How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?
11.06.2025 00:59
ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥
Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.
— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
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
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥
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.
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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
Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||
Here ਨਿਰਗੁਣ is Nirgun and not just lord. This is just another example to show that Kabir himself continued in the NIRGUN BHAKTI path.
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.
ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥
ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥
Do married men know when their wives are having affairs?
Now here in this verse
Raamaanand Jee, First House:
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What’s wrong with anti-imperialism?
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.
He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||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.
What happened to your school bully?
I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||
Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?
If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?
ਬ੍ਰਹਮ is Brahm i.e the Brahman of vedanta but it gets interpreted as an all-pervading lord god.
Wherever I go, I find water and stones.
ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥
If Trump were to lose in 2024, would that be the end of his grip on the Republican Party?
Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating against anyone by gender, class or caste and they included even people from humble origins like
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥
Why do nice guys rarely or never win?
At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||
We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥
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Let’s look at the most used verse by McSikhs to show that Sikhs are neither Hindus nor Muslims.
Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥
Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.
Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!
NOW…
Meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||
ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥
ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92
I am like a fish out of water,
— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥
ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;
ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥
ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥
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ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥
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ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Kabir (a weaver)
Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ
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 left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||
ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥
Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?
Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥
These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||
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.
ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:
I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.
For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;
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 went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,
I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know
If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,
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.
He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥
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ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥
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.
CONCLUSION:
That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||
Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
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.
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.
Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?
Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)
Says Kabeer, this is what I say:
You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
Sikhism is a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.
The young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.
As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,
Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and
ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥
ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,
then who is there to know what happens without?
ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.
Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.
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!
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.
Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;
My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||
One day, a desire welled up in my mind.
ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥
Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||
Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir
Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.
Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,
My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||
You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||
I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.
I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326
With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||
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.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥
ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥
Sain (a barber)
I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||
To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.
How can they kill the mother, whose milk they drink like that of a wet nurse?
ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥
ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen
I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||
All the men and women of the world are His living forms.
ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥
ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧
There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.
ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥
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He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),
ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥
That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||
यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।
So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!
ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
There the streams of light flow in all directions, few are the men who can cross to that shore!
But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.
Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.
ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥
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.
ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥
Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.
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.
ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥
From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195
The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||
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…