How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?
Last Updated: 19.06.2025 16:08
Meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥
Kabir (a weaver)
The divergence of Kabir’s views from Vedanta is seen in the fact that he fully opposed religious symbolism of ALL KINDS and not just IDOLS.
My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||
How do you write lyrics for a song that resonates with listeners?
The Sant Sampraday of Sikh panth integrates the warrior spirit of the Nihangs and Khalsa, the service of Seva panth and the renunciation of Udasi/Nirmala saints.
Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.
Here ਨਿਰਗੁਣ is Nirgun and not just lord. This is just another example to show that Kabir himself continued in the NIRGUN BHAKTI path.
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I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||
Here ਰਾਮੈ is Rama and not just lord. Kabir died chanting the name of Rama DESPITE him not finding any result of penances done in holy cities in his previous birth. Another example to show how much Kabir valued personal devotion to Rama in his own NIRGUN style.
I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||
Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥
Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know
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One day, a desire welled up in my mind.
Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,
ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥
Why do people see porn pics when they can watch porn videos instead?
Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.
ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥
ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥
I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.
Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating against anyone by gender, class or caste and they included even people from humble origins like
ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥
In my experience, British people are fat, ugly and arrogant. Why is it and can it be changed?
then who is there to know what happens without?
ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),
ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;
Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.
Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.
Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥
Which is the correct Tamil New Year, Thai-1 or Chithirai-1?
— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.
How often do prisoners try to escape from jail/prison, and how many of them succeed?
ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥
He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||
Ramanandacharya was a 14th-century Hindu Vaishnava devotional poet saint who amalgamated Advaita with Vaishnava Bhakti. He was the pioneer in validating NIRGUN and SAGUN Bhakti as parallel paths.
Have you ever gone to a porn theater with your wife?
These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,
That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||
ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥
Bhakti movement began in South (Tamil Nadu to be precise) and slowly spread to Northern parts of India. This movement was extremely popular because of its simple fundamentals which could be understood by even commonfolk. Vaishnavism, Shaivism etc… were already connecting with commonfolk from a long time and this Bhakti movement reinforced it by making the devotee feel a personal connection with the deity.
From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195
Sain (a barber)
From where did the word Maya come? Isn’t it a typical Vedantic concept discussed profoundly in Advaita? It definitely isn’t a concept pioneered by Kabir or even his teacher Ramanandacharya! It is ultimately from Sanatana Dharma!
Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?
ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
Sikhism is a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!
ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥
Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,
Says Kabeer, this is what I say:
The young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.
The views of Kabir are very much in parallel to the Advaita philosophy and it is obvious that as the disciple of Ramanandacharya he will carry forward with his chosen NIRGUN BHAKTI.
ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥
ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92
Raamaanand Jee, First House:
I am like a fish out of water,
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Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,
Ramanandacharya’s teachings were centered on pure and personal connection with the God Rama and didn’t believe in any kind of formal ritualism. He used the common vernacular language instead of Sanskrit so that everyone could understand.
Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?
I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,
So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!
Now here in this verse
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ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥
Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.
There the streams of light flow in all directions, few are the men who can cross to that shore!
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧
ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥
ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥
For him Dharma was beyond everything physical including the desire for heaven because was fully into the NIRGUN . The last verse shows that according to him the company of the enlightened Sadhus is heaven which is again a typical teaching of Sanatana Dharma.
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||
ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥
With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||
ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥
As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,
For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;
ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥
Guru Nanak (right) and Bhai Mardana (foreground) with Bhagat Kabir (left). This painting is found in the B-40 Janamsakhi, written and painted in 1733. The painting was made by Alam Chand Raj
At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||
ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:
Wherever I go, I find water and stones.
Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?
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Let’s look at the most used verse by McSikhs to show that Sikhs are neither Hindus nor Muslims.
The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||
But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.
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Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.
Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.
Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and
Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)
ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥
CONCLUSION:
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।
Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||
ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥
He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.
How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||
— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen
We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,
NOW…
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥
There is a reason why I mention ROOTED and thus NOT implying that it belongs to one of the numerous sects in Sanatana Dharma like Shaivism, Vaishnavism, Shaktism, Smartism etc…
There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,
I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.
ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥
ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥
We can see that great saints like Kabir and Ravidas etc… descended from the Ramananda sampradaya which is still the largest ascetic order in India.
ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
I went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.
I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||
ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥
ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥
ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥
To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.
All the men and women of the world are His living forms.
Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ
Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.
I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||
Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
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If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?
There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥
For a superficial McSikh who is interested only in separation and not enlightenment the views of Kabir can be easily shown as a denouncement of Hindu practices.
ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥
Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥
That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||
ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
How can they kill the mother, whose milk they drink like that of a wet nurse?
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326
We can understand that Kabir despite being in favor of formless worship was very much embedded in the Dharmik fold but always preached in the spirit of the transcendental nature of Brahman to the point that HE LOST THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN HINDU AND MUSLIM.
The influence of Kabir is significant on Sikhism. The following Bani from Ang 1136 is attributed to GURU ARJAN DEV but if you observe at the end you can see that he was talking in the spirit of Sant Kabir.
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!
I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;
I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.
ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥
Actually, this part of the Ang 326 is widely used by McSikhs to show that Sikhism considers Hindu pilgrimages as useless and thus drives home the point again that the “religion” has got NOTHING to do with Hinduism.
As mentioned above Guru Arjan Dev was talking from the perspective Sant Kabir whose views we have discussed much earlier here. We know that Sant Kabir continuing in the Ramanandi Sampradaya went further away from the mainstream ritualistic Hinduism and was journeying more towards a SEAMLESS Dharma.
I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
ਬ੍ਰਹਮ is Brahm i.e the Brahman of vedanta but it gets interpreted as an all-pervading lord god.
Sikhism is fundamentally rooted in BHAKTI tradition and thus ultimately in Sanatana Dharma. There is no doubt about it despite what modern McSikh acrobatics try to claim otherwise