How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?
Last Updated: 20.06.2025 00:18
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.
Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥
There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.
यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।
ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥
Is it possible for the AfD to ever win the chancellorship in Germany?
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!
— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen
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What is your review of UST Global?
ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥
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.
ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥
Can you list every album you have ever listened to?
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.
I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;
All the men and women of the world are His living forms.
What is the most memorable thing that happened in your college days?
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧
He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||
If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?
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.
You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
In what ways does Islam oppress women?
I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.
Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||
Wherever I go, I find water and stones.
Why do men prefer women below the age of 30?
ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥
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…
ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥
How do great movie moments influence how people handle real-life moral dilemmas?
ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
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.
Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,
What can I do to deal with disrespectful children?
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
— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥
Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
There the streams of light flow in all directions, few are the men who can cross to that shore!
If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,
How do I run away? I'm 15 and live in Oklahoma.
There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
How can I easily get rid of my writers block?
Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.
ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥
I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||
What do you think hell is like?
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Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!
ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥
ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥
How can they kill the mother, whose milk they drink like that of a wet nurse?
ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
Says Kabeer, this is what I say:
Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir
ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥
He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),
I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||
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.
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥
Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||
Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and
I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.
Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)
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.
Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating against anyone by gender, class or caste and they included even people from humble origins like
ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥
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ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥
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॥
You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.
Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92
One day, a desire welled up in my mind.
Kabir (a weaver)
Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.
Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?
ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥
Here ਨਿਰਗੁਣ is Nirgun and not just lord. This is just another example to show that Kabir himself continued in the NIRGUN BHAKTI path.
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
Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,
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.
— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥
I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||
My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||
For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;
ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥
As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,
Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||
That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||
We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥
ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥
Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.
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.
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
ਬ੍ਰਹਮ is Brahm i.e the Brahman of vedanta but it gets interpreted as an all-pervading lord god.
ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥
I went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.
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.
He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.
then who is there to know what happens without?
Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,
Now here in this verse
Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.
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These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,
I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||
The young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.
ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥
Sikhism is a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!
Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;
Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!
Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know
The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||
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.
Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.
ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥
Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.
I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:
To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.
NOW…
ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326
Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.
From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195
ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥
ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥
ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
CONCLUSION:
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Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?
That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||
ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥
With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||
Sain (a barber)
ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥
Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)
ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥
I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.
Meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||
Let’s look at the most used verse by McSikhs to show that Sikhs are neither Hindus nor Muslims.
I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||
ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
I am like a fish out of water,
Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,
ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥
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.
But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
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.
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥