How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?
12.06.2025 03:13
ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥
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.
ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥
How are max different from medical and minimum security prisons?
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||
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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.
ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥
ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥
As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ
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Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
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.
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?
ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥
You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.
Why am I so tired of seeing homeless people all over the place?
I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||
But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.
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.
All the men and women of the world are His living forms.
For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;
I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.
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ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥
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!
ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥
Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?
Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.
Why are Americans obese? Is it the food or is it the psychology?
How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||
I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||
There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.
ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥
Kabir (a weaver)
He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||
Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
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.
I am like a fish out of water,
ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥
यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।
Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥
With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||
That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||
Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,
ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥
ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥
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
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.
There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,
ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥
Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?
=======================================================
My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||
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.
ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥
I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.
ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥
Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:
One day, a desire welled up in my mind.
ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥
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.
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.
Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)
Meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||
I went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.
Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.
———————————————————————————————————————
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||
Wherever I go, I find water and stones.
Raamaanand Jee, First House:
Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.
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Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.
Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥
To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.
So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!
I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||
Sikhism is a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!
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),
ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥
ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥
ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥
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.
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧
Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥
NOW…
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.
Sain (a barber)
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.
ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥
I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.
At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||
Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.
ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥
ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.
If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,
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.
Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||
Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,
That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||
My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||
Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||
Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir
— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen
———————————————————————————————————————
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating against anyone by gender, class or caste and they included even people from humble origins like
Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.
These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,
How can they kill the mother, whose milk they drink like that of a wet nurse?
Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?
You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥
ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥
———————————————————————————————————————
Says Kabeer, this is what I say:
From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
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
I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥
There the streams of light flow in all directions, few are the men who can cross to that shore!
Now here in this verse
The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||
ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥
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.
I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥
Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.
then who is there to know what happens without?
The young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.
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…
ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥
ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92
CONCLUSION:
We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,
Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
ਬ੍ਰਹਮ is Brahm i.e the Brahman of vedanta but it gets interpreted as an all-pervading lord god.
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.