How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?
Last Updated: 02.07.2025 13:29
Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and
Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,
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.
How corporate America learnt not to mess with Texas - Financial Times
The young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.
ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥
Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?
Microsoft’s New Windows 11 Start Menu Is Finally Worth Exploring
If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||
Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.
Scarlett Johansson: Offered 'A Lot' of Roles Revolving The Male Gaze - Variety
I am like a fish out of water,
We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,
I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||
Man thought he was 'tired from work' before brain tumour diagnosis - BBC
For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;
CONCLUSION:
I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||
Why is the US going after Canada after all? What is the reason for all this hostility?
Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,
That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
Kabir (a weaver)
One day, a desire welled up in my mind.
I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.
After 27 years, engineer discovers how to display secret photo in Power Mac ROM - Ars Technica
As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,
ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥
If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,
What is the funniest joke you've been told that you still think about to this day?
Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir
That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||
ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
then who is there to know what happens without?
I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
Brain ‘Reset Wave’ May Explain How ECT Rapidly Relieves Depression - Neuroscience News
Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
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.
Can humans drink battery water?
There the streams of light flow in all directions, few are the men who can cross to that shore!
Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,
ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥
What is it like to experience sleep paralysis?
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||
ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥
Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.
— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
Here ਨਿਰਗੁਣ is Nirgun and not just lord. This is just another example to show that Kabir himself continued in the NIRGUN BHAKTI path.
He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),
———————————————————————————————————————
Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.
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…
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:
How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥
All the men and women of the world are His living forms.
Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||
You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥
Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know
ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥
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.
Now here in this verse
You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;
I went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.
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.
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥
ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥
ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)
At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||
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.
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥
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!
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;
================================================================
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧
— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
Sain (a barber)
Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!
To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥
ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥
ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥
Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?
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.
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!
ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥
ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
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.
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.
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.
Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.
My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||
Raamaanand Jee, First House:
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,
Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.
So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!
Says Kabeer, this is what I say:
ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥
ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥
There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.
Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||
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.
ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥
ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.
I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.
ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥
With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||
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.
From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195
=======================================================
ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥
ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥
Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating against anyone by gender, class or caste and they included even people from humble origins like
I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||
ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326
ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥
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
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥
I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Wherever I go, I find water and stones.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92
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…
Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.
———————————————————————————————————————
ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥
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.
ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥
I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.
Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)
Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,
How can they kill the mother, whose milk they drink like that of a wet nurse?
ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥
But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.
ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥
ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥
ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥
———————————————————————————————————————
ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥
There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,
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.
The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||
Meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||
ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥
ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥
He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||
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
यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥
— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
Let’s look at the most used verse by McSikhs to show that Sikhs are neither Hindus nor Muslims.
I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325