How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?
Last Updated: 25.06.2025 00:11
ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
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With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;
I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;
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Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||
If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,
He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.
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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.
ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ
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I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
One day, a desire welled up in my mind.
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The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||
Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and
Wherever I go, I find water and stones.
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ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥
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
— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
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.
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That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||
There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,
Sain (a barber)
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As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,
I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||
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.
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Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating against anyone by gender, class or caste and they included even people from humble origins like
Kabir (a weaver)
You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
Even Captain James T. Kirk was trapped in a woman's body. Don't you think he'd support trans people?
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92
ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥
Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)
ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥
Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,
I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||
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ਬ੍ਰਹਮ is Brahm i.e the Brahman of vedanta but it gets interpreted as an all-pervading lord god.
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.
ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥
Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.
For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;
ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥
I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||
I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.
So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!
Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.
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.
Sikhism is a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!
ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥
Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?
ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥
I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.
ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥
Here ਨਿਰਗੁਣ is Nirgun and not just lord. This is just another example to show that Kabir himself continued in the NIRGUN BHAKTI path.
Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir
I am like a fish out of water,
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.
The young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.
ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥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!
ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥
Raamaanand Jee, First House:
I went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.
ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥
Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!
Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
Says Kabeer, this is what I say:
ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥
Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.
ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||
ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.
ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥
Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
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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.
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||
These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,
How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥
My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||
— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen
You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.
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…
He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥
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.
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧
ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥
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ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥
Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326
Meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||
Now here in this verse
We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,
Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.
Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)
Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,
ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥
ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥
Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
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.
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.
He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||
then who is there to know what happens without?
NOW…
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
Let’s look at the most used verse by McSikhs to show that Sikhs are neither Hindus nor Muslims.
At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||
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.
I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.
ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥
ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥
CONCLUSION:
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥
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.
ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥
I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||
From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195
ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥
Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.
ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
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.
ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥
How can they kill the mother, whose milk they drink like that of a wet nurse?
ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥
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.
To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.
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ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥
Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,
ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥
Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.
There the streams of light flow in all directions, few are the men who can cross to that shore!
ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥
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.
There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.
I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.
Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||
That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||
ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
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