How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?
Last Updated: 16.06.2025 01:27
He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),
ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥
ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥
What do men find attractive in an older woman?
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
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.
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For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;
ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
When a narcissist mad at their new supply, do they take it out on the old supply?
ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir
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.
ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥
ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥
What melts your heart every time without fail?
Here ਨਿਰਗੁਣ is Nirgun and not just lord. This is just another example to show that Kabir himself continued in the NIRGUN BHAKTI path.
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧
Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and
What species of fish are horse mackerels?
Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
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.
ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥
Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;
Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥
Why do men first look at a woman's chest instead of their face?
ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥
ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥
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.
You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
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Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||
Can a 40-year-old date a 20-year-old?
ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥
Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.
Let’s look at the most used verse by McSikhs to show that Sikhs are neither Hindus nor Muslims.
Why did Sumire's summoning Nue act strangely in response to Kawaki's karma?
Now here in this verse
Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating against anyone by gender, class or caste and they included even people from humble origins like
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||
ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥
Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know
I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||
— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?
Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.
Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
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I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.
ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥
Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,
ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||
Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
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.
ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥
ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥
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.
To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326
I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.
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.
There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.
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
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥
All the men and women of the world are His living forms.
NOW…
ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥
ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥
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…
I went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.
Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.
Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?
ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥
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.
You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.
That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||
Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?
He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.
ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥
One day, a desire welled up in my mind.
ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥
Raamaanand Jee, First House:
Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)
I am like a fish out of water,
Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.
ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥
I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||
That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||
My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||
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.
I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||
My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,
Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?
ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥
ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,
If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,
ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥
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.
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.
ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥
Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:
So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥
I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195
I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.
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Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.
The young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.
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;
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92
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
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!
There the streams of light flow in all directions, few are the men who can cross to that shore!
Says Kabeer, this is what I say:
Kabir (a weaver)
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.
Sain (a barber)
Wherever I go, I find water and stones.
— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||
यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।
ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥
How can they kill the mother, whose milk they drink like that of a wet nurse?
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥
ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥
We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,
Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.
As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,
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Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.
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.
But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.
ਬ੍ਰਹਮ is Brahm i.e the Brahman of vedanta but it gets interpreted as an all-pervading lord god.
Meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||
With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||
The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||
How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||
CONCLUSION:
Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,
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.
Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||
Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
Sikhism is a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!
ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥
He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||
then who is there to know what happens without?
ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥
Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.
— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥