How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?
11.06.2025 00:10
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.
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥
He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),
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Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧
ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥
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I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;
Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.
That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||
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 left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||
Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.
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ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥
I went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
All the men and women of the world are His living forms.
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥
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
I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.
Sikhism is a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!
ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥
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ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
One day, a desire welled up in my mind.
My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||
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There the streams of light flow in all directions, few are the men who can cross to that shore!
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,
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I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.
Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and
Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.
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My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||
Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.
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.
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.
ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥
Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.
Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,
From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195
Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,
NOW…
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥
You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
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.
Sain (a barber)
ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥
ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.
As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,
Let’s look at the most used verse by McSikhs to show that Sikhs are neither Hindus nor Muslims.
Now here in this verse
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.
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥
— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen
I am like a fish out of water,
These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,
ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥
Raamaanand Jee, First House:
ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥
Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know
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
But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.
At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||
If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?
ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥
ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥
ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||
ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥
ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥
— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
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ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥
Here ਨਿਰਗੁਣ is Nirgun and not just lord. This is just another example to show that Kabir himself continued in the NIRGUN BHAKTI path.
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!
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||
That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||
ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥
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.
We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,
You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.
ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92
So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!
— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)
ਬ੍ਰਹਮ is Brahm i.e the Brahman of vedanta but it gets interpreted as an all-pervading lord god.
ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥
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…
With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||
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.
If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,
The young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.
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.
Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?
ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥
Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!
I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||
Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.
ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥
Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?
How can they kill the mother, whose milk they drink like that of a wet nurse?
ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326
I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.
ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥
Says Kabeer, this is what I say:
ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ
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ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।
Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.
For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;
ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.
ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥
Kabir (a weaver)
There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:
Meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||
ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥
ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||
then who is there to know what happens without?
ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
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.
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.
Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,
Wherever I go, I find water and stones.
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
———————————————————————————————————————
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
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.
I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥
ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥
CONCLUSION:
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.
I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||
ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥
Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||
Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)
Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir
I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||
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Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;
———————————————————————————————————————
Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating against anyone by gender, class or caste and they included even people from humble origins like
ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥