Logo

How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?

10.06.2025 05:27

How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?

ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥

then who is there to know what happens without?

ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥

King Charles praised for 'faultless' firing technique at Larkhill - BBC

ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥

Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.

I am like a fish out of water,

Steelers quickly settle any Aaron Rodgers jersey number mystery after signing - New York Post

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.

Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.

How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||

Summer Game Fest releases hype trailer ahead of weekend of reveals - Eurogamer

Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326

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.

One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:

Germany: Cologne evacuation lifted after WWII bombs defused - dw.com

My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||

ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥

यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।

What do you think about wearing sheer pantyhose?

He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),

ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥

ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥

What are 5 ways that can be done by the community to improve the public transport system?

ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥

Sain (a barber)

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.

Astronomers Just Discovered The Biggest Explosions Since The Big Bang - ScienceAlert

One day, a desire welled up in my mind.

Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)

Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325

When does a man tell a woman he has feelings for her?

ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥

Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.

ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

F1 in Spain: Now that was a lapse in judgment - Ars Technica

Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating against anyone by gender, class or caste and they included even people from humble origins like

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

All the men and women of the world are His living forms.

2000 times the volume of Earth! These scientists made a discovery, this planet in our solar system was twice as large 4.5 billion years ago. - Farmingdale Observer

Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.

ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥

That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||

Police chief Grant Hardin caught after escaping Arkansas prison - BBC

Here ਨਿਰਗੁਣ is Nirgun and not just lord. This is just another example to show that Kabir himself continued in the NIRGUN BHAKTI path.

You are totally pervading and permeating in all.

Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||

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.

ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥

— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore

Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?

I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.

Let’s look at the most used verse by McSikhs to show that Sikhs are neither Hindus nor Muslims.

I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.

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 Jee, First House:

I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||

================================================================

Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?

———————————————————————————————————————

Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)

To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.

ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧

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!

I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.

Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?

ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥

These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,

I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.

From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195

If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?

I went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.

Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.

Meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||

Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!

There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,

ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥

ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥

ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥

How can they kill the mother, whose milk they drink like that of a wet nurse?

Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:

There the streams of light flow in all directions, few are the men who can cross to that shore!

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.

Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,

NOW…

Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325

ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥

Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,

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.

I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.

ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥

We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,

With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||

The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||

He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.

For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;

ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥

ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥

I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.

Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know

ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥

Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,

=======================================================

Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.

Kabir (a weaver)

ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥

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.

ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥

ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥

———————————————————————————————————————

ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥

Sikhism is a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!

ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ

ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥

ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥

I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||

That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||

ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥

Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||

ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥

ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥

Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,

ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥

ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥

You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.

But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.

CONCLUSION:

If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,

Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.

Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and

ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

ਬ੍ਰਹਮ is Brahm i.e the Brahman of vedanta but it gets interpreted as an all-pervading lord god.

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 have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||

ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥

The young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.

Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.

— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen

Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir

There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.

Says Kabeer, this is what I say:

ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥

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…

ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥

———————————————————————————————————————

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.

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.

ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥

So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!

ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

Wherever I go, I find water and stones.

I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||

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.

Now here in this verse

Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;

ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥

ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥

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 ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.

He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||

ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥

Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.

Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.

Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.

ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥

ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥

The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||

— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore

I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;

ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥

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

At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||

ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥

Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.

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.

As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,

Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92