How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?
Last Updated: 03.07.2025 01:05
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ
ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥
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.
He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),
ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥
From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195
What is world history that not many people know about?
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— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.
Have your parents ever walked in on you?
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!
Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
Sain (a barber)
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.
My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||
ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥
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ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥
then who is there to know what happens without?
ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥
Asperiores culpa provident similique ab.
I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||
Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;
How can they kill the mother, whose milk they drink like that of a wet nurse?
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Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,
There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,
ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||
Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.
Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know
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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
ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥
These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,
Says Kabeer, this is what I say:
— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥
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Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir
I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥
The young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.
Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?
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.
My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||
Here ਨਿਰਗੁਣ is Nirgun and not just lord. This is just another example to show that Kabir himself continued in the NIRGUN BHAKTI path.
ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥
Wherever I go, I find water and stones.
ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥
Let’s look at the most used verse by McSikhs to show that Sikhs are neither Hindus nor Muslims.
For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;
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…
Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and
If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?
I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.
ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
All the men and women of the world are His living forms.
I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||
That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||
As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,
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You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)
The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||
ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,
ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||
ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,
ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥
CONCLUSION:
ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥
With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||
I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Sikhism is a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!
I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.
ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥
You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.
Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!
ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥
But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.
He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||
One day, a desire welled up in my mind.
Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.
Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
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ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥
That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||
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 millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,
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.
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.
Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?
ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥
I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
Kabir (a weaver)
ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥
I am like a fish out of water,
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥
There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.
ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥
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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.
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
Raamaanand Jee, First House:
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:
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.
At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||
ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧
Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,
Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.
If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,
Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.
ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥
Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)
How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||
— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen
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.
ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥
NOW…
Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?
There the streams of light flow in all directions, few are the men who can cross to that shore!
Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.
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
ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥
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.
Now here in this verse
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥
ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥
ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥
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 am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
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.
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥
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.
ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥
ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥
I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||
I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326
So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!
ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥
ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥
Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.
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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.
I went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.
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.
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.
Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.
ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
ਬ੍ਰਹਮ is Brahm i.e the Brahman of vedanta but it gets interpreted as an all-pervading lord god.