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

11.06.2025 01:26

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

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.

ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥

ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥

What measures are shipping companies taking to navigate around conflict zones like the Red Sea and Black Sea?

ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥

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

ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥

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

ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥

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.

Why do subpar women think that they are nines and tens?

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

ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

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Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.

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

When was you wife swapping fantasy started?

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

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

Sain (a barber)

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ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥

Says Kabeer, this is what I say:

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

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

ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥

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

What baseball stories from the early days of the sport seem too bizarre to be true?

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

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

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

Do humans know everything they need to know?

ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥

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.

I am like a fish out of water,

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ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥

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

You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.

Why are Indians so influenced by the Western culture, when the Indian tradition has so much to give?

— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen

— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore

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

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

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

There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,

What happens when your partner doesn't see the value in you and continuously hurts you by searching for something in others knowing it hurts you?

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॥

ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥

In the TV show Supernatural, why is God portrayed as cruel?

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

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

ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥

Scientists find a boulder weighing 2,645,547 pounds that was washed inland by an enormous tsunami - Earth.com

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

ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥

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.

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

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

Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)

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ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥

Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.

I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.

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

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

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

ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥

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

ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ

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

ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥

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

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

ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥

You are totally pervading and permeating in all.

ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥

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.

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.

ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥

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.

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

These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,

ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥

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

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

Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know

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

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

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

ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥

— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore

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.

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

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

ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥

ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥

ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥

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Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?

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

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

From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195

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.

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

CONCLUSION:

ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥

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!

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

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.

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

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

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

ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥

ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥

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

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

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

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

ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥

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

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

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.

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

Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)

ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥

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

ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧

Kabir (a weaver)

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

then who is there to know what happens without?

ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥

ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥

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

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

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

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…

Wherever I go, I find water and stones.

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

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

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

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

ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥

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.

ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥

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

One day, a desire welled up in my mind.

ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥

Raamaanand Jee, First House:

ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥

I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.

Now here in this verse

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.

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

ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥

ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥

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

ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir

Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.

Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and

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

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

ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥

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.

Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:

ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥

ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥

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

NOW…

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

I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;

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

ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥