Some people who support eating meat often point to the Kurukshetra incident, claiming that during the solar eclipse fair, Guru Nanak Dev Ji had a deer cooked by a prince, and use this as a justification for meat consumption. However, this interpretation is a misunderstanding of the actual events and the true teachings of Guru Nanak Dev Ji.

The Kurukshetra sakhi, as recorded in the Janam Sakhis, describes that Raja Jagat Rai brought a hunted deer to the fair and offered it before Guru Nanak Dev Ji, asking for His grace. Guru Sahib instructed that the deer be placed in a cauldron and cooked, but the miracle that followed revealed the deeper lesson: when the pot was later opened, the meat had been transformed into kheer (sweet rice pudding), which Guru Sahib then distributed as prasad to the people. At no point did Guru Sahib eat the meat or give anyone permission to consume it.

The wondrous and playful ways of the Satguru, who performed acts filled with divine wonder, are known fully only to Guru Nanak Dev Ji Himself. However, to understand the deeper meaning of this episode, the inner testimony of the Bani that was uttered at that time is trustworthy. That Bani is recorded in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, and it is as follows:

ਸਲੋਕ ਮਃ ੧ ॥
ਪਹਿਲਾਂ ਮਾਸਹੁ ਨਿੰਮਿਆ ਮਾਸੈ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਵਾਸੁ ॥
ਜੀਉ ਪਾਇ ਮਾਸੁ ਮੁਹਿ ਮਿਲਿਆ ਹਡੁ ਚੰਮੁ ਤਨੁ ਮਾਸੁ ॥
ਮਾਸਹੁ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਕਢਿਆ ਮੰਮਾ ਮਾਸੁ ਗਿਰਾਸੁ ॥
ਮੁਹੁ ਮਾਸੈ ਕਾ ਜੀਭ ਮਾਸੈ ਕੀ ਮਾਸੈ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਸਾਸੁ ॥
ਵਡਾ ਹੋਆ ਵੀਆਹਿਆ ਘਰਿ ਲੈ ਆਇਆ ਮਾਸੁ ॥
ਮਾਸਹੁ ਹੀ ਮਾਸੁ ਊਪਜੈ ਮਾਸਹੁ ਸਭੋ ਸਾਕੁ ॥
ਸਤਿਗੁਰਿ ਮਿਲਿਐ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਬੁਝੀਐ ਤਾਂ ਕੋ ਆਵੈ ਰਾਸਿ ॥
ਆਪਿ ਛੁਟੇ ਨਹ ਛੂਟੀਐ ਨਾਨਕ ਬਚਨਿ ਬਿਣਾਸੁ ॥੧॥

ਮਃ ੧ ॥
ਮਾਸੁ ਮਾਸੁ ਕਰਿ ਮੂਰਖੁ ਝਗੜੇ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਧਿਆਨੁ ਨਹੀ ਜਾਣੈ ॥
ਕਉਣੁ ਮਾਸੁ ਕਉਣੁ ਸਾਗੁ ਕਹਾਵੈ ਕਿਸੁ ਮਹਿ ਪਾਪ ਸਮਾਣੇ ॥
ਗੈਂਡਾ ਮਾਰਿ ਹੋਮ ਜਗ ਕੀਏ ਦੇਵਤਿਆ ਕੀ ਬਾਣੇ ॥
ਮਾਸੁ ਛੋਡਿ ਬੈਸਿ ਨਕੁ ਪਕੜਹਿ ਰਾਤੀ ਮਾਣਸ ਖਾਣੇ ॥
ਫੜੁ ਕਰਿ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਨੋ ਦਿਖਲਾਵਹਿ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਧਿਆਨੁ ਨਹੀ ਸੂਝੈ ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਅੰਧੇ ਸਿਉ ਕਿਆ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਹੈ ਨ ਕਹਿਆ ਬੂਝੈ ॥
ਅੰਧਾ ਸੋਇ ਜਿ ਅੰਧੁ ਕਮਾਵੈ ਤਿਸੁ ਰਿਦੈ ਸਿ ਲੋਚਨ ਨਾਹੀ ॥
ਮਾਤ ਪਿਤਾ ਕੀ ਰਕਤੁ ਨਿਪੰਨੇ ਮਛੀ ਮਾਸੁ ਨ ਖਾਂਹੀ ॥
ਇਸਤ੍ਰੀ ਪੁਰਖੈ ਜਾਂ ਨਿਸਿ ਮੇਲਾ ਓਥੈ ਮੰਧੁ ਕਮਾਹੀ ॥
ਮਾਸਹੁ ਨਿੰਮੇ ਮਾਸਹੁ ਜੰਮੇ ਹਮ ਮਾਸੈ ਕੇ ਭਾਂਡੇ ॥
ਗਿਆਨੁ ਧਿਆਨੁ ਕਛੁ ਸੂਝੈ ਨਾਹੀ ਚਤੁਰੁ ਕਹਾਵੈ ਪਾਂਡੇ ॥
ਬਾਹਰ ਕਾ ਮਾਸੁ ਮੰਦਾ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਘਰ ਕਾ ਮਾਸੁ ਚੰਗੇਰਾ ॥
ਜੀਅ ਜੰਤ ਸਭਿ ਮਾਸਹੁ ਹੋਏ ਜੀਇ ਲਇਆ ਵਾਸੇਰਾ ॥
ਅਭਖੁ ਭਖਹਿ ਭਖੁ ਤਜਿ ਛੋਡਹਿ ਅੰਧੁ ਗੁਰੂ ਜਿਨ ਕੇਰਾ ॥
ਮਾਸਹੁ ਨਿੰਮੇ ਮਾਸਹੁ ਜੰਮੇ ਹਮ ਮਾਸੈ ਕੇ ਭਾਂਡੇ ॥
ਗਿਆਨੁ ਧਿਆਨੁ ਕਛੁ ਸੂਝੈ ਨਾਹੀ ਚਤੁਰੁ ਕਹਾਵੈ ਪਾਂਡੇ ॥
ਮਾਸੁ ਪੁਰਾਣੀ ਮਾਸੁ ਕਤੇਬੀਂ ਚਹੁ ਜੁਗਿ ਮਾਸੁ ਕਮਾਣਾ ॥
ਜਜਿ ਕਾਜਿ ਵੀਆਹਿ ਸੁਹਾਵੈ ਓਥੈ ਮਾਸੁ ਸਮਾਣਾ ॥
ਇਸਤ੍ਰੀ ਪੁਰਖ ਨਿਪਜਹਿ ਮਾਸਹੁ ਪਾਤਿਸਾਹ ਸੁਲਤਾਨਾਂ ॥
ਜੇ ਓਇ ਦਿਸਹਿ ਨਰਕਿ ਜਾਂਦੇ ਤਾਂ ਉਨੑ ਕਾ ਦਾਨੁ ਨ ਲੈਣਾ ॥
ਦੇਂਦਾ ਨਰਕਿ ਸੁਰਗਿ ਲੈਦੇ ਦੇਖਹੁ ਏਹੁ ਧਿਙਾਣਾ ॥
ਆਪਿ ਨ ਬੂਝੈ ਲੋਕ ਬੁਝਾਏ ਪਾਂਡੇ ਖਰਾ ਸਿਆਣਾ ॥
ਪਾਂਡੇ ਤੂ ਜਾਣੈ ਹੀ ਨਾਹੀ ਕਿਥਹੁ ਮਾਸੁ ਉਪੰਨਾ ॥
ਤੋਇਅਹੁ ਅੰਨੁ ਕਮਾਦੁ ਕਪਾਹਾਂ ਤੋਇਅਹੁ ਤ੍ਰਿਭਵਣੁ ਗੰਨਾ ॥
ਤੋਆ ਆਖੈ ਹਉ ਬਹੁ ਬਿਧਿ ਹਛਾ ਤੋਐ ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਿਕਾਰਾ ॥
ਏਤੇ ਰਸ ਛੋਡਿ ਹੋਵੈ ਸੰਨਿਆਸੀ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਕਹੈ ਵਿਚਾਰਾ ॥੨॥

By carefully reading and reflecting on the above saloks, it becomes clear that they do not, in any way, support the killing of living beings and eating meat.

The main points explained in the saloks can be summarized as follows:

1. Treating the mere name of meat as impure and reacting to it with disgust is meaningless. The human body itself is living flesh, and all parts of the body are made of flesh.

2. From the time the human body is formed in the mother’s womb until this body finally perishes, flesh is used in many forms to carry out both internal and external bodily functions. For example, the mother’s womb, where the being stays for nine months, the umbilical cord through which nourishment is received in the womb, the breasts for nursing the mother’s milk, the mouth, the tongue, and other organs. Later, when a person grows up, union happens with flesh, meaning a woman, and from this, flesh is produced again, meaning children.

   The type of meat mentioned above is, without doubt, meat. However, this kind of meat serves only as a means or instrument for sustaining life. It carries no association with oppression, violence, or sinful action.

   Note: Everyone knows that the mother’s womb, the umbilical cord, the breasts, the mouth, the tongue, the woman, and daughters and sons, all of which a person encounters throughout life at different times, are all forms of flesh. But does anyone eat this kind of meat?

   Therefore, the true intent of the salok is only to remove the mere aversion to the word meat from the minds of the Vaishnav Pandits (Vaishnav Pandits refer to Hindu priests who followed Vaishnav traditions). Along with this, it reveals the truth that freedom from meat cannot be achieved through one’s own clever efforts or methods.

   Through meeting the Satguru, by understanding Hukam (the Divine Order), the journey of life becomes successful, and one is freed from meat, meaning repeatedly taking on a body and remaining trapped in the cycle of ava-gavan (cycle of birth and death).

3. Arguing about meat without understanding true spiritual knowledge, meditation, and the deeper hidden truths is pure foolishness. Without the wisdom given by the Satguru, one cannot truly understand what is meat and what is vegetation, nor can one understand which of these, when consumed, makes a person a participant in sinful actions.

   Note: In their original nature, neither meat nor vegetables are condemnable. What is condemnable is the use of force, cruelty, and improper means to obtain meat or vegetables, and the greed and craving working behind such actions, which are the root cause of sin.

   Vegetables obtained through bribery and exploitation, even though they are considered pure food, are certainly objectionable and worthy of condemnation.

   ਹਕੁ ਪਰਾਇਆ ਨਾਨਕਾ ਉਸੁ ਸੂਅਰ ਉਸੁ ਗਾਇ ॥

   Guru Nanak Dev Ji had refused to accept the food of Malik Bhago, even though it was considered pure (saatvik) food, because it had been obtained by oppressing the poor and through exploitation.

   Through His miraculous and playful act, Guru Sahib demonstrated this by making the hidden blood in those items visible. To eat the meat of living beings, blood must first be spilled, and force and cruelty are used in the process. Such actions are considered sinful and are the root cause of sin.

   Gurbani states:
   ਅਸੰਖ ਗਲਵਢ ਹਤਿਆ ਕਮਾਹਿ ॥
   ਅਸੰਖ ਪਾਪੀ ਪਾਪੁ ਕਰਿ ਜਾਹਿ ॥੧੮॥

4. Simply not eating meat does not make a person pure or righteous.

   Note: A person becomes righteous only by living according to Dharam (dharam means righteous living in line with Gurmat, the path shown by the Guru), not by performing empty rituals or by giving up certain foods. The definition of Dharam is very vast and deep, but at its core, practising Dharam means believing in the existence of the Creator, Waheguru, and striving to merge with Him through Naam Simran.

   ਸਰਬ ਧਰਮ ਮਹਿ ਸ੍ਰੇਸਟ ਧਰਮੁ ॥
   ਹਰਿ ਕੋ ਨਾਮੁ ਜਪਿ ਨਿਰਮਲ ਕਰਮੁ ॥ (੨੬੬)

   Reciting the Naam is true righteous action, and this alone is pure action. Divine qualities such as truth, contentment, compassion, detachment, selflessness, and noble intention are essential human virtues. These qualities shine when joined with Naam, just as a wedding procession shines with the groom. In reality, these virtues naturally arise from Naam Simran itself. Without Naam Simran, these qualities lose their true value.

   Adopting one or more of these virtues is praiseworthy, but a person becomes truly righteous only when Naam Simran, the highest action, is present. Without Naam Simran, these qualities turn into mere display and pretence. Zeros gain value only when placed with a number, but without a number, zeros remain zeros.

   ਹਰਿ ਬਿਨੁ ਅਵਰ ਕ੍ਰਿਆ ਬਿਰਥੇ ॥
   ਜਪ ਤਪ ਸੰਜਮ ਕਰਮ ਕਮਾਣੇ ਇਹਿ ਓਰੈ ਮੂਸੇ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
   ਬਰਤ ਨੇਮ ਸੰਜਮ ਮਹਿ ਰਹਤਾ ਤਿਨ ਕਾ ਆਢੁ ਨ ਪਾਇਆ ॥
   ਆਗੈ ਚਲਣੁ ਅਉਰੁ ਹੈ ਭਾਈ ਊਂਹਾ ਕਾਮਿ ਨ ਆਇਆ ॥੧॥
   (Gauri Mala, Guru Arjan Dev Ji, Ang 216)

   The source of spiritual cleanliness is only Naam. A person who is without Naam remains impure, even while performing rituals. Therefore, if a body born from blood and semen claims purity or righteousness merely because it does not eat fish or meat, such a claim is false and hollow.

5. An interesting paradox. On one hand, they, the Vaishnav Brahmins, make a show of being strict vegetarians. On the other hand, they kill animals such as rhinoceroses and perform yajnas to please various gods, who are believed to be fond of flesh. They claim restraint from consuming animal flesh, yet in their actual conduct, they do not hesitate to devour human beings in another way. With all this, can their actions be called anything other than sheer fraud?
6. Women and men, kings and emperors, all are born from flesh and are themselves living flesh. If meat is an evil thing, then these bodies made of flesh would surely deserve hell. Then how can those begging priests, who survive on the donations given by such people, hope to attain heaven?
7. All substances arise from water, and in this way water is regarded as the original source of everything. Life exists within water, so water is worthy of praise, and all substances that arise from water are also worthy of praise. However, if instead of using these substances only as much as is necessary for living, they are consumed blindly under the influence of cravings, then rather than nourishing the body, they cause suffering and turn into sources of illness. Therefore, only one who remains detached from the cravings of tastes and relies on Naam can be considered an ideal human being.
   

So it is clear that this shabad removes the false notion held by the Vaishnav Pandits that even the mere mention of meat is wrong. It also exposes the internal contradictions between their beliefs and their actions.

Therefore, using this shabad as a reference to justify killing living beings and eating meat, as done by some meat-eating advocates, is completely inappropriate.

Related Article: Did Guru Nanak Dev Ji cook Meat at Kurukshetra?