How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?
11.06.2025 16:27
Kabir (a weaver)
Wherever I go, I find water and stones.
ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥
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ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?
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I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||
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.
ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;
ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥
ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥
What are the best examples of reverse psychology?
Sain (a barber)
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:
There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ
ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥
I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.
How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||
ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥
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.
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen
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Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir
All the men and women of the world are His living forms.
He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.
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I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||
ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥
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 is bestiality wrong, but killing animals for sport or trophies is considered okay?
My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||
Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||
Raamaanand Jee, First House:
If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,
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
ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥
What is the difference between Michael Corleone’s marriage to Apollonia Vitelli and Kay Adams?
Let’s look at the most used verse by McSikhs to show that Sikhs are neither Hindus nor Muslims.
ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥
— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.
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.
Here ਨਿਰਗੁਣ is Nirgun and not just lord. This is just another example to show that Kabir himself continued in the NIRGUN BHAKTI path.
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥
I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.
From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195
Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating against anyone by gender, class or caste and they included even people from humble origins like
He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),
Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know
ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥
Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.
How can they kill the mother, whose milk they drink like that of a wet nurse?
Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,
I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||
One day, a desire welled up in my mind.
Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.
Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?
ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥
Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||
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.
Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)
The young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.
Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥
Says Kabeer, this is what I say:
I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
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.
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
———————————————————————————————————————
For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;
These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,
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ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧
Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.
ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥
Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.
Sikhism is a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥
Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.
He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||
यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।
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.
As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,
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NOW…
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At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326
ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥
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,
ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥
My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||
CONCLUSION:
Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,
ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥
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!
To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.
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.
then who is there to know what happens without?
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||
ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥
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 ॥
I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.
ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!
There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,
ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥
ਬ੍ਰਹਮ is Brahm i.e the Brahman of vedanta but it gets interpreted as an all-pervading lord god.
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥
ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥
Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.
ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥
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.
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.
Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?
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Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
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 ॥
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥
Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?
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…
That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||
Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;
ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||
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.
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and
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 do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.
I am like a fish out of water,
ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥
Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
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.
That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||
ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥
ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥
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.
ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥
ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥
Meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||
But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.
With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||
ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Now here in this verse
I went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.
ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥
The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||
You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92
Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)