How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?
12.06.2025 19:19
Says Kabeer, this is what I say:
Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!
My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||
Why were the Japanese soldiers in WW II so hesitant to surrender in battle?
ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥
I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
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I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;
But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,
ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326
What do people aim for when they meditate, and how do they do it properly?
ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥
There the streams of light flow in all directions, few are the men who can cross to that shore!
Now here in this verse
Sain (a barber)
We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,
ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥
Is the Las Vegas Grand Prix considered one of the "premier events on the Formula 1 calendar?"
Meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||
Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.
You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.
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Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.
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ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥
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.
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧
What are the easiest stores for shoplifting?
The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||
I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||
There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.
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Kabir (a weaver)
My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||
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How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||
— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen
ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥
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ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
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.
ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥
Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.
Sikhism is a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥
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.
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.
He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||
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Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)
I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.
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 am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.
ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥
then who is there to know what happens without?
These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,
Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating against anyone by gender, class or caste and they included even people from humble origins like
If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?
That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||
ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥
Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.
Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||
As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,
From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195
Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?
I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||
Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ
CONCLUSION:
Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||
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.
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
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.
He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.
ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥
All the men and women of the world are His living forms.
ਬ੍ਰਹਮ is Brahm i.e the Brahman of vedanta but it gets interpreted as an all-pervading lord god.
Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;
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.
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.
Wherever I go, I find water and stones.
I went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.
ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
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.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥
I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
How can they kill the mother, whose milk they drink like that of a wet nurse?
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I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
I am like a fish out of water,
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.
Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||
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.
ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥
ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥
ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,
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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.
यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।
Here ਨਿਰਗੁਣ is Nirgun and not just lord. This is just another example to show that Kabir himself continued in the NIRGUN BHAKTI path.
Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.
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.
He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),
ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:
ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥
ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
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.
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥
ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥
ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||
Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?
You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
Raamaanand Jee, First House:
ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥
To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.
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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
ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥
ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
NOW…
ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,
ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥
Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,
Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.
One day, a desire welled up in my mind.
ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥
At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||
ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
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
ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥
I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥
If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,
I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
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!
ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥
ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥
ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥
There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,
ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥
Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and
With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||
— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥
The young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.
So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!
Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.
Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know
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…