How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?
12.06.2025 03:22
But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.
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.
ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥
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Meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||
Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.
If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?
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ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥
Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥
Why did my crush like me for only two days in a row?
ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥
Sikhism is a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!
I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.
Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧
ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥
Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know
He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),
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You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.
From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
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My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||
We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,
Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
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ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥
What’s something you did a lot as a kid that you don’t miss now that you’re an adult?
ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥
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.
ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥
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ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥
One day, a desire welled up in my mind.
I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||
ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥
Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.
There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92
ਬ੍ਰਹਮ is Brahm i.e the Brahman of vedanta but it gets interpreted as an all-pervading lord god.
ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥
ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
How can they kill the mother, whose milk they drink like that of a wet nurse?
I am like a fish out of water,
Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and
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.
Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.
Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,
Here ਨਿਰਗੁਣ is Nirgun and not just lord. This is just another example to show that Kabir himself continued in the NIRGUN BHAKTI path.
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ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
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.
I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||
Says Kabeer, this is what I say:
How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||
Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||
I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||
ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥
ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥
ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥
As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,
All the men and women of the world are His living forms.
CONCLUSION:
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.
Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
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Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.
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.
Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
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
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:
I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.
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.
ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥
I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥
ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥
Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;
ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥
ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥
ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥
ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥
Now here in this verse
— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
NOW…
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||
Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.
He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.
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!
Wherever I go, I find water and stones.
Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?
then who is there to know what happens without?
To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.
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.
You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
Kabir (a weaver)
Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.
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's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?
ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
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.
Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ
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.
Raamaanand Jee, First House:
So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
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…
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥
Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.
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.
ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥
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.
Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!
— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥
These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,
The young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.
ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥
He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||
If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,
Let’s look at the most used verse by McSikhs to show that Sikhs are neither Hindus nor Muslims.
That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||
With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating against anyone by gender, class or caste and they included even people from humble origins like
That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||
For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥
ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥
Sain (a barber)
Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.
I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.
ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||
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
At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||
I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.
Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,
ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥
ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥
My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||
The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||
There the streams of light flow in all directions, few are the men who can cross to that shore!
Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||
ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥
Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,
यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।
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.
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I went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.