How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?
Last Updated: 27.06.2025 01:18
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||
He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.
For the first time, an external factor turns a male mammal into a female - EL PAÍS English
Here ਨਿਰਗੁਣ is Nirgun and not just lord. This is just another example to show that Kabir himself continued in the NIRGUN BHAKTI path.
ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥
Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.
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But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ
Sain (a barber)
That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||
We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥
I just cannot wake up early, even if I sleep on time. What should I do?
ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥
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
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥
If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?
I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;
Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.
How old is planet Earth? Is it 4.5 billion years old or 6,000 years old?
I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.
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 is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.
Tom Hanks finally breaks his silence on daughter’s bombshell memoir: ‘Not surprised’ - New York Post
ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥
The young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.
यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।
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Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
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
Do you think cheating is that bad?
There the streams of light flow in all directions, few are the men who can cross to that shore!
Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?
To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.
Can you tell me something about yourself?
With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||
Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,
ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥
Risk Of Dengue Fever Is Just Another Reason Cruises Suck - Jalopnik
ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥
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.
The FC Bayern squad for the Club World Cup - FC Bayern Munich
Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
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.
Why do humans sweat while stressed?
ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and
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I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||
As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,
I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||
ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥
Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know
One day, a desire welled up in my mind.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92
You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.
Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,
ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥
For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;
— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen
ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.
then who is there to know what happens without?
ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥
ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥
Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.
Sikhism is a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!
My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||
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 am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
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.
Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.
ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥
ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
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.
ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥
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CONCLUSION:
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.
Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Now here in this verse
ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥
I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.
Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||
ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥
ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥
These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,
There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,
Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;
NOW…
— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:
All the men and women of the world are His living forms.
Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.
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How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||
ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥
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.
I am like a fish out of water,
ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥
I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||
ਬ੍ਰਹਮ is Brahm i.e the Brahman of vedanta but it gets interpreted as an all-pervading lord god.
I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?
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.
Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||
How can they kill the mother, whose milk they drink like that of a wet nurse?
ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
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 am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.
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.
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.
ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥
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!
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.
— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
Raamaanand Jee, First House:
ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥
ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥
ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥
ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥
ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
Kabir (a weaver)
I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.
Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326
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ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥
Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195
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.
Let’s look at the most used verse by McSikhs to show that Sikhs are neither Hindus nor Muslims.
I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||
ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥
Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!
Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥
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.
Wherever I go, I find water and stones.
ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥
Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Says Kabeer, this is what I say:
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Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
Meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||
ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥
Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.
ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥
Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,
Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥
That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||
At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||
He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),
If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,
You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧
The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||
Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating against anyone by gender, class or caste and they included even people from humble origins like