The Saloks of 18th Pauri of Siri Asa kee Vaar deal with the subject of Sootak. Sootak according to the Hindu faith, is related to the Bhitt (pollution, jooth) that occurs for some weeks after childbirth. The woman in these days (up to Sava month i.e. 40 days or so) is not allowed in the kitchen or do other work in the house. Some scholars believe that this practice was started with good intentions of letting the women rest after childbirth but eventually it became a superstition. Whatever the case, Gurbani has rejected the Bhitt related to Sootak.
The Salok that SK jee has posted is the 3rd Salok of this Pauri, related to the practice of Sootak. Let's first do Vichaar on each of the 4 Pankitis of this Salok:
ਮ: ੧ ॥
ਸਭੋ ਸੂਤਕੁ ਭਰਮੁ ਹੈ ਦੂਜੈ ਲਗੈ ਜਾਇ ॥
ਜੰਮਣੁ ਮਰਣਾ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਹੈ ਭਾਣੈ ਆਵੈ ਜਾਇ ॥
ਖਾਣਾ ਪੀਣਾ ਪਵਿਤ੍ਰੁ ਹੈ ਦਿਤੋਨੁ ਰਿਜਕੁ ਸੰਬਾਹਿ ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਜਿਨ੍ਹ੍ਹੀ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਬੁਝਿਆ ਤਿਨ੍ਹ੍ਹਾ ਸੂਤਕੁ ਨਾਹਿ ॥੩॥Sootak is absolutely a superstition that befalls on such people who are engaged in the Other (doojai, i.e. Maya). Birth and death are Hukam (of Vaheguru) and as per His will, creatures come in the world and leave (after death). Eating and drinking (of Gurmukhs) is pure since they know that food is provided by Vaheguru. The ones who realize the truth through the Guru (Gurmukh here means through the Guru), Sootak does not befall on them.
In the first two Pankitis Guru Sahib talks about the ordinary world that is engaged in "Doojai" i.e. Maya but in the last Pankiti Guru Sahib makes it clear that food of Gurmukhs is pure and Sootak does not befall on them. This Shabad is understood better, by reading such Shabads as this one:
ਪਉੜੀ ॥
ਤਿਨ ਕਾ ਖਾਧਾ ਪੈਧਾ ਮਾਇਆ ਸਭੁ ਪਵਿਤੁ ਹੈ ਜੋ ਨਾਮਿ ਹਰਿ ਰਾਤੇ ॥
ਤਿਨ ਕੇ ਘਰ ਮੰਦਰ ਮਹਲ ਸਰਾਈ ਸਭਿ ਪਵਿਤੁ ਹਹਿ ਜਿਨੀ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਸੇਵਕ ਸਿਖ ਅਭਿਆਗਤ ਜਾਇ ਵਰਸਾਤੇ ॥
ਤਿਨ ਕੇ ਤੁਰੇ ਜੀਨ ਖੁਰਗੀਰ ਸਭਿ ਪਵਿਤੁ ਹਹਿ ਜਿਨੀ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਸਿਖ ਸਾਧ ਸੰਤ ਚੜਿ ਜਾਤੇ ॥
ਤਿਨ ਕੇ ਕਰਮ ਧਰਮ ਕਾਰਜ ਸਭਿ ਪਵਿਤੁ ਹਹਿ ਜੋ ਬੋਲਹਿ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮੁ ਹਰਿ ਸਾਤੇ ॥
ਜਿਨ ਕੈ ਪੋਤੈ ਪੁੰਨੁ ਹੈ ਸੇ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਸਿਖ ਗੁਰੂ ਪਹਿ ਜਾਤੇ ॥16॥The above Shabad implies that the food, house, vehicles, Karams etc. of Gurmukhs are pure. This Shabad also means that these items of non-devotees are not pure i.e. are not acceptable to Guru Sahib.
Some people, using this Shabad, try to argue that the third Pankiti of this Salok (the Sootak Salok) means that any kind of food is pure since it comes from Vaheguru. They try to oppose dietary Bibek by using this Pankiti. If they accept the meanings that all food is pure since it comes from Vaheguru, then they also have to accept that foods like meat, fish, eggs etc. are pure and are okay for a Gursikh to consume since all food comes from Vaheguru. Then what would prevent someone to say that tobacco too is good and so is liquor and other drug? The third Pankiti actually means that food of Gurmukhs is pure and Sootak does not befall on them.
Secondly, this Salok is related to Bhitt related to Sootak and does not reject other kinds of Jooths or food-pollutions e.g. food cooked by a non-devotee. Gurbani itself declares that food cooked by a non-devotee is like poison. So, this Pankiti cannot be used to reject the dietary Bibek Rehit of Khalsa.
Kulbir Singh
ਸਤਿਗੁਰਬਚਨਕਮਾਵਣੇਸਚਾਏਹੁਵੀਚਾਰੁ॥