How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?
Last Updated: 18.06.2025 02:42
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.
Kabir (a weaver)
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ
Why does the God of the Bible condemn homosexual acts?
ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥
I am like a fish out of water,
Sain (a barber)
What are the pros and cons of arranged marriages?
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.
ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥
ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥
Why do guys have better skin than women even though women use more product?
Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)
ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥
Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||
ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥
ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?
My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||
He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||
Have you ever had a secret crush on anyone?
ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥
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.
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥
Do you consider yourself pretty?
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||
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Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:
ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥
Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.
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.
What was your most memorable combat mission during the Vietnam War?
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
Why do narcissists avoid talking about the real issues?
Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,
We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,
I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||
What do you like about McDonald's?
ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥
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.
I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।
ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥
If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?
Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?
— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),
ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥
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.
ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥
Here ਨਿਰਗੁਣ is Nirgun and not just lord. This is just another example to show that Kabir himself continued in the NIRGUN BHAKTI path.
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.
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥
Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥
Now here in this verse
I went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.
The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||
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, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!
To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.
The young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326
ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥
ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥
So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!
My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||
Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥
ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Raamaanand Jee, First House:
Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating against anyone by gender, class or caste and they included even people from humble origins like
ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥
Wherever I go, I find water and stones.
ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥
But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.
Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥
CONCLUSION:
Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,
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Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.
Says Kabeer, this is what I say:
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.
If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,
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.
ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.
There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,
Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.
I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.
Meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||
ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||
— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen
ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥
ਬ੍ਰਹਮ is Brahm i.e the Brahman of vedanta but it gets interpreted as an all-pervading lord god.
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
For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;
Let’s look at the most used verse by McSikhs to show that Sikhs are neither Hindus nor Muslims.
Sikhism is a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.
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…
Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.
NOW…
I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||
That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||
I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥
Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;
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!
All the men and women of the world are His living forms.
Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know
You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.
ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥
I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||
ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥
ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥
ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥
Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.
ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥
Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||
You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.
I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧
ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥
At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||
Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir
From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195
I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.
I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;
then who is there to know what happens without?
He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,
ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥
ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
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Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
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That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
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.
ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
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.
Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and
Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
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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.
How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||
There the streams of light flow in all directions, few are the men who can cross to that shore!
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
How can they kill the mother, whose milk they drink like that of a wet nurse?
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.
One day, a desire welled up in my mind.
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,
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.
ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥
Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,