How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?
Last Updated: 17.06.2025 08:58
I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||
Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.
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.
If there was only one man remaining on the Earth, would this be regarded as extinction?
He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||
ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||
What are some questions obviously just asked for sexual gratification?
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.
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.
One day, a desire welled up in my mind.
What's your favorite stupid joke?
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥
To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.
For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;
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
ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
Why do I sometimes hear full conversations when I am alone?
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92
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.
ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥
What do you do when your family doesn’t care about you?
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.
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||
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!
Is it true that all men want a woman who looks like an Instagram “model”?
I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||
Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?
Why do I feel bad when I see white girls dating black guys, am I racist?
My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||
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There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,
ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥
If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,
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.
Why are so many young teenage boys misogynistic? Where do they get these attitudes from?
Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
Do all rocket engines emit harmful gases into the atmosphere during launch?
Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥
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.
ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥
ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥
Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||
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.
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||
— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen
Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.
How can they kill the mother, whose milk they drink like that of a wet nurse?
I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.
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There the streams of light flow in all directions, few are the men who can cross to that shore!
Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ
He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.
Meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
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॥
We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,
ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥
— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥
But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326
ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
Here ਨਿਰਗੁਣ is Nirgun and not just lord. This is just another example to show that Kabir himself continued in the NIRGUN BHAKTI path.
ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥
With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||
Let’s look at the most used verse by McSikhs to show that Sikhs are neither Hindus nor Muslims.
There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
Now here in this verse
I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||
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.
All the men and women of the world are His living forms.
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥
ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥
ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥
Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)
Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.
From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195
ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥
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
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥
ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥
My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||
Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and
ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.
You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥
Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.
Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating against anyone by gender, class or caste and they included even people from humble origins like
I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.
The young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:
ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥
ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥
CONCLUSION:
Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,
Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥
I am like a fish out of water,
Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥
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ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
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.
ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥
then who is there to know what happens without?
If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
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.
ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥
ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥
Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?
यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।
Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know
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.
Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.
— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||
Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||
That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||
I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;
You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.
I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.
Wherever I go, I find water and stones.
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥
He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),
Sikhism is a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!
I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.
Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir
NOW…
ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧
ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥
ਬ੍ਰਹਮ is Brahm i.e the Brahman of vedanta but it gets interpreted as an all-pervading lord god.
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.
Says Kabeer, this is what I say:
As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,
The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||
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Sain (a barber)
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ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥
Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?
ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥
Raamaanand Jee, First House:
So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!
Kabir (a weaver)
ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥
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.
ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥
ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥
I went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||