How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?
15.06.2025 09:30
ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥
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If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,
—— which songs do certain kuorans remind you of?
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
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.
ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥
Is a man over 50 not married no kids a red flag?
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92
— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥
Is it just me, or do we all hate Sasuke from Naruto?
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.
ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥
There the streams of light flow in all directions, few are the men who can cross to that shore!
I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.
ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥
I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.
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ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥
I went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.
ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥
Why do I want to give up on men?
My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
then who is there to know what happens without?
Have you ever accidentally seen your mother-in-law doing something that was private to her?
I am like a fish out of water,
ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥
— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
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Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||
At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥
Why is my ex mad I moved on when he dumped me?
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 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 ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥
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ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
Sain (a barber)
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.
Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.
NOW…
That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||
How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||
He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),
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
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥
These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥
I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||
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Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.
Let’s look at the most used verse by McSikhs to show that Sikhs are neither Hindus nor Muslims.
How can they kill the mother, whose milk they drink like that of a wet nurse?
ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥
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.
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.
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧
If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?
Now here in this verse
Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326
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.
I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||
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!
He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.
Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;
There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,
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ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥
The young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.
ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥
Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)
Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir
I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||
Sikhism is a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!
Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,
To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.
Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||
ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
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 Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||
Kabir (a weaver)
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.
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
That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ
Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥
ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥
Says Kabeer, this is what I say:
There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.
Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.
ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥
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ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥
ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥
Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.
I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
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.
ਬ੍ਰਹਮ is Brahm i.e the Brahman of vedanta but it gets interpreted as an all-pervading lord god.
So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!
Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
Meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||
CONCLUSION:
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥
ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥
ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥
You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||
ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥
Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,
ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥
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…
ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥
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The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||
ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥
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.
All the men and women of the world are His living forms.
Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.
Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.
Here ਨਿਰਗੁਣ is Nirgun and not just lord. This is just another example to show that Kabir himself continued in the NIRGUN BHAKTI path.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
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.
— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen
यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥
Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?
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.
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥
For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;
I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.
Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥
Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.
From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195
ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥
As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,
ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
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.
My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||
Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!
Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and
Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating against anyone by gender, class or caste and they included even people from humble origins like
Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.
Wherever I go, I find water and stones.
We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,
Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.
ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥
I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;
I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.
Raamaanand Jee, First House:
Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?