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

Last Updated: 02.07.2025 01:25

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

Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)

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

— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen

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ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥

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

Which country do you recommend for me to live in, England, the USA, Italy, Spanish, or Austria?

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.

ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥

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ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥

ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥

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

What is the reason behind some people wearing trunks instead of speedos when swimming in pools?

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

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 like a fish out of water,

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Wherever I go, I find water and stones.

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

ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥

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

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.

From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195

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ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥

Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?

ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥

Why do women like black men?

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

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

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

Says Kabeer, this is what I say:

Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.

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

One day, a desire welled up in my mind.

ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥

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Raamaanand Jee, First House:

You are totally pervading and permeating in all.

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

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Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)

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

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

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I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.

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

ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥

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

ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥

ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥

ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥

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.

ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥

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

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

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

ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥

then who is there to know what happens without?

ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥

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…

I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;

NOW…

ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥

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

ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥

Now here in this verse

ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥

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

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

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.

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

I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.

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

ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥

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

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.

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

ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥

ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥

ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥

Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir

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

ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ

ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧

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

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

Kabir (a weaver)

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

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

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

ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥

ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥

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

ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥

ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥

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

ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥

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

ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥

Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.

ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥

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

ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥

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.

There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,

Sain (a barber)

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

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.

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.

You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.

ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥

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

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

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

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

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 ॥

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

ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥

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

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.

ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥

Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and

Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.

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

ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,

— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore

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

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

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 ॥

Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know

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

ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥

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

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

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

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

— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore

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

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

ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥

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

ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥

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

ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥

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

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

ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥

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

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

Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:

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!

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

ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥

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

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

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

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