How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?

Last Updated: 02.07.2025 04:17

How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?

ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥

ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥

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.

Chinese EV Makers Pull Away From Tesla With Sales Gains - Barron's

ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥

Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:

My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||

The FCC is cracking down on EchoStar’s deployment of 5G. - The Verge

Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,

He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.

Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326

Do you like to wear a see-through skirt?

One day, a desire welled up in my mind.

Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92

ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥

What is the difference between the terms "Millennials" and "kids"?

I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||

I went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.

ਬ੍ਰਹਮ is Brahm i.e the Brahman of vedanta but it gets interpreted as an all-pervading lord god.

Early AI investor Elad Gil finds his next big bet: AI-powered rollups - TechCrunch

ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥

So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!

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.

Twins reinstate Byron Buxton from concussion injured list - Sports Illustrated

I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.

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.

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!

8 Signs You Should See a Cardiologist, According to Doctors - EatingWell

———————————————————————————————————————

Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,

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.

'Love Island USA' recap: Who got dumped from the villa? Did Huda Mustafa get kicked off? - Cincinnati Enquirer

There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,

ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥

Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)

Strange signals detected from Antarctic ice seem to defy laws of physics. Scientists are searching for an answer - Yahoo

That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||

There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.

We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,

Experts are certain, the next major volcanic eruption will cause climate chaos. - Farmingdale Observer

I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.

ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥

ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ

Sam Burns leads US Open with 65 and avoids calamity at Oakmont - AP News

Here ਨਿਰਗੁਣ is Nirgun and not just lord. This is just another example to show that Kabir himself continued in the NIRGUN BHAKTI path.

then who is there to know what happens without?

ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥

Remainder of Bonnaroo 2025 canceled in Tennessee due to severe weather - CNN

Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||

Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?

You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.

Humans have evolved and become hairless and odor free. How do other races learn about evolution since evolution does not apply to them?

I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||

ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥

With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||

I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.

यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।

There the streams of light flow in all directions, few are the men who can cross to that shore!

Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.

ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥

At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||

================================================================

Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)

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

ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥

Kabir (a weaver)

To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.

Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?

— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen

I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.

The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||

ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥

Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||

ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥

ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||

ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥

From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195

These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,

ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥

— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore

ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥

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

ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥

Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.

You are totally pervading and permeating in all.

ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥

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.

I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||

The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||

ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥

ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥

I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;

ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥

My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||

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.

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.

Wherever I go, I find water and stones.

Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.

I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.

ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥

ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know

ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥

— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore

ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥

Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.

For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;

Now here in this verse

ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥

Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,

I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.

ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥

ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧

Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.

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.

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…

———————————————————————————————————————

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.

Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!

Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.

ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥

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.

ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥

Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.

One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:

ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥

The young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.

That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||

ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥

But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.

ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥

All the men and women of the world are His living forms.

Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating against anyone by gender, class or caste and they included even people from humble origins like

ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥

I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.

Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.

ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥

He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),

Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325

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.

Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;

As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,

Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.

ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥

Meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||

Sain (a barber)

Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?

How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||

ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥

CONCLUSION:

Says Kabeer, this is what I say:

I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||

I am like a fish out of water,

ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥

ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥

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.

Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,

Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.

ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥

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.

Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.

Sikhism is a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!

ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥

If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?

ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥

———————————————————————————————————————

Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.

=======================================================

Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325

NOW…

ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥

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.

If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,

Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and

Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir

How can they kill the mother, whose milk they drink like that of a wet nurse?

Let’s look at the most used verse by McSikhs to show that Sikhs are neither Hindus nor Muslims.

Raamaanand Jee, First House: