How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?
Last Updated: 18.06.2025 11:27
Says Kabeer, this is what I say:
I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.
ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥
Why do I keep waking up at 4 AM?
— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen
One day, a desire welled up in my mind.
ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥
I can not sleep. what is the problem?
— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||
What will the legacy of Jimmy Carter be in light of his death today at 100?
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
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.
Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?
How does growing up in chaos affect a child as they become an adult?
— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,
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.
What is the most heartbreaking or sad love story that you ever had (experienced)?
ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥
Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!
We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,
Does Donald Trump have low self-esteem?
ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥
Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,
Meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||
Why is my ex trying to provoke an argument with me?
Raamaanand Jee, First House:
ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥
What did your sister do to you that you can never forget?
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.
All the men and women of the world are His living forms.
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Why does a narcissist act like it's nothing when they hurt you?
I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||
Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)
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!
What kind of person does a narcissist hate?
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.
ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥
Kabir (a weaver)
How do I get a white man for a serious relationship?
My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||
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.
then who is there to know what happens without?
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥
ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥
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…
He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),
There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.
Why do I sweat so much at the gym?
ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥
You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.
ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥
What do men like to be given for their birthday?
Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥
He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||
ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥
To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥
यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।
ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥
But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.
So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!
How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?
He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.
Wherever I go, I find water and stones.
I went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.
ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥
Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||
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.
I am like a fish out of water,
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.
CONCLUSION:
Sain (a barber)
ਬ੍ਰਹਮ is Brahm i.e the Brahman of vedanta but it gets interpreted as an all-pervading lord god.
Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.
Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥
That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||
ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥
I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||
With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ
ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥
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.
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.
I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)
Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and
Let’s look at the most used verse by McSikhs to show that Sikhs are neither Hindus nor Muslims.
ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥
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 ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧
Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||
Sikhism is a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!
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Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.
ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||
For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;
Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.
Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||
Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.
I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;
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Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir
You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.
Here ਨਿਰਗੁਣ is Nirgun and not just lord. This is just another example to show that Kabir himself continued in the NIRGUN BHAKTI path.
I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||
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
ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,
NOW…
My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||
At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||
Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.
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.
ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥
The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||
From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195
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.
ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.
As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,
ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥
ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:
Now here in this verse
ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥
Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326
ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥
The young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.
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ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥
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.
Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,
How can they kill the mother, whose milk they drink like that of a wet nurse?
ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥
ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥
Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating against anyone by gender, class or caste and they included even people from humble origins like
There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
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
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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.
I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥
Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?
I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.
Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,
Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?
ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥
There the streams of light flow in all directions, few are the men who can cross to that shore!
ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥
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.