How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?
Last Updated: 22.06.2025 04:17
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥
Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!
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.
ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥
From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195
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ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧
ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥
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All the men and women of the world are His living forms.
But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.
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.
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How can they kill the mother, whose milk they drink like that of a wet nurse?
Wherever I go, I find water and stones.
ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
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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
Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.
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.
Is it because Trump is impulsive that he is never on time?
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326
Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||
How does it feel to be in a marriage without any love?
I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||
ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:
These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,
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.
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.
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ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥
ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥
Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.
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ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
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.
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
Sain (a barber)
Sikhism is a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
———————————————————————————————————————
There the streams of light flow in all directions, few are the men who can cross to that shore!
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ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥
For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,
ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥
With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||
ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥
ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥
Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and
ਬ੍ਰਹਮ is Brahm i.e the Brahman of vedanta but it gets interpreted as an all-pervading lord god.
then who is there to know what happens without?
That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥
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.
Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,
ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
Now here in this verse
Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;
I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||
ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥
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!
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To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||
He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),
Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.
ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥
ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥
There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,
Kabir (a weaver)
Let’s look at the most used verse by McSikhs to show that Sikhs are neither Hindus nor Muslims.
Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?
Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir
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.
Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?
Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||
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.
ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥
I went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.
ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥
Here ਨਿਰਗੁਣ is Nirgun and not just lord. This is just another example to show that Kabir himself continued in the NIRGUN BHAKTI path.
ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥
I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.
So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!
यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
CONCLUSION:
ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥
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.
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.
You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||
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.
He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.
ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥
ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥
=======================================================
I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.
Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.
ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||
I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;
Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,
Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.
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Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||
Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating against anyone by gender, class or caste and they included even people from humble origins like
I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||
ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥
ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.
ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥
Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,
NOW…
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.
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.
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
ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥
I am like a fish out of water,
My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||
Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.
— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen
Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.
ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥
He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||
Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.
— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
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.
ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥
Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know
Raamaanand Jee, First House:
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ
Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
Says Kabeer, this is what I say:
ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥
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…
One day, a desire welled up in my mind.
You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.
Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)
Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,
— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.
I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||
The young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.
———————————————————————————————————————
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92
That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||
As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,
Meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||
My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||
Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?
If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,