How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?
Last Updated: 20.06.2025 11:54
How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||
Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ
What’s the best way to get over someone you love?
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and
We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,
ਬ੍ਰਹਮ is Brahm i.e the Brahman of vedanta but it gets interpreted as an all-pervading lord god.
You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.
Sikhism is a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!
What's the most valuable lesson you've learned in life, and how has it impacted your journey so far?
That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||
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.
I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.
Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.
My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||
All the men and women of the world are His living forms.
ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know
One day, a desire welled up in my mind.
Is the 4B movement's aggressiveness against men for seeing women as mantelpieces valid?
I went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.
ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥
ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥
What are the signs of mild autism in a child?
If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,
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.
ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥
What was the craziest place that you had sex with someone in public?
NOW…
ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥
To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.
What is your favourite summer outfit? Why?
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,
Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!
Why has Biden pulled ahead in battleground states and is now projected to win the 2024 presidency?
ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!
Why have Indian girls almost stopped wearing sarees?
ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
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.
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.
What are some mind-blowing facts about Michael Jackson?
Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)
From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195
ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥
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Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
Wherever I go, I find water and stones.
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥
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.
At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||
Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.
There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥
CONCLUSION:
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
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen
ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥
If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?
For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
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?
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.
— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.
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.
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।
ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥
Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||
ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥
ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥
ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥
Now here in this verse
ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
There the streams of light flow in all directions, few are the men who can cross to that shore!
ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥
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.
ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥
ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥
then who is there to know what happens without?
Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating against anyone by gender, class or caste and they included even people from humble origins like
ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
Let’s look at the most used verse by McSikhs to show that Sikhs are neither Hindus nor Muslims.
ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥
Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:
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.
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥
ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥
The young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.
I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.
— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥
Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.
He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.
Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
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Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
I am like a fish out of water,
Kabir (a weaver)
I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;
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.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92
I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||
You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||
ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥
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
I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.
Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.
As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,
Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.
The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧
ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥
There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.
ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥
Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,
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.
ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥
These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,
I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326
Here ਨਿਰਗੁਣ is Nirgun and not just lord. This is just another example to show that Kabir himself continued in the NIRGUN BHAKTI path.
ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥
Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.
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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.
Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥
ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥
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.
Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.
Sain (a barber)
Meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||
How can they kill the mother, whose milk they drink like that of a wet nurse?
He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||
With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||
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ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||
Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.
Raamaanand Jee, First House:
Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;
He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),
ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥
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!
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…
My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||
That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||
But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.
I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||
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Says Kabeer, this is what I say:
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?
ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥