How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?
Last Updated: 29.06.2025 12:42
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Sikhism is a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!
Morale craters at State Department as mass layoffs loom - The Washington Post
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥
Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.
ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥
PGA Tour Announces Unfortunate News About Multiple Golfers During US Open - Athlon Sports
— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
Earth’s oldest living creature unearthed—dating back 700 million years - The Brighter Side of News
He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
A father of 3 felt healthy. Then a routine screening found a rare, deadly illness. - CBS News
I went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.
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.
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.
Why did Trump call Biden and Schumer Palestinians?
ਬ੍ਰਹਮ is Brahm i.e the Brahman of vedanta but it gets interpreted as an all-pervading lord god.
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 do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.
This Vitamin May Lower Your Stroke Risk by 17%, New Study Says - EatingWell
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
———————————————————————————————————————
Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,
One day, a desire welled up in my mind.
ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥
Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?
Higher-Earning Shoppers Hit the Dollar Store as Spending Tightens - WSJ
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.
I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;
=======================================================
What melts your heart every time without fail?
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.
Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||
He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||
Mark Hughes: Mercedes can disrupt McLaren-Verstappen fight - The Race
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.
Meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||
How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||
New COVID variant is spreading. Don’t underestimate it, experts say. - NJ.com
Kabir (a weaver)
Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.
ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥
European probe snaps first images of the sun's south pole - NBC News
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,
Let’s look at the most used verse by McSikhs to show that Sikhs are neither Hindus nor Muslims.
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.
Eating green bananas can lower your risk of cancer by over 60% - The Brighter Side of News
The young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.
ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥
Now here in this verse
Former NFL QB says Shedeur Sanders was custom-made for Stefanski’s offense - Dawgs By Nature
ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥
These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,
———————————————————————————————————————
ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥
My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||
ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥
I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥
ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥
If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,
That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||
ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥
Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
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…
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 can see that great saints like Kabir and Ravidas etc… descended from the Ramananda sampradaya which is still the largest ascetic order in India.
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥
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.
Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.
ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥
Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,
He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),
I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||
ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||
With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||
As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧
ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥
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
ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥
Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326
Raamaanand Jee, First House:
But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.
Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,
ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥
There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,
ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥
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.
Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:
———————————————————————————————————————
Says Kabeer, this is what I say:
Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?
You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥
================================================================
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।
ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥
Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||
— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥
At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥
ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
I am like a fish out of water,
then who is there to know what happens without?
Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥
There the streams of light flow in all directions, few are the men who can cross to that shore!
ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥
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.
ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥
ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥
To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.
I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir
I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.
— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ
Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating against anyone by gender, class or caste and they included even people from humble origins like
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 Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||
ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥
Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.
That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||
How can they kill the mother, whose milk they drink like that of a wet nurse?
Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)
Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know
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
ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥
If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?
I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.
ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
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.
ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥
So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!
I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||
ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||
Wherever I go, I find water and stones.
CONCLUSION:
Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;
You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.
ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥
Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)
Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;
Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.
Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?
All the men and women of the world are His living forms.
From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195
Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,
ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥
There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.
I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||
ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥
ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥
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.
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
Sain (a barber)
Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!
NOW…
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.