How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?
Last Updated: 17.06.2025 00:04
One day, a desire welled up in my mind.
These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,
There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,
A father of 3 felt healthy. Then a routine screening found a rare, deadly illness. - CBS News
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥
Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,
With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥
That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||
Do narcissists love their children?
Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating against anyone by gender, class or caste and they included even people from humble origins like
If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
What one thing makes someone a very mature person?
He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||
ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?
How did Madri, mother of Nakula and Sahadeva die?
Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Kabir (a weaver)
The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||
What are the defining characteristics of woke liberals and conservatives in the United States?
You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥
NOW…
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My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||
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.
Raamaanand Jee, First House:
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.
I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!
Can a twin flame runner be happy in a karmic relationship?
ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥
Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.
Sain (a barber)
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.
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
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Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.
— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥
Why am I always so tired, no matter how much I sleep?
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.
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥
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.
All the men and women of the world are His living forms.
I went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.
Why do Democrats call any Republican "Magats", like they are subhuman?
ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥
—— indirects on kuorans, irl and idols
I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||
Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,
For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;
यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।
ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥
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.
ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;
ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,
I am like a fish out of water,
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.
ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥
He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),
How can they kill the mother, whose milk they drink like that of a wet nurse?
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥
To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.
How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||
Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?
ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥
My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||
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!
Says Kabeer, this is what I say:
Let’s look at the most used verse by McSikhs to show that Sikhs are neither Hindus nor Muslims.
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
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Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and
Meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||
Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||
ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥
then who is there to know what happens without?
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…
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.
Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:
Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.
But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.
We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,
ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥
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I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.
You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.
I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.
That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥
ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||
ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥
Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir
Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)
ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥
ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥
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.
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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.
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧
I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;
ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥
Now here in this verse
ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know
Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.
ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen
Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.
The young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326
ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥
ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥
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.
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
Wherever I go, I find water and stones.
Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥
ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥
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.
As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,
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Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92
I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||
— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
There the streams of light flow in all directions, few are the men who can cross to that shore!
ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥
ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥
There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.
Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||
ਬ੍ਰਹਮ is Brahm i.e the Brahman of vedanta but it gets interpreted as an all-pervading lord god.
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥
Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,
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.
I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.
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
Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.
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.
Here ਨਿਰਗੁਣ is Nirgun and not just lord. This is just another example to show that Kabir himself continued in the NIRGUN BHAKTI path.
He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.
Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)
Sikhism is a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!
Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.
ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥
I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.
At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||
Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥
ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥
From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195
I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||
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CONCLUSION:
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||