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

09.06.2025 01:06

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

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

Says Kabeer, this is what I say:

ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥

Do you believe that it is right that one Federal judge can block a President's decisions?

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

ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥

ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥

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There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,

ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥

ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥

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

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

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.

Are today’s baseball pitchers faster than a few years ago, or is it that radar guns have improved and get the pitch speed as it is released rather than as it reaches the plate?

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

ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥

Now here in this verse

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

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.

ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥

How did your marriage end?

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

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

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.

Why is only the left side of my vagina bleeding, on and off?

Raamaanand Jee, First House:

ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥

I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.

What are the consequences of being addicted to something? Is it considered wrong to have an addiction?

ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥

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

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

How do I identify fake friends in life?

Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir

ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥

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.

Why are the bands Smashmouth and Nickelback often used as punchlines?

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

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

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

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

ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ

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

What are some great short jokes?

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

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

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

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Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.

You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.

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

ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥

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

I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.

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

ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥

ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥

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

— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore

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

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ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥

ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥

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.

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

ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥

ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥

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

ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥

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.

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

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

Wherever I go, I find water and stones.

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

ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥

then who is there to know what happens without?

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

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.

ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥

Sain (a barber)

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

I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;

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

ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥

NOW…

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

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

From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195

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

These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,

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

Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and

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

I am like a fish out of water,

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

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

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

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

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

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

ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥

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

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

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

You are totally pervading and permeating in all.

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

ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥

ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

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

Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.

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

ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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…

Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)

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

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

ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥

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

ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥

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

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

Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?

Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)

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.

ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥

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

Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:

ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

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

ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥

ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥

— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore

ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥

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.

ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥

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

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

ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥

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

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

ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥

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ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥

ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥

ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥

ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥

ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥

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

— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen

ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥

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

ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥

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.

One day, a desire welled up in my mind.

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

Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know

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.

Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.

Kabir (a weaver)

CONCLUSION:

ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧

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.

ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥

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

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