How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?
Last Updated: 16.06.2025 05:29
Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?
ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥
Sikhism is a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:
If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,
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 am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.
ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||
What are some examples of unofficial acts by presidents?
Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?
ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥
What does it mean if someone asks if it’s pink?
ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥
Raamaanand Jee, First House:
Who are the IT boys of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th generation in K-pop?
ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥
If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?
The young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
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…
ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥
Why do men date women they are not really interested in?
Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||
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.
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.
Why is only the left side of my vagina bleeding, on and off?
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.
ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥
Sain (a barber)
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.
ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥
ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥
How has your life changed since starting college?
Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?
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.
Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.
ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥
For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.
How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||
CONCLUSION:
The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||
ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥
ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;
Let’s look at the most used verse by McSikhs to show that Sikhs are neither Hindus nor Muslims.
ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥
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?
ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥
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.
ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥
Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,
But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.
ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥
My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||
All the men and women of the world are His living forms.
ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥
ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥
Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.
So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!
ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥
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.
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!
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
Kabir (a weaver)
My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||
Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.
With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||
Now here in this verse
I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||
ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥
There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,
ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,
Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating against anyone by gender, class or caste and they included even people from humble origins like
He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),
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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.
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
I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||
I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;
ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
There the streams of light flow in all directions, few are the men who can cross to that shore!
I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.
At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||
Meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||
— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.
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
Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||
ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥
He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.
ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥
We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥
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.
Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)
then who is there to know what happens without?
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ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥
Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir
NOW…
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||
Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)
ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥
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.
ਬ੍ਰਹਮ is Brahm i.e the Brahman of vedanta but it gets interpreted as an all-pervading lord god.
Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know
Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.
ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.
You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥
I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥
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.
Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!
Says Kabeer, this is what I say:
To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥
ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥
— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
I am like a fish out of water,
Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.
I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.
That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥
That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92
Wherever I go, I find water and stones.
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Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and
ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥
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I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.
ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧
Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195
As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,
I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||
Here ਨਿਰਗੁਣ is Nirgun and not just lord. This is just another example to show that Kabir himself continued in the NIRGUN BHAKTI path.
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One day, a desire welled up in my mind.
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.
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326
Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.
यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।
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 went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.