Many of our meat-eating brothers say that Sri Dasam Guru Ji slaughtered goats through Jhatka to teach the Sikhs how to strike down enemies and instill strength (Bir Ras) in them.

In response to this, we ask them that if Sri Dasmesh Ji intended to teach the Singhs how to strike down enemies in this manner, then he would have slaughtered goats in front of everyone, and the complete method of striking would have become clear to all. If Sri Dasmesh Ji’s purpose had truly been to instill courage (Bir Ras) in the Singhs by slaughtering goats, then they would have been openly slaughtered on the battlefield without hesitation. Slaughtering goats inside a tent, rather than in the open, is not an act of bravery but rather a sign of cowardice.

So, our meat-eating brothers’ act of slaughtering goats and other animals for the sake of eating meat is not an act of bravery, but rather complete butchery and cowardice. Neither does eating meat give rise to courage. Yes, however, the hearts of those who eat meat become as hard and corrupt as that of a butcher. The intellect of meat-eaters becomes dull and tainted. Their bodies become bulky and strong, but courage does not emerge from eating meat.

Many of our meat-eating brothers claim that the Sikh warrior tradition remains strong as long as Singhs consume meat, and that the armies of the Singhs are victorious on the battlefield because they become brave by eating meat.
The claim of such misguided brothers is entirely baseless. According to the assumptions of meat-eaters, Sikhs have been eating meat since the time of the First Guru. Why, then, was there no warrior tradition among the Singhs at that time? This proves that eating meat does not produce a warrior spirit; rather, the emergence of the warrior spirit is the result of nurturing a sense of righteousness (dharam) in the hearts of individuals.

It is only a sense of righteousness (dharam) that can turn a person into a warrior on the battlefield. Those who consume meat lose this righteous spirit within themselves. How can such people, who kill living beings for their own taste, become warriors on the battlefield? Those who engage in such slaughter can never develop a sense of compassion for life, nor can they cultivate the spirit of self-sacrifice for the well-being of others.

The willingness to sacrifice oneself for the benefit of others is called the spirit of righteousness (dharam). This is the only spirit required for a righteous battle (dharam yudh). This spirit itself is called Bir Ras. Without this Bir Ras, no one can become a true warrior in a righteous battle.

It was Sri Dasmesh Ji who elevated this Bir Ras to its fullest extent through the Amrit of the Khanda, instilling true bravery in the hearts of the Sikhs and transforming them into Singh Surbirs. The Khalsa, imbued with the spirit of Khalsa Dharma and the essence of altruistic Bir Ras, was thus adorned. It is solely the power of the Amrit of the Khanda that imbues the Singhs with a warrior spirit. This same power of the Khanda’s Amrit is what makes the Singhs truly courageous on the battlefield.

It is through the glory of this Amrit that the Singhs, under the leadership of Sri Dasmesh Ji’s banner of righteousness, uprooted the unjust and oppressive Turk rulers and dismantled the thrones of tyranny. The power of this Amrit is the reason why the Singhs achieve victory on every battlefield. If courage were truly measured by eating meat, then there would be no other community more meat-eating than the Muslims. However, such a community cannot stand against the Singhs on the battlefield.