Bhaang Machuli Sura Paan: Difference between revisions

This is Shalok of Bhagat Kabir, present at page 1377 of Adi Gur Granth Sahib

Literal Translation

Fareedkoti Teeka

ਸ੍ਰੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਕਹਿਤੇ ਹੈਂ ਮਛੀ ਆਦਿਕੋਂ ਕਾ ਜੋ (ਭਾਂਗ) ਮਾਸ ਔਰ (ਸੁਰਾ) ਮਦਰਾ ਭਾਵ ਸ਼ਰਾਬ ਹੈ ਇਨ ਵਸਤੂ ਕੋ ਜੋ ਜੋ ਪੁਰਸ਼ ਖਾਤੇ (ਪਾਨਿ) ਪੀਤੇ ਹੈਂ॥ ਜੀਆਂ ਘਾਇ ਨ ਖਾਈਐ ਭੰਗਾਂ ਭਾਈ ਗੁਰਦਾਸ ਜੀ ਮਾਸ ਕਾ ਨਾਮ ਂਭੰਗਾਂ ਕਹਿਤੇ ਹੈਂ॥ ਯਦਪਿ ਤੀਰਥ ਬਰਤ ਨੇਮਾਦੀ ਸੁਭ ਕਰਮ ਭੀ ਤਿਨੋਂ ਕੇ ਕੀਏ ਹੂਏ ਹੋਵੈਂ ਤੌ ਭੀ ਉਹ (ਸਭੈ ਰਸਾਤਲ) ਨਰਕ ਕੋ ਹੀ ਜਾਤੇ ਹੈਂ ਭਾਵ ਊਚ ਗਤੀ ਜੋ ਮੋਖ ਪਦ ਹੈ ਤਿਸ ਕੋ ਪ੍ਰਾਪਤਿ ਨਹੀਂ ਹੋਤੇ ਹੈਂ ਔ ਚਉਰਾਸੀ ਮੈਂ ਹੀ ਭਰਮਤੇ ਰਹਿਤੇ ਹੈਂ॥੨੩੩॥ ❀ਅਪਨਾ ਸੰਕਲਪ ਦੇਖਾਵਤੇ ਹੈਂ॥

Professor Sahib Singh

ਹੇ ਕਬੀਰ! ਜੇ ਲੋਕ 'ਭਗਤਨ ਸੇਤੀ ਗੋਸਟੇ' ਕਰ ਕੇ ਤੀਰਥ-ਜਾਤ੍ਰਾ ਵਰਤ-ਨੇਮ ਆਦਿਕ ਭੀ ਕਰਦੇ ਹਨ ਤੇ ਉਹ ਸ਼ਰਾਬੀ ਲੋਕ ਭੰਗ ਮੱਛੀ ਭੀ ਖਾਂਦੇ ਹਨ (ਭਾਵ, ਸਤਸੰਗ ਵਿਚ ਭੀ ਜਾਂਦੇ ਹਨ ਤੇ ਸ਼ਰਾਬ-ਕਬਾਬ ਭੀ ਖਾਂਦੇ ਪੀਂਦੇ ਹਨ, ਵਿਕਾਰ ਭੀ ਕਰਦੇ ਹਨ) ਉਹਨਾਂ ਦੇ ਉਹ ਤੀਰਥ ਵਰਤ ਆਦਿਕ ਵਾਲੇ ਸਾਰੇ ਕਰਮ ਬਿਲਕੁਲ ਵਿਅਰਥ ਜਾਂਦੇ ਹਨ ॥੨੩੩॥

Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

Kabeer, those mortals who consume marijuana, fish and wine -no matter what pilgrimages, fasts and rituals they follow, they will all go to hell. ||233||

Bhai Mohinder Singh

Kabir, whosoever of the mortals partake of meat, fish and wine. Whatever pilgrimages, fasting and daily rites they may perform, they all go to hell.

Interpretations

• Bhang is a drug and refer to all drug category which should not be taken by a Sikh including heroin; cocaine, etc

• Fish is a organism belong to animal kingdom and refer to all animals are banned from the menu of a Sikh diet and assumed not to be consumed.

• Wine is an alcoholic drink and so all intoxicating liquor are not allowed to be taken by a Sikh.

• Teerath belong to pilgrimages which includes all places where Gurus and Bhagats went, like Amritsar, Hemkunt etc.

• Barat means fasts which sikhs keep like Karva Chauth or Fasts in name of Guru Nanak, Puranmashi etc.

• Nem means daily routine like Sikhs do Rehraas in evening and Nitnem in Morning, paath of Sukhmani sahib on Thrusdays etc.

• Praani refers to body containing Soul. Here it refers to Human Soul.

• Rasataal refers to Hell.

1. It is clear that the literal translation of "maachlee" is not flesh, but "fish" and this is how it appears in most English translations but one needs to consider the deeper meaning of the lines.
2. It is plain to all that in this Shabad, the Kabir Sahib tells the faithful that it is wrong to consume bhang (marijuana), fish and wine. One needs to understand why Maharaj has mentioned just these three specific items. Now logic dictates that other items in these food groups need also to be considered and these would also be forbidden for the Sikh. So, if the meaning of this Shabad is a taken in a broader more deeper sense, one can argue that the items belonging to these "food groups" should also not be consumed – therefore as:

It would be narrow minded to just focus on these three basic items - marijuana, fish and wine. What the Guru is saying applies to all the items in these food groups. If one just accepts this Shabad with a narrow and literal view-point then it would be fine for Sikhs to take Heroin; Cannabis, Cocaine, Ecstasy, Amphetamines, L.S.D., Benzodiazepines, etc. But all Sikhs accept that they are forbidden from taking any type of such drug.

The same argument applies for wine and is accepted by most Sikhs. If we stick to the narrow view, then one would say that apart from wine, a Sikh is allowed to take all other alcoholic beverages like whisky, brandy, beers, lager, gin, etc. But this is not true and it is widely agreed that Sikhs are forbidden from taking any alcoholic drink.

The same logic applies to fish. This is item of food belongs to the animal kingdom and we accept it as such so if need to view this item in a wider sense and so it is acceptable to replace the word "maachlee" with flesh, the word "bhang" with drugs and the word "wine" with alcoholic drink.