How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?
Last Updated: 18.06.2025 02:32
Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326
ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥
Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;
Did Leonardo da Vinci paint two Mona Lisas? Where are they?
Now here in this verse
If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?
ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
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.
Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!
What is one small habit that has transformed your life in unexpected ways?
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.
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥
How do you feel about Donald Trump signing an executive order that says there are only two genders?
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
ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥
Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?
Why do our deceased do not protect us from other bad spirits?
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
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 am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.
Why do flat Earthers exist? Why can’t I see the Sun at night? Is it because Earth is not flat?
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥
ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥
I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
The young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.
How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||
Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.
Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.
Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.
Sain (a barber)
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥
Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;
Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know
Padilla says FBI agent, Guard member escorted him to Noem's briefing before removal - Axios
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥
You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating against anyone by gender, class or caste and they included even people from humble origins like
What is the difference between the Bible and the Qur'an?
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.
ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥
For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;
Why is Jack Smith arguing that presidents should not have full immunities as Trump is requesting?
Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?
CONCLUSION:
ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥
ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥
One day, a desire welled up in my mind.
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.
Can you share a story of someone who had a lucky experience while hitchhiking?
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…
ਬ੍ਰਹਮ is Brahm i.e the Brahman of vedanta but it gets interpreted as an all-pervading lord god.
ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥
ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥
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||
Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)
I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.
There the streams of light flow in all directions, few are the men who can cross to that shore!
The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||
Wherever I go, I find water and stones.
ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
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 went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.
My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195
I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||
ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥
If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,
Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.
Sikhism is a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!
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.
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!
That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||
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.
I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.
So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!
All the men and women of the world are His living forms.
Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir
There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,
Raamaanand Jee, First House:
———————————————————————————————————————
ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥
Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and
There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥
But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.
We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,
ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥
ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥
ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥
At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||
ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.
———————————————————————————————————————
Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,
Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,
ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥
To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.
Here ਨਿਰਗੁਣ is Nirgun and not just lord. This is just another example to show that Kabir himself continued in the NIRGUN BHAKTI path.
ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||
———————————————————————————————————————
ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥
Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)
Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.
I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥
ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.
How can they kill the mother, whose milk they drink like that of a wet nurse?
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.
ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥
Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||
NOW…
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧
=======================================================
ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
Let’s look at the most used verse by McSikhs to show that Sikhs are neither Hindus nor Muslims.
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||
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.
ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥
With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||
I am like a fish out of water,
I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||
These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92
ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥
Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.
I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||
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.
— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen
As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,
ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
Says Kabeer, this is what I say:
Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥
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.
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.
— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||
ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥
यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।
Kabir (a weaver)
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.
ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥
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.
ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥
My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||
You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.
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
He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||
then who is there to know what happens without?
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥
ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥
Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,