of the Sikhs—as long as it is not killed in the Muslim fashion.

Many major sects of Sikhism are vegetarian: Damdami Taksal, Akhand Kirtani Jatha,  Namdharis, Nirankaris, Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha and the 3HO.

The problem with most religions is that their followers keep what suits them and discard what they don’t want to do. For instance another principle is to eat from iron utensils only and cook in iron cauldrons while reciting Gurbani. Sand is to be used to clean these utensils. Is anyone doing this today?

If Gurbani is the only spiritual and moral guide for Sikhs in all their actions, then they should consider these orders from the Sri Guru Granth Sahib which give the Sikhs clear and concise direction on what a Sikh should not eat:

“Do not cause pain to any creature, Go back to your Home with honour.” (Sri Guru Granth Sahib, pg. 322)

They burn away the bonds of the world who eat a simple diet of grain and water.(SGGS pg. 467)

The world eats dead carcasses, living by neglect and greed. Like a goblin, or a beast, they kill and eat the forbidden carcasses of meat.(SGGS pg. 723)

You kill living beings, and call it a righteous action. Tell me, brother, what would you call an unrighteous action?(SGGS pg. 1103)

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