How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?

Last Updated: 01.07.2025 10:39

How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?

यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।

He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||

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.

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Now here in this verse

The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||

But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.

Why am I sweating so much when I try to do anything?

Raamaanand Jee, First House:

I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||

NOW…

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ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥

ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥

Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)

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Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.

ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥

Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||

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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.

Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;

CONCLUSION:

How should one handle a situation where they suspect their partner of cheating, but their partner denies it and claims it is all in their head?

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||

ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥

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I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||

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.

Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.

My landlord just sold the house I’m renting from her. She included all fixtures, that I bought and installed. Does she have this right?

ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥

ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥

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Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,

ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥

ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥

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Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,

ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥

I went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.

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I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.

ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥

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I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.

Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.

I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.

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— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore

Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326

Kabir (a weaver)

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I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||

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.

Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating against anyone by gender, class or caste and they included even people from humble origins like

ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥

I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.

He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.

My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||

Sikhism is a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!

— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen

How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||

There the streams of light flow in all directions, few are the men who can cross to that shore!

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ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥

Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?

My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||

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.

ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥

Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,

I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.

Says Kabeer, this is what I say:

ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥

Wherever I go, I find water and stones.

The young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.

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.

Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,

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.

ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥

Here ਨਿਰਗੁਣ is Nirgun and not just lord. This is just another example to show that Kabir himself continued in the NIRGUN BHAKTI path.

Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!

ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥

Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||

That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||

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…

Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.

ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥

ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥

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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.

Let’s look at the most used verse by McSikhs to show that Sikhs are neither Hindus nor Muslims.

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.

ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥

ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥

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.

There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,

So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!

Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)

ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥

Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325

ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥

Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.

ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥

We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,

ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥

I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.

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!

All the men and women of the world are His living forms.

Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.

I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;

He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),

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.

Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325

ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥

ਬ੍ਰਹਮ is Brahm i.e the Brahman of vedanta but it gets interpreted as an all-pervading lord god.

Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.

You are totally pervading and permeating in all.

Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92

One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:

Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.

That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||

Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?

Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.

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.

If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,

Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?

ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥

To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.

ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥

ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥

If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?

ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥

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— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore

Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know

I am like a fish out of water,

I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||

The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||

ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥

ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥

ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥

ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧

then who is there to know what happens without?

One day, a desire welled up in my mind.

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

As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,

Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.

ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥

ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥

ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥

ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥

ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ

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

Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir

Meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||

Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.

Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:

Sain (a barber)

ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥

ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥

With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||

ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.

Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.

I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.

There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.

ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥

From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195

For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;

Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and

How can they kill the mother, whose milk they drink like that of a wet nurse?

ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥

These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,