How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?
Last Updated: 20.06.2025 07:34
Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Raamaanand Jee, First House:
NOW…
I want to touch my sister’s boobs. What do I say?
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.
How can they kill the mother, whose milk they drink like that of a wet nurse?
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
Have you ever regretted not hitting on a older women?
I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||
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
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
What is something brutally honest that needs to be said?
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?
Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.
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.
यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।
I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.
CONCLUSION:
ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Here ਨਿਰਗੁਣ is Nirgun and not just lord. This is just another example to show that Kabir himself continued in the NIRGUN BHAKTI path.
ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥
What do you think hell is like?
So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!
There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥
At what stage in your life did you realize, "No, I can't do this any more" and walk out? Why?
The young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.
I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.
ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
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.
Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||
What are some disadvantages of living in rural areas? What are the advantages?
How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||
I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||
You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.
Why am I sweating so much at night even though my room is really cold?
These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,
Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,
Sikhism is a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!
ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥
Why are men today so pussiefied?
ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥
For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;
ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥
Why am I dreaming of people I've never seen before?
ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥
He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||
— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen
What is the most heartbreaking thing your child has told you?
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥
ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
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.
ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥
ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥
ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
then who is there to know what happens without?
ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥
ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥
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.
ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥
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
ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥
I am like a fish out of water,
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…
Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ
ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.
I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
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.
Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.
I went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.
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.
Says Kabeer, this is what I say:
I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.
Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.
ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥
Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||
Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.
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!
Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.
Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;
As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,
Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,
There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,
Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.
But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.
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ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧
Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know
Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and
Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,
Meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||
Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.
One day, a desire welled up in my mind.
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥
ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥
Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)
ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥
From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195
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Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92
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.
Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)
If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||
With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||
Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?
ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥
Wherever I go, I find water and stones.
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),
My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥
ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||
Now here in this verse
To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.
He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
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All the men and women of the world are His living forms.
ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥
At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||
ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥
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.
— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
There the streams of light flow in all directions, few are the men who can cross to that shore!
ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥
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.
ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥
That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||
ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥
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.
ਬ੍ਰਹਮ is Brahm i.e the Brahman of vedanta but it gets interpreted as an all-pervading lord god.
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 ||
Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,
I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;
Kabir (a weaver)
ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥
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.
ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||
ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥
Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir
Sain (a barber)
You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
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.
Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?
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ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥
Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating against anyone by gender, class or caste and they included even people from humble origins like
My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||
I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.
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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.
— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥