How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?
Last Updated: 18.06.2025 00:35
There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,
ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥
Why did my ex-narcissist move so fast with his new supply marriage engagement moving in, etc.?
All the men and women of the world are His living forms.
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.
Meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥
ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
Some men love anal sex more than vaginal sex. Why?
I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.
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…
There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.
Can you turn 150 pages into a 5 minute presentation before a meeting?
ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥
Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.
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If women aren't shallow, why do most tall, good-looking men have girlfriends?
Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)
But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.
ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
Now here in this verse
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ
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.
यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।
He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),
Have you ever been forced to undress for money just once?
Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
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.
ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥
Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.
Why do diabetic people sweat so much?
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
That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
Let’s look at the most used verse by McSikhs to show that Sikhs are neither Hindus nor Muslims.
Here ਨਿਰਗੁਣ is Nirgun and not just lord. This is just another example to show that Kabir himself continued in the NIRGUN BHAKTI path.
ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥
NOW…
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.
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧
ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.
I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||
Sikhism is a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥
ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥
Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and
ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥
— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥
ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.
ਬ੍ਰਹਮ is Brahm i.e the Brahman of vedanta but it gets interpreted as an all-pervading lord god.
Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,
ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥
ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥
Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
CONCLUSION:
ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195
Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?
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.
He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.
Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||
Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥
Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥
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Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,
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.
At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||
That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||
ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥
Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?
I am like a fish out of water,
We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,
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.
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.
I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥
ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥
Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.
You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?
I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:
He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||
— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen
Sain (a barber)
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326
My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||
Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.
ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥
ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥
How can they kill the mother, whose milk they drink like that of a wet nurse?
Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)
ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥
ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥
Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||
The young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.
As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,
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 ॥
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥
ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥
ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
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I went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.
So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!
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!
Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating against anyone by gender, class or caste and they included even people from humble origins like
I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.
Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir
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
Says Kabeer, this is what I say:
These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,
Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||
then who is there to know what happens without?
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.
How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||
I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||
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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.
Raamaanand Jee, First House:
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.
Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,
Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know
ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥
You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.
Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.
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.
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ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥
To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.
Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?
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!
ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥
ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥
I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.
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.
Wherever I go, I find water and stones.
Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,
For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;
Kabir (a weaver)
My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||
If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,
ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
One day, a desire welled up in my mind.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92
I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||
— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥