How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?
10.06.2025 12:36
The young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
Meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||
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.
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.
Raamaanand Jee, First House:
Have you had any paranormal activity situations happen personally to you or someone you know?
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥
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.
ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥
What are some funny and smart quotes?
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.
All the men and women of the world are His living forms.
ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥
Why cant I stop thinking about counsellor between sessions?
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥
Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.
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We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,
Wherever I go, I find water and stones.
Sikhism is a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.
I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥
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ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥
Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.
Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.
I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.
Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!
ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥
NOW…
Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating against anyone by gender, class or caste and they included even people from humble origins like
At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||
With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||
Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||
ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
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.
Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?
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.
The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||
Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir
ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥
How can they kill the mother, whose milk they drink like that of a wet nurse?
ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥
ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥
You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ
ਬ੍ਰਹਮ is Brahm i.e the Brahman of vedanta but it gets interpreted as an all-pervading lord god.
Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326
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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Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.
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
ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥
then who is there to know what happens without?
ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥
I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥
ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92
I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.
He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧
ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥
ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:
Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.
He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
Kabir (a weaver)
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.
I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||
If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥
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.
ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥
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.
He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||
यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।
These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,
Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,
Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||
I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;
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.
From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195
Here ਨਿਰਗੁਣ is Nirgun and not just lord. This is just another example to show that Kabir himself continued in the NIRGUN BHAKTI path.
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.
ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||
ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥
I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)
ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥
There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.
ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥
As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥
You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.
ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥
ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥
My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||
There the streams of light flow in all directions, few are the men who can cross to that shore!
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥
I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,
— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen
I am like a fish out of water,
ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
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.
CONCLUSION:
That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥
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.
Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥
How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||
Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,
Let’s look at the most used verse by McSikhs to show that Sikhs are neither Hindus nor Muslims.
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
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Sain (a barber)
Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;
Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know
Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,
So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!
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I went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.
One day, a desire welled up in my mind.
ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥
That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||
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.
I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||
Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥
Now here in this verse
Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.
Says Kabeer, this is what I say:
ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥
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…
Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.
Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and
Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?
But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.
For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;
ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥
— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,
ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥
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!
I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||
— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore