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How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?

10.06.2025 05:00

How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?

Kabir (a weaver)

ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥

We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,

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यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।

Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92

ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥

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I went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.

Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.

ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥

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All the men and women of the world are His living forms.

From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195

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

What disgusts you?

then who is there to know what happens without?

ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥

Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,

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He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),

I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||

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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॥

I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.

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ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥

I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.

— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore

What's wrong with white women?

Now here in this verse

ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥

ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥

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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.

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.

Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||

How can I be okay with being ugly? What is the bright side?

One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:

ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥

To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.

What makes you different?

Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know

Meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||

ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥

Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?

ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥

Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.

These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,

Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.

ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥

You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.

How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||

ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥

ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥

Wherever I go, I find water and stones.

I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;

ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

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I am like a fish out of water,

The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||

NOW…

For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;

Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325

Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,

There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.

ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥

ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧

ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥

Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:

So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!

ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥

———————————————————————————————————————

Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||

ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥

As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,

ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥

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.

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.

ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥

Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?

Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.

ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥

ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

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.

Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.

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.

I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.

I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.

Let’s look at the most used verse by McSikhs to show that Sikhs are neither Hindus nor Muslims.

I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.

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

— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen

ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥

Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326

— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore

ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥

Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating against anyone by gender, class or caste and they included even people from humble origins like

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.

Sikhism is a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!

ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥

Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.

One day, a desire welled up in my mind.

That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||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.

I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||

ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥

ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥

Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir

ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥

Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)

ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥

ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥

But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.

At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||

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Sain (a barber)

The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||

With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||

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.

Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!

Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;

Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.

Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.

ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥

ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥

You are totally pervading and permeating in all.

Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.

ਬ੍ਰਹਮ is Brahm i.e the Brahman of vedanta but it gets interpreted as an all-pervading lord god.

If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?

ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥

He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.

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.

Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?

Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325

I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||

ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥

Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.

ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥

How can they kill the mother, whose milk they drink like that of a wet nurse?

Says Kabeer, this is what I say:

My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||

ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ

=======================================================

Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.

Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,

ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥

ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥

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…

Raamaanand Jee, First House:

That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||

ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥

I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||

There the streams of light flow in all directions, few are the men who can cross to that shore!

Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and

He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||

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!

ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥

Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,

ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥

CONCLUSION:

If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,

I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.

There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,

My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||

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.

ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥

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 young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.

Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)

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.

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 ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥

I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.