How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?
Last Updated: 25.06.2025 03:35
ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
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.
All the men and women of the world are His living forms.
ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥
Sain (a barber)
ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥
There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.
———————————————————————————————————————
=======================================================
Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||
ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥
Do women like men who have slept with many women?
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.
———————————————————————————————————————
The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||
Says Kabeer, this is what I say:
But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.
As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,
Your Camper’s Water Tank Could Be Carrying Serious Diseases, Here’s How To Fix It - The Autopian
How can they kill the mother, whose milk they drink like that of a wet nurse?
These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,
Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.
ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
Wherever I go, I find water and stones.
Bitcoin Price, XRP Fall. The House Just Introduced a New Crypto Bill. - Barron's
ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥
Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.
================================================================
Starliner future plans still in limbo - SpaceNews
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.
Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?
I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;
What made you feel disgusted today?
Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥
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…
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92
Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
I went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.
There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,
ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥
यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।
Meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||
Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,
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.
Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥
I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||
Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.
Now here in this verse
then who is there to know what happens without?
ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥
That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||
ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥
Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.
— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥
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.
Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.
ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥
One day, a desire welled up in my mind.
Sikhism is a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!
I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.
NOW…
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥
He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.
I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥
ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ
The young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.
Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)
ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥
Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.
ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥
If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?
My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||
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.
I am like a fish out of water,
Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥
Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.
Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and
To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.
From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195
Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,
For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;
I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||
Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?
Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||
ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥
Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!
He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||
That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||
I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||
ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥
CONCLUSION:
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧
ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥
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.
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.
There the streams of light flow in all directions, few are the men who can cross to that shore!
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.
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.
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.
ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥
Let’s look at the most used verse by McSikhs to show that Sikhs are neither Hindus nor Muslims.
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
You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.
ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥
Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know
So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!
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
ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥
Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating against anyone by gender, class or caste and they included even people from humble origins like
Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir
Here ਨਿਰਗੁਣ is Nirgun and not just lord. This is just another example to show that Kabir himself continued in the NIRGUN BHAKTI path.
I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.
My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||
— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
———————————————————————————————————————
Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:
— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥
Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.
At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥
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.
With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||
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.
How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥
ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥
ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥
We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,
Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;
I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326
ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥
I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.
ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥
ਬ੍ਰਹਮ is Brahm i.e the Brahman of vedanta but it gets interpreted as an all-pervading lord god.
He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),
ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥
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!
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.
Kabir (a weaver)
Raamaanand Jee, First House: