How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?
Last Updated: 23.06.2025 13:56
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
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One day, a desire welled up in my mind.
When you have seven hours to kill, what should one do?
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
ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥
ਬ੍ਰਹਮ is Brahm i.e the Brahman of vedanta but it gets interpreted as an all-pervading lord god.
— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥
ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥
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I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||
Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.
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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Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and
Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥
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Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;
ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥
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.
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I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||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.
Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||
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You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
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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.
Now here in this verse
There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.
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Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know
As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,
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ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥
You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥
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So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating against anyone by gender, class or caste and they included even people from humble origins like
Let’s look at the most used verse by McSikhs to show that Sikhs are neither Hindus nor Muslims.
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How can they kill the mother, whose milk they drink like that of a wet nurse?
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If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326
Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.
Can you wash a dog with washing liquid used for humans?
ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥
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.
Raamaanand Jee, First House:
यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥
Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,
Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,
Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||
Sain (a barber)
We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,
For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;
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He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.
Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.
The young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.
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…
Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!
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.
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.
ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥
Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.
There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,
Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?
ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92
My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||
NOW…
He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),
I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.
ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥
Sikhism is a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!
— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
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 ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥
Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.
ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||
Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.
Meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||
To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.
I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;
I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.
ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥
ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥
ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥
ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||
These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,
I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||
Says Kabeer, this is what I say:
There the streams of light flow in all directions, few are the men who can cross to that shore!
ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥
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!
ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥
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.
ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥
I went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:
ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥
— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
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
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥
then who is there to know what happens without?
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
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.
I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.
He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||
ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥
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.
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥
ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥
Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.
Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir
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.
CONCLUSION:
Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?
ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥
I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||
ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥
Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,
I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.
Kabir (a weaver)
With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||
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.
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.
Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)
I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||
ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
Wherever I go, I find water and stones.
If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,
But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.
Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.
Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,
ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥
ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥
My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||
That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ
ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
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||
ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥
I am like a fish out of water,
ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥
All the men and women of the world are His living forms.
ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥
Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥
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
ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧
Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥