How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?
Last Updated: 19.06.2025 07:46
Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥
ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥
What makes someone feel "rich enough" in different societies?
ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
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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.
Do the British people realize how much American people absolutely despise them?
ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥
Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.
What’s the weirdest phone call you have ever received?
Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.
He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||
— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
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.
Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?
How has your life changed since starting college?
We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,
I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.
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.
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
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥
Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,
What toxic behavior has been normalized by society?
ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥
Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥
Is it okay or problematic to be both Black and gay in society in the 21st century?
— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen
My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||
There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.
How is cultural invasion being carried out by Bollywood?
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
ਬ੍ਰਹਮ is Brahm i.e the Brahman of vedanta but it gets interpreted as an all-pervading lord god.
So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!
What is your worst experience in life?
At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||
Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,
यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।
What’s the saddest thing you’ve seen at your job?
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?
Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.
What makes females believe or think abortions are part of a woman’s rights?
Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!
ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥
ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥
Why do we exist, and why are we conscious?
The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||
ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥
Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating against anyone by gender, class or caste and they included even people from humble origins like
I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥
ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥
Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326
Sikhism is a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!
CONCLUSION:
My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||
ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥
ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥
If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?
How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.
ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
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.
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥
I went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.
From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195
I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
I am like a fish out of water,
ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥
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.
One day, a desire welled up in my mind.
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Sain (a barber)
Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.
ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥
Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)
I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||
Meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||
I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.
Let’s look at the most used verse by McSikhs to show that Sikhs are neither Hindus nor Muslims.
I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.
ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥
Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)
ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥
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He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.
ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥
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.
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;
NOW…
ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
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
ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥
Says Kabeer, this is what I say:
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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 ॥
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧
You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.
Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,
ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥
You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
Here ਨਿਰਗੁਣ is Nirgun and not just lord. This is just another example to show that Kabir himself continued in the NIRGUN BHAKTI path.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92
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!
I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||
The young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.
ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥
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.
Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know
These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,
ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥
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.
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.
Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and
ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥
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.
Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;
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ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥
Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?
That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||
Wherever I go, I find water and stones.
then who is there to know what happens without?
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||
Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.
Now here in this verse
How can they kill the mother, whose milk they drink like that of a wet nurse?
All the men and women of the world are His living forms.
ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||
I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||
Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,
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.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.
Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir
With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||
To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.
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.
There the streams of light flow in all directions, few are the men who can cross to that shore!
ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥
Raamaanand Jee, First House:
ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥
He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),
— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,
ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ
ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥
I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.
Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.
I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;
ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
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, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,
ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
Kabir (a weaver)
ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
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.
Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||