How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?
Last Updated: 30.06.2025 01:32
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195
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.
Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir
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.
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.
There the streams of light flow in all directions, few are the men who can cross to that shore!
ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥
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.
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ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥
then who is there to know what happens without?
ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥
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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.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥
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.
I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
I went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
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.
Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)
Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and
Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.
ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥
What's the most sordid activity you've ever seen or heard about at a bachelorette party?
Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,
ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥
यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।
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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.
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥
Meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||
That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92
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Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating against anyone by gender, class or caste and they included even people from humble origins like
Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥
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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.
Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
What is the one unconventional piece of Stoic advice that has significantly improved your life?
— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥
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With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!
ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥
ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.
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
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||
Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)
Kabir (a weaver)
ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
CONCLUSION:
The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||
For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;
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.
Wherever I go, I find water and stones.
ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥
Sikhism is a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!
Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||
Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,
My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||
Now here in this verse
Sain (a barber)
He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.
I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||
Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,
I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?
These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,
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 young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.
I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥
I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.
Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:
=======================================================
All the men and women of the world are His living forms.
Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.
ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥
ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥
— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen
ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥
Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||
ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧
ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥
As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,
But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.
ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥
ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥
That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||
I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.
At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
NOW…
Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.
ਬ੍ਰਹਮ is Brahm i.e the Brahman of vedanta but it gets interpreted as an all-pervading lord god.
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.
One day, a desire welled up in my mind.
To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.
— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||
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.
Says Kabeer, this is what I say:
I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.
How can they kill the mother, whose milk they drink like that of a wet nurse?
Let’s look at the most used verse by McSikhs to show that Sikhs are neither Hindus nor Muslims.
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.
ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥
Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?
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||
You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.
ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
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ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥
ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥
Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?
ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥
ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥
Raamaanand Jee, First House:
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ
ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥
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He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),
How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||
I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;
Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.
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!
I am like a fish out of water,
There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.
Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.
———————————————————————————————————————
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.
Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326
Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||
ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥
Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know
Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!
ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥
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
ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥
If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,
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…
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥
———————————————————————————————————————
ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥
ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥
My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||
There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,