Gurbani is very clear when it comes to the consumption of alcohol. It is never permissible under any conditions. In fact, Gurbani states that even if alcohol is prepared using holy water, it remains impure, and Gursikhs should not drink it.
เจธเฉเจฐเจธเจฐเฉ เจธเจฒเจฒ เจเฉเจฐเจฟเจค เจฌเจพเจฐเฉเจจเฉ เจฐเฉ เจธเฉฐเจค เจเจจ เจเจฐเจค เจจเจนเฉ เจชเจพเจจเฉฐ เฅฅ
Even if wine is made from the water of the Ganges, O Saints, do not drink it.ย
-Guru Granth Sahib: Ang 1293ย ย
Furthermore, Gurbani says:
เจธเฉเจเจฆ เจฒเฉเจญเจค เจเฉฐเจฆเฉเจฐเฉ เจฐเจธ เจชเฉเจฐเฉเจฐเจฟเจ เจฎเจฆ เจฐเจธ เจฒเฉเจค เจฌเจฟเจเจพเจฐเจฟเจ เจฐเฉ เฅฅ
Intoxicated by worldly pleasures of the flesh and sensual pleasure, he enjoys wine. Such a person is corrupt.
-Guru Granth Sahib: Ang 335
Clearly, Gurbani rejects the drinking of alcohol. In fact, the consumption of alcohol has always been considered a cardinal sin within Gurmat.
Again, Gurbani rejects the drinking of alcohol:
เจ
เฉฐเจฎเฉเจฐเจฟเจค เจเจพ เจตเจพเจชเจพเจฐเฉ เจนเฉเจตเฉ เจเจฟเจ เจฎเจฆเจฟ เจเฉเจเฉ เจญเจพเจ เจงเจฐเฉ เฅฅเฉจเฅฅ
One who is a trader of Amrit (meaning one who enjoys the pleasure of Amrit Naam), how can he/she then love the false wine of the world.ย
-Guru Granth Sahib: Ang 360
เจเจฌเฉเจฐ เจญเจพเจเจ เจฎเจพเจเฉเจฒเฉ เจธเฉเจฐเจพ เจชเจพเจจเจฟ เจเฉ เจเฉ เจชเฉเจฐเจพเจจเฉ เจเจพเจเจนเจฟ ||
เจคเฉเจฐเจฅ เจฌเจฐเจค เจจเฉเจฎ เจเฉเจ เจคเฉ เจธเจญเฉ เจฐเจธเจพเจคเจฒเจฟ เจเจพเจเจนเจฟ ||เฉจเฉฉเฉฉ||
O Kabeer! Those mortals who consume marijuana (drugs), fish (meat) and wine (liquor) โ no matter what pilgrimages, fasts and rituals they follow, they will all go to hell. ||233||
-Guru Granth Sahib: Ang 1377
เจฆเฉเจฐเจฎเจคเจฟ เจฎเจฆเฉ เจเฉ เจชเฉเจตเจคเฉ เจฌเจฟเจเจฒเฉ เจชเจคเจฟ เจเจฎเจฒเฉ ||
เจฐเจพเจฎ เจฐเจธเจพเจเจฃเจฟ เจเฉ เจฐเจคเฉ เจจเจพเจจเจ เจธเจ เจ
เจฎเจฒเฉ ||เฉช||เฉงเฉจ||เฉงเฉงเฉช||
The false-minded people who drink the alcohol are like the husbands of prostitutes (i.e. shameless and without self-dignity) and their thinking is stupid. O Nanak! But those who are imbued with the sublime essence of the Lord are intoxicated with the Truth.
-Guru Granth Sahib: Ang 399
เจชเจพเจจ เจธเฉเจชเจพเจฐเฉ เจเจพเจคเฉเจ เจฎเฉเจเจฟ เจฌเฉเฉเฉเจ เจฒเจพเจเจ เฅฅ
เจนเจฐเจฟ เจนเจฐเจฟ เจเจฆเฉ เจจ เจเฉเจคเจฟเจ เจเจฎเจฟ เจชเจเฉเจฟ เจเจฒเจพเจเจ เฅฅเฉงเฉฉเฅฅ
Those people who eat and chew “Paan” (nicotine betel nuts), and smoke tobacco (meaning that they those who in indulge in intoxicants),ย and, do not contemplate or do Simran of Vaheguru – (the cycle of) Death will seize them and take them away (to become entangled in the cycle of reincarnation).
-Guru Granth Sahib: Ang 726
Gurbani explains why the drinking of Alcohol is considered impure:
เจฎเจพเจฃเจธเฉ เจญเจฐเจฟเจ เจเจฃเจฟเจ เจฎเจพเจฃเจธเฉ เจญเจฐเจฟเจ เจเจ เฅฅ
One person brings a full bottle, and another fills his cup.
เจเจฟเจคเฉ เจชเฉเจคเฉ เจฎเจคเจฟ เจฆเฉเจฐเจฟ เจนเฉเจ เจฌเจฐเจฒเฉ เจชเจตเฉ เจตเจฟเจเจฟ เจเจ เฅฅ
Drinking the wine, his intelligence departs, and madness enters his mind;
เจเจชเจฃเจพ เจชเจฐเจพเจเจ เจจ เจชเจเจพเจฃเจ เจเจธเจฎเจนเฉ เจงเจเฉ เจเจพเจ เฅฅ
He cannot distinguish between his own and others, and he is struck down by his Lord and Master.
เจเจฟเจคเฉ เจชเฉเจคเฉ เจเจธเจฎเฉ เจตเจฟเจธเจฐเฉ เจฆเจฐเจเจน เจฎเจฟเจฒเฉ เจธเจเจพเจ เฅฅ
Drinking it, he forgets his Lord and Master, and he is punished in the Court of the Lord.
-Guru Granth Sahib: Ang 554
Gurbani says that by drinking alcohol, one loses their senses and becomes mad. In this madness, they cannot distinguish between their loved ones and enemies. Drinking alcohol causes one to forget Akaal Purakh, and thus, one is punished by Akaal Purakh for consuming it.
The consumption of alcohol has ruined millions of lives and families. Gurbani clearly advises Gursikhs not to drink it, as doing so results in punishment from Akaal Purakh.
Also, In the 52 Hukams of Guru Gobind Singh Ji, one of the key directives is to abstain from alcohol and to not provide it to others. This teaching emphasizes the importance of maintaining a pure mind and body to walk on the path of righteousness. Alcohol is considered a distraction that weakens one’s discipline, moral judgment, and spiritual focus.
Hukam 37: เจถเจฐเจพเจฌ เจจเจนเฉเจ เจชเฉเจฃเฉ-เจชเจฟเจเจเจฃเฉโ
Do not drink or provide alcoholic drinks.
เจ) เจธเจฟเฉฑเจ เจญเฉฐเจ, เจ
เจซเฉเจฎ, เจถเจฐเจพเจฌ, เจคเจฎเจพเจเฉ เจเจฟเจฆ เจจเจถเฉ เจจเจพ เจตเจฐเจคเฉเฅค เจ
เจฎเจฒ เจชเฉเจฐเจถเจพเจฆเฉ เจฆเจพ เจนเฉ เจฐเฉฑเจเฉเฅค
โ(j) A Sikh must not take hemp (cannabis), opium, liquor, tobacco, in short any intoxicant. His/her only routine intake should be food.โ
(SRM: Chapter X, Article XVI)ย
Guru Sahib strictly prohibited the use of intoxicants, including alcohol, due to their harmful effects on both the body and mind. Alcohol is known to be physically damaging and mentally disruptive.
In Sikhi, the human body is regarded as the Temple of God. Therefore, Sikhs are encouraged to treat their bodies with the same reverence as a Gurdwara. For instance, if a person consumes even a small amount of alcohol and attempts to enter Sri Harmandir Sahib, it is considered a grave disrespect to the sanctity of the holy site. Such an act would result in immediate intervention by the guards, who may take appropriate action to uphold the sanctity of the place.
This perspective emphasizes that if consuming alcohol before entering Harmandir Sahib is such a serious offense, how much greater is the wrongdoing of defiling the “Harmandir” of oneโs own body with the poison of alcohol?
The Gurbani explains:
เจนเจฐเจฟ เจฎเฉฐเจฆเจฐเฉ เจเจนเฉ เจธเจฐเฉเจฐเฉ เจนเฉ เจเจฟเจเจจเจฟ เจฐเจคเจจเจฟ เจชเจฐเจเจเฉ เจนเฉเจ เฅฅ
เจฎเจจเจฎเฉเจ เจฎเฉเจฒเฉ เจจ เจเจพเจฃเจจเฉ เจฎเจพเจฃเจธเจฟ เจนเจฐเจฟ เจฎเฉฐเจฆเจฐเฉ เจจ เจนเฉเจ เฅฅ2เฅฅ
This body is the Temple of the Lord, in which the jewel of spiritual wisdom is revealed. The self-willed manmukhs do not know anything at all; they do not believe that the Lordโs Temple is within. ||2||
-Guru Granth Sahib: Ang 1346
Bhai Daya Singh Ji, the first Gursikh to offer his head to Guru Gobind Singh Ji during Vaisakhi 1699, writes in his Rehatnama:
เจเฉเจ เจเฉเจฒเฉ เจฎเจฆ เจชเฉเจตเฉ เจธเฉ เจจเจฐเจ เจฎเฉเจ เจเจพเจตเฉ เฅฅ
Those who gamble or drink alcohol will go to hell.
Furthermore, in another Rehatnama by Bhai Desa Singh, he writes the following:
เจชเจฐเจจเจพเจฐเฉ เจเฉเจ เจ
เจธเจค เจเฉเจฐเฉ เจฎเจฆเจฐเจพ เจเจพเจจ เฅฅ
เจชเจพเจเจ เจเจเจฌ เจฏเฉ เจเจเจค เจฎเฉ เจคเจเฉ เจธเฉ เจธเจฟเฉฐเจ เจธเฉเจเจพเจจ เฅฅเฉชเฉชเฅฅ
Anotherโs wife, gambling, speaking lies, stealing and alcohol.
These are considered the five evils of the world, a Singh who stays away from this is considered wise.
เจฎเจฆเจฐเจพ เจฎเจพเจธ เจจ เจเจฌเจนเฉเฉฐ เจเจพเจฏเฉ เฅค (เฉงเฉฆเฉจ)
Never consume alcohol or meat.
(Rehatnama: Bhai Desa Singh Ji โ p. 134)
เจฐเจนเจฟเจคเจตเจพเจจ เจธเจฟเฉฐเจ เจนเฉ เจเฉเจ เฅค เจฒเฉเจญเจฟ เจเฉเจกเจฟ เจเจพเจจเจนเฉ เจจเจนเจฟ เจนเฉเจเจ เฅค
เจเฉเจฐเฉ เจเจพ เจฐเฉเจช เจธเจฌเจจ เจฎเฉเจ เจฆเฉเจเฉ เฅค เจฎเจฆเจฐเจพ เจฎเจพเจธ เจจ เจเจพเจ เจฌเจฟเจธเฉเจเฉ เฅคเฉงเฉฆเฉญเฅค
They are a โRehatvaanโย (disciplined) Singh, who gives up greed and knows no other. They see the form of the Guru in all, and never consume alcohol or meat.
(Rehatnama: Bhai Desa Singh Ji โ p. 134)
Guru Gobind Singh Ji in his Rehatnama addressed to Bhai Chaupa Singh banned the consumption of alcohol for any Sikh.
เจเฉเจฐเฉ เจเจพ เจธเจฟเฉฑเจ เจถเจฐเจพเจฌ เจเจฌเฉ เจจ เจชเฉเจตเฉ ||
A Sikh of the Guru is never drink alcohol.
(Rehitnama: Bhai Chaupa Singh)
Aside from these, there are countless Rehatnamas that prohibit the consumption of alcohol.
Some people say that whenever Gurbani talks about เจฎเจฆ (Nasha), it only means the Nasha of Maya (worldly attachments) and not physical intoxicants like drugs or alcohol. But this idea isnโt logically correct.
The Nasha of Maya refers to anything that clouds our judgment, pulls us away from spirituality, and disconnects us from the remembrance of God. Physical intoxicants do exactly that, they impair our ability to think clearly, make us lose self-control, and distance us from spiritual awareness. So, it makes sense to say that intoxicants are included in the Nasha of Maya.
If someone claims that Gurbani separates the two, saying the Nasha of Maya does not include physical intoxicants, they carry the responsibility to prove it. But they cannot do so because Gurbani does not make this distinction. This means their argument is flawed and creates an unnecessary divide. In truth, both types of Nasha, whether from Maya or physical intoxicants, are harmful and against the teachings of Gurbani.
Although it becomes quite clear when reading Gurbani that alcohol is prohibited, there are still those who believe alcohol is permissible within Gurmat.
They often use misunderstood lines or lines taken out of context from Dasam Granth or Sikh historical texts. One such line is from Charitropakhian, written by Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji:
เจฎเจนเจพ เจเจพเจฒ เจเฉ เจธเจฟเจเฉเจฏ เจเจฐเจฟ เจฎเจฆเจฐเจพ เจญเจพเจ เจชเจฟเจตเจพเจ เฅฅเฉงเฉจเฉซเฅฅ
He (the Brahmin) was made to drink alcohol and marijuana and thus was made a sikh of Maha Kaal.
This line appears in Charitar 266. One must read the entire Charitar before concluding that Guru Gobind Singh Ji is instructing his Sikhs to drink alcohol and cannabis.
Firstly, the process by which a person becomes a Sikh of Akaal Purakh Vaheguru is already well established in the Panth. One presents themselves in front of the Panj Pyare and receives Amrit. In the Charitar mentioned above, a princess makes a Brahmin a Sikh of Maha Kaal through the drinking of alcohol and cannabis. Any Sikh with common sense would already understand that this scenario does not depict a person becoming a Sikh of Guru Sahib, but rather something entirely different.
The line in question comes at the very end of the Charitar. Using it alone, out of context, to prove that alcohol use is permitted is a misguided endeavor. One must read the entire Charitar, or at least the few lines preceding this line, to fully understand the message of this Charitar.
In this Charitar, a princess debates a Brahmin priest. She informs him that worshipping stones will never get him anywhere and condemns him for being a beggar, going from king to king asking for money. They have a long debate in which the Brahmin becomes angered. When the Brahmin tells her that she has slandered him and his gods and threatens to inform her father, the king, who will punish her, the princess responds that she will tell her father the Brahmin tried to molest her and that he will be severely punished. The princess also pushes him into a river and tries to drown him. In the end, to avoid severe punishment, the Brahmin accepts that he is wrong, throws his stones into the river, and becomes a Sikh of Maha Kaal by drinking alcohol and cannabis.
Nowhere in this Charitar is it mentioned that by drinking alcohol and cannabis one becomes a Sikh of Guru Sahib. In fact, the entire debate takes place between two Hindus, discussing what they believe to be the correct way to worship their god. Yes, the princess does not believe in idol worship and holds other anti-Gurmat beliefs, but this does not make her a Sikh of Guru Sahib or Akaal Purakh. Throughout the Charitar, she refers to herself as a Sikh of Shiv Ji, who is also known as Maha Kaal.
Throughout Gurbani, Guru Sahib has used words with different meanings. When Guru Sahib says to worship Raam or Hari, He is not instructing Sikhs to worship Hindu gods; rather, these words are used to refer to Akaal Purakh. Similarly, the word Maha Kaal has several meanings, and one must use context to understand which meaning is being applied.
For example, in Sri Guru Granth Sahib, the word Maha Kaal is used with a negative connotation:
เจฐเจพเจฎ เจจเจพเจฎ เจธเจฟเจฎเจฐเจฟ เจคเฉ เจเฉเจตเจนเจฟ เจซเจฟเจฐเจฟ เจจ เจเจพเจ เจฎเจนเจพ เจเจพเจฒเฉ เฅฅเฉงเฅฅ เจฐเจนเจพเจ เฅฅ
Remembering Raam Naam (Akaal Purakhโs Naam) you will live, and you will not be consumed by Maha Kaal (the Great Death).
-Guru Granth Sahib: Ang 885
It is important to note that Guru Sahib has used the word Maha Kaal to refer to death.
In other places, Maha Kaal is used to refer to Akaal Purakh.
For example:
เจฎเฉ เจจ เจเจจเฉเจธเจนเจฟ เจชเฉเจฐเจฟเจฅเจฎ เจฎเจจเจพเจเจ เฅฅ เจเจฟเจธเจจ เจฌเจฟเจธเจจ เจเจฌเจนเฉเฉฐ เจจเจน เจงเจฟเจเจเจ เฅฅ
เจเจพเจจ เจธเฉเจจเฉ เจชเจนเจฟเจเจพเจจ เจจ เจคเจฟเจจ เจธเฉ เฅฅ เจฒเจฟเจต เจฒเจพเจเฉ เจฎเฉเจฐเฉ เจชเจ เจเจจ เจธเฉ เฅฅเฉชเฉฉเฉชเฅฅ
เจฎเจนเจพเจเจพเจฒ เจฐเจเจตเจพเจฐ เจนเจฎเจพเจฐเฉ เฅฅ เจฎเจนเจพ เจฒเฉเจน เจฎเฉ เจเจฟเฉฐเจเจฐ เจฅเจพเจฐเฉ เฅฅ
I do not worship Ganesh, nor do I pray to Krishan or Vishnu.
I have heard of them, but I do not recognize them. Instead I focus only on you.
Maha Kaal is my protector. Sarbloh (Great Metal, Maha Loh), I am your slave.
Guru Gobind Singh Ji is very clearly calling Maha Kaal, Akaal Purakh here. He first rejects the Hindu gods Ganesh, Krishna, and Vishnu, and then refers to Maha Kaal and Maha Loh (both in reference to Akaal Purakh) as his protectors.
However, the line where the Brahmin becomes a Sikh of Maha Kaal by drinking alcohol and cannabis does not refer to a person becoming a Sikh of Guru Sahib or Akaal Purakh. Rather, it refers to Maha Kaal, a Hindu god.
Some people try to justify using intoxicants by quoting historical texts like Panth Prakash, Suraj Prakash Granth, etc but these writings are not the core of Sikh teachings. Sikhi is based on Gurbani, which teaches us to live a truthful, pure, and righteous life. Using historical texts to defend harmful practices, like alcohol consumption, goes against the principles of Gurmat.
Panth Prakash and similar texts are not the primary sources of Sikhi, and some of their content does not align with Gurbani. Therefore, we must examine historical texts in the light of Gurmat to make the correct judgment. It is foolish to blindly accept everything written in historical texts without considering whether it aligns with Gurmat. Writers may have biases and can make mistakes. Only Gurbani is completely true and without imperfections.
When reading anything, one must always use context to ensure the correct and true meaning is understood. Taking lines out of context to support certain beliefs is not accurate.
There is a line in Kavi Santokh Singhโs Gurpartap Suraj Granth where Guru Gobind Singh Ji asks for two bottles of alcohol to be brought to him. This line appears in the 12th chapter of the 5th Rut (season) of the Granth:
เจฆเจตเฉ เจฌเฉเจคเจฒ เจชเฉเจฐเจญเฉ เจคเจฌเจฟ เจฎเฉฐเจเจตเจพเจ
Then Guru Gobind Singh Ji asked for two bottles (of alcohol) to be brought to him.
Reading this one line out of context, one might believe that Guru Sahib is asking for two bottles of alcohol to be brought to him, and many people use this line to argue that the consumption of alcohol is permitted in Gurmat. However, once again, one must read the entire story to understand the context of this line.
In this story, a person named Har Gopaal, whose father is a Sikh, comes to Guru Gobind Singh Ji to give him 500 rupees at the behest of his father. He sees that Guru Sahib is feeding his hawk animal meat. Seeing this, he wonders to himself, “What kind of Guru is this? Why has my father adopted him as his Guru?” He begins to think that Guru Sahib is not worthy of being a Guru due to his own aversion to meat. Although Guru Sahib was not eating the meat himself, he was feeding his bird meat that he had hunted. This person cannot sleep at night, horrified by the thought of a Guru handling meat or feeding it to his hawk. He believes that Guru Gobind Singh Ji has no compassion. He starts to think that he needs to adopt a “proper” Guru, one who avoids meat and performs all the rituals of Hinduism. That whole night, he cannot sleep because of these thoughts. It is ridiculous to let such a small thing (a hawk eating meat) trouble you to the point where you cannot sleep all night. It is because of the extremity of this belief that Guru Sahib teaches him a lesson.
Gurbani says:
เจเฉเจ เจเจพ เจเจนเจพเจฐเฉ เจเฉเจ
เจเจพเจฃเจพ เจเจนเฉ เจเจฐเฉเจ เฅฅ
Animals eat other animals; this is what the Lord has given them as food.
-Guru Granth Sahib: Ang 955
In the morning, Har Gopaal went before Guru Sahib and sat in Sangat. It is here that the line about alcohol appears. To test him and teach him a lesson, Guru Sahib asks his Sikhs to bring two bottles of alcohol. Bhai Vir Singh, in his footnotes, writes that the Sikhs did not bring actual alcohol. Giani Harbhajan Singh Udhike, a student of Jatha Bhindra, in his katha of this story, says that Guru Sahib asked his Sikhs to bring water mixed with red food coloring to give the appearance of alcohol. This was again to test Har Gopaal. Guru Sahib, in a way, was playing a prank on him. Guru Sahib has done similar things in the past, and so too have Bhagats like Bhagat Kabir Ji. To rid Har Gopaal of his ego and false beliefs, Guru Sahib begins to test him by asking for alcohol. A long conversation follows, and at the end, Guru Sahib tells him, “You are not a Sikh of mine, you are a Sikh of Vishnu, because of the false rituals you believe in.”
This entire story is an elaborate lesson designed to rid Har Gopaal of his false sense of righteousness. Nowhere in the story does Guru Sahib drink the alcohol or instruct his Sikhs to do so. Throughout Gurbani and Sikh history, Guru Sahib has used examples and metaphors to teach us valuable lessons. One cannot become obsessed with the tools Guru Sahib uses to teach, but must focus on the moral of the story.
In Asa di Vaar, Guru Sahib says:
เจฎเจคเฉ เจญเจฟเจเฉ เจตเฉ เจฎเจคเฉ เจญเจฟเจเฉ เฅฅ เจเจนเฉ เจ
เฉฐเจจเฉ เจ
เจธเจพเจกเจพ เจซเจฟเจเฉ เฅฅ
เจคเจจเจฟ เจซเจฟเจเฉ เจซเฉเฉ เจเจฐเฉเจจเจฟ เฅฅ เจฎเจจเจฟ เจเฉเจ เฉ เจเฉเจฒเฉ เจญเจฐเฉเจจเจฟ เฅฅ
They cry out, โDo not touch our food, or it will be polluted!โ
But with their polluted bodies, they commit evil deeds. With filthy minds, they try to cleanse their mouths.
-Guru Granth Sahib: Ang 472
Guru Sahib is not saying that keeping cleanliness and suchamta is wrong. However, Guru Sahib is calling out the hypocrisy of the Brahmins, who refuse to let anyone make or touch their food, yet are themselves impure due to the evil deeds they commit.
Furthermore, Guru Sahib speaks about meat:
เจฎเจพเจธเฉ เจเฉเจกเจฟ เจฌเฉเจธเจฟ เจจเจเฉ เจชเจเฉเจนเจฟ เจฐเจพเจคเฉ เจฎเจพเจฃเจธ เจเจพเจฃเฉ เฅฅ
Those that renounce meat and hold their noses in the presence of meat, at night in secrecy eat men ( meaning commit deplorable actions).
-Guru Granth Sahib: Ang 1289
In this Shabad, Guru Sahib is not saying that eating meat is acceptable. He is calling out the hypocrisy of certain people who make it their entire religion not to eat meat, yet still commit evil deeds. Just as wearing only a Bana while committing evil actions is wrong, and one would rightly be criticized for wearing a Bana, it does not mean that wearing a Bana itself is wrong.
Guru Sahib has used metaphors and symbolism to teach us valuable lessons. One cannot take these lessons literally. Just as Guru Sahib taught Baba Banda Singh Bahadur a lesson by pretending to cook meat in his Dera, so too does Guru Sahib teach a lesson to Har Gopaal in this Sakhi.
Kavi Santokh Singh actually prohibits the consumption of alcohol in the same Granth:
เจคเจจเจ เจคเจฎเจพเจเฉ เจธเฉเจตเฉเจ เจฆเฉเจต เจชเจฟเฉฑเจคเฉเจฐ เจคเจเจฟ เจเจพเจ เฅฅ เจชเจพเจจเฉ เจคเจพเจ เจเฉ เจนเจพเจฅ เจเจพ เจฎเจฆเจฐเจพ เจธเจฎ เจ
เจ เจฆเจพเจ เฅฅ 22เฅฅ
เจฎเจฆเจฐเจพ เจฆเจนเจฟเจคเจพ เจธเจชเจคเจฟ เจเฉเจฒ เจญเฉฐเจเฉ เจฆเจนเฉ เจคเจจ เจเจ เฅฅ เจธเจผเจค เจเฉเจฒ เจฆเจนเจฟเจคเจพ เจเจเจค เจเฉเจ เจจเจฟเฉฐเจฆเจพ เจฆเจนเฉ เจ
เจจเฉเจ เฅฅ 23เฅฅ
โThose that consume even a minuscule amount of tobacco are disowned in the afterlife by their ancestors and drinking water from such a person is similar to drinking alcohol. By drinking alcohol seven generations are exterminated and by consuming Bhang/marijuana the body is destroyed. The person who consumes tobacco exterminates one hundred generations and many generations go to hell because of gossiping.โ
Therefore, it is clear that Kavi Santokh Singh himself did not condone the drinking of alcohol. While other historical sources may mention Sikhs or Guru Sahib drinking alcohol or using other intoxicants, as mentioned earlier, no texts are perfect. The authors of these texts are not infallible and can make mistakes. Many authors, in an attempt to cover up their own weaknesses, have written falsehoods. One must always use the litmus test of Gurbani when reading and studying historical sources. Only Gurbani is perfect.
To conclude, Gurbani very clearly prohibits the consumption of alcohol. Over and over, Gurbani rejects the consumption of alcohol. Sikh historical sources also prohibit alcohol. One must always make Gurbani the basis of Gurmat; all other sources of Sikh history and philosophy can be erroneous.
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