How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?
13.06.2025 08:22
ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥
At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||
That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||
The #1 Underrated Vegetable with More Vitamin C Than an Orange, According to Dietitians - EatingWell
Meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||
But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.
Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||
Why do most Indian women cuckold or cheat on their husbands?
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!
All the men and women of the world are His living forms.
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…
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.
ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)
Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,
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ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
Have you ever had sex with your mother-in-law? If so, how was it and did your wife ever find out?
I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||
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
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.
What is your wildest experience in Bangalore that you haven’t told anyone?
ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥
With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
Do Flat Earthers exist today? If so, where do they live?
He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||
ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥
Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating against anyone by gender, class or caste and they included even people from humble origins like
I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||
I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.
I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||
How do I build rapport with anybody?
I went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.
ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥
There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,
What do most wives fantasize about?
How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||
ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
Wherever I go, I find water and stones.
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.
ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥
He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),
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.
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥
Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Now here in this verse
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.
NOW…
To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.
CONCLUSION:
— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen
ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92
ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥
ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥
Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.
We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,
Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;
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.
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||
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Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir
I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.
There the streams of light flow in all directions, few are the men who can cross to that shore!
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.
For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ
ਬ੍ਰਹਮ is Brahm i.e the Brahman of vedanta but it gets interpreted as an all-pervading lord god.
So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!
ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥
ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326
Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?
I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥
I am like a fish out of water,
Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?
My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||
ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
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
ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥
Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||
ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥
यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।
Let’s look at the most used verse by McSikhs to show that Sikhs are neither Hindus nor Muslims.
There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.
Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.
Sain (a barber)
Says Kabeer, this is what I say:
Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know
— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥
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.
ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥
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.
ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥
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.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.
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.
How can they kill the mother, whose milk they drink like that of a wet nurse?
One day, a desire welled up in my mind.
ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥
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ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥
I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||
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.
ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥
The young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.
Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!
— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.
ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥
ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥
Raamaanand Jee, First House:
Kabir (a weaver)
then who is there to know what happens without?
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.
Sikhism is a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195
Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.
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ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥
ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧
I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.
He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.
ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥
ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥
ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.
Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,
Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.
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 Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,
That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||
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.
These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?
Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.
As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,
Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?
Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:
Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,
The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||
ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥
ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥
Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,