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

11.06.2025 05:30

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

ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥

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

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

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Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.

ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥

ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥

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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.

Now here in this verse

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

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

Says Kabeer, this is what I say:

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

How did you get to be a leftist?

ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧

ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥

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

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

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

ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥

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NOW…

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

Why are Republican politicians so afraid to oppose Trump?

I am like a fish out of water,

ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

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

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— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore

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

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

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

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

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.

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ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥

ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥

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

Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)

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

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

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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 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.

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

ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥

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

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

ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥

ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥

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.

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.

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

ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥

Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and

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

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

You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.

ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥

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.

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

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

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

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

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!

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

You are totally pervading and permeating in all.

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

I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;

Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:

ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥

ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥

ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ

There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,

ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥

— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen

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

Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir

ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥

ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥

ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥

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

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

ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥

At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||

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

ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥

ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥

ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥

Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?

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

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

Raamaanand Jee, First House:

ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥

Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.

ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥

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

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||

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

ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥

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

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

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

These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,

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

CONCLUSION:

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…

From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195

ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥

Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)

ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥

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.

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

ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥

ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥

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

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

I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.

ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥

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

ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥

ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥

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

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

then who is there to know what happens without?

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

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

Sain (a barber)

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

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

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.

One day, a desire welled up in my mind.

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

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.

ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

Wherever I go, I find water and stones.

ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥

ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥

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

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

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

— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore

ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥

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

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

ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥

Kabir (a weaver)

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ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥

Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know

ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥

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

ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥

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 ॥

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.

I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.

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

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

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

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

Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.