Authenticity of Kartarpuri Bir - Global Sikh Studies

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might play a creative part in the political world, destroying
the established order and reconstructing society according
to the Word of God.” 43 was first initiated by Guru Nanak in
the history of the world. In the West it appeared in the 16th
century with the rise of Calvinism and later Puritanism that
brought about the English Revolution.
13. Use of force sanctioned
Another logical corollary of the fundamental of love and
participation in all walks of life. including the socio-political
field, is a clear rejection of the doctrine of Ahimsa by Guru
Nanak. The Vaisnavas, the Naths and Bhagat Kabir are all
strongly pro-Ahimsic. Bhagat Kabir says that the goat eats grass
and is skinned. what will happen to those who eat its meat. 44
Meat eating and use of force are barred in all Indian systems
that recommend Ahimsa. But it was again Guru Nanak who
emphatically discarded Ahimsa, thereby sanctioning the use
of force in aid of righteous causes. In fact, the Gurus consider
meat eating purely as a dietary matter irrelevent to spiritual
growth. Only that food is to be avoided as disturbs the mental
and bodily balance. He says, “Men discriminate not and quarrel
over meat eating, they do not know what is flesh and what is
non-flesh, or in what lies sin and what is not sin.” 45 In a whole
hymn he exposes the cant of non-meat-eating and the allied
doctrine of Ahimsa. Evidently, a religious system that accepts
socio- political responsibility must spurn the doctrine of
Ahimsa, otherwise it cannot rectify or resist any wrong or
injustice. In Babar Vani Guru Nanak deplores the brutality of
the invaders and the un-preparedness of the local rulers. He
even goes to the extent of complaining to God, as the guardian
of man, in allowing the weak to be oppressed by the strong. In
doing so, he was not just blowing hot, nor was he suggesting
anyone to perform a miracle. He was infact clearly laying one
of the basic principles of his religion whereunder he not only
sanctioned the use of force for righteous