How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?
Last Updated: 25.06.2025 06:33
Says Kabeer, this is what I say:
Raamaanand Jee, First House:
ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥
— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥
Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.
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The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
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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
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧
I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.
Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?
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I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.
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यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।
So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!
ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
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That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||
ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥
ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥
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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 young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.
Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,
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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.
Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir
You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.
Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and
ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)
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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
ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥
I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥
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.
You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
One day, a desire welled up in my mind.
I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||
— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen
Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥
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!
We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥
He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),
I am like a fish out of water,
ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥
— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥
At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||
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 ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥
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 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.
Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)
ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥
ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥
Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||
Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;
All the men and women of the world are His living forms.
Let’s look at the most used verse by McSikhs to show that Sikhs are neither Hindus nor Muslims.
From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195
If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥
Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.
ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥
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
How can they kill the mother, whose milk they drink like that of a wet nurse?
Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Sain (a barber)
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥
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.
Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,
Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?
Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.
Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,
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.
He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.
Meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥
Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?
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To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||
ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326
ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥
ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥
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.
With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||
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!
I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;
Kabir (a weaver)
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥
Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!
ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥
ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥
Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.
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.
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.
CONCLUSION:
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There the streams of light flow in all directions, few are the men who can cross to that shore!
He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||
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 ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.
I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:
For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;
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ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥
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.
If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?
There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,
As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,
ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥
Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.
But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.
ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
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||
Now here in this verse
That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||
ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥
I went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.
ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥
then who is there to know what happens without?
NOW…
ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥
Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
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.
My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||
ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||
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.
These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,
Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.
I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||
I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||
Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.
How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
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.
ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,