How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?
Last Updated: 19.06.2025 12:10
I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.
ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥
We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,
Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,
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!
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧
ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
At what stage in your life did you realize, "No, I can't do this any more" and walk out? Why?
Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.
I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||
If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,
Why do I sweat (mostly on face) when I eat usually spicy food?
Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,
You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
Why are people with Asperger syndrome unenthusiastic?
He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||
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
ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥
How many women have accidentally pooped their pants and became turned on afterwards?
Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||
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I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.
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ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥
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
Now here in this verse
What should a young woman do to control sagging breasts?
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
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.
ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥
My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||
Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)
How did you as a human being change while growing up?
For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;
ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥
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Why is my ex still keeping in touch with me even though she dumped me?
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥
I went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
What was the worst spanking you got growing up?
— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen
Sain (a barber)
ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥
Do humans know everything they need to know?
How can they kill the mother, whose milk they drink like that of a wet nurse?
ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥
I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||
IPOs That Launched Like Rockets — and Those That Flew Straight Into a Wall - PYMNTS.com
So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!
ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥
Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating against anyone by gender, class or caste and they included even people from humble origins like
ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥
ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥
There the streams of light flow in all directions, few are the men who can cross to that shore!
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.
You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.
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.
Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.
Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.
My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||
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.
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥
I am like a fish out of water,
ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir
He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),
There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.
The young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.
Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?
I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.
But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.
ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥
ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
then who is there to know what happens without?
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||
From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195
ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥
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.
ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥
— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
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.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
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.
All the men and women of the world are His living forms.
ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥
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.
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.
ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥
Let’s look at the most used verse by McSikhs to show that Sikhs are neither Hindus nor Muslims.
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥
Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||
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.
Here ਨਿਰਗੁਣ is Nirgun and not just lord. This is just another example to show that Kabir himself continued in the NIRGUN BHAKTI path.
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥
ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||
I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||
ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥
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Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)
ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥
As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,
Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:
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ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ
Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know
If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
Wherever I go, I find water and stones.
Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,
यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।
ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥
Kabir (a weaver)
There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,
Says Kabeer, this is what I say:
I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.
Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.
ਬ੍ਰਹਮ is Brahm i.e the Brahman of vedanta but it gets interpreted as an all-pervading lord god.
CONCLUSION:
How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||
ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥
That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||
Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and
He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.
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.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326
That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||
At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||
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.
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.
To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.
One day, a desire welled up in my mind.
Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
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 a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!
ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥
ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥
ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥
Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.
ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
Raamaanand Jee, First House:
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92
I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!
Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.
ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥
ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥
These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,
I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;
Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
Meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||
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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…
Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.
NOW…
Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;
ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥
I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||