How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?
16.06.2025 09:09
Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating against anyone by gender, class or caste and they included even people from humble origins like
Says Kabeer, this is what I say:
At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||
How can they kill the mother, whose milk they drink like that of a wet nurse?
Why do flat-Earthers think the Earth is flat?
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.
Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.
Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?
Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!
ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥
Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.
I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||
Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.
ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥
Why are Capri cigarettes so expensive?
ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥
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
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
Scientists Discover Mysterious Human Lineage with No Descendants - The Daily Galaxy
ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.
Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥
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.
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||
What's the most valuable lesson you've learned in life, and how has it impacted your journey so far?
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!
Can you show pictures of your penis, big or small?
You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥
I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
What are some tips for a girl with low self-esteem to start dating?
ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥
There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.
How can people balance religious beliefs with seeking professional mental health care?
Raamaanand Jee, First House:
That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||
If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?
What are 10 interesting facts about you?
Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
How come Jesus died on Friday and rose on Sunday? That's not 3 days and three nights.
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.
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.
Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know
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.
Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:
There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,
One day, a desire welled up in my mind.
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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 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.
Let’s look at the most used verse by McSikhs to show that Sikhs are neither Hindus nor Muslims.
Wherever I go, I find water and stones.
These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,
ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥
All the men and women of the world are His living forms.
I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.
ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥
The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||
ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥
यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।
— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥
ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥
NOW…
Sain (a barber)
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.
I am like a fish out of water,
Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,
— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92
Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,
———————————————————————————————————————
Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;
ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥
=======================================================
CONCLUSION:
ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥
That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||
ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥
ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥
As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,
ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
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.
Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)
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…
I went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.
I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||
Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||
———————————————————————————————————————
Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||
Here ਨਿਰਗੁਣ is Nirgun and not just lord. This is just another example to show that Kabir himself continued in the NIRGUN BHAKTI path.
ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
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 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.
Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?
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!
With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||
ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥
Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,
Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,
Now here in this verse
———————————————————————————————————————
Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and
ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥
The young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.
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.
ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥
ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥
then who is there to know what happens without?
ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥
To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.
— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
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.
Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.
ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥
My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥
If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326
He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.
We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,
There the streams of light flow in all directions, few are the men who can cross to that shore!
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ
You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
ਬ੍ਰਹਮ is Brahm i.e the Brahman of vedanta but it gets interpreted as an 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.
ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥
I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||
Kabir (a weaver)
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.
My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥
He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||
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.
ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥
For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;
ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥
ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195
Sikhism is a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!
ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.
ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥
ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;
Meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||
ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥
Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.
Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥
He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),