How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?
Last Updated: 18.06.2025 11:44
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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, this is what I say:
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.
Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥
I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.
Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||
ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥
ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥
Do most narcissists have good intentions as long as you are under their control?
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?
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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The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||
ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥
Sain (a barber)
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— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
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…
Why would my nipples hurt when I touch them?
Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:
So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!
I’m 17 and looking for a girl. What do I do?
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
Wherever I go, I find water and stones.
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He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),
These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,
I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!
ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥
ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥
Raamaanand Jee, First House:
ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.
Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.
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.
I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.
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.
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥
There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.
Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and
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.
CONCLUSION:
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥
ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥
Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.
Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.
— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen
He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.
ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥
ਬ੍ਰਹਮ is Brahm i.e the Brahman of vedanta but it gets interpreted as an all-pervading lord god.
ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥
Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;
Kabir (a weaver)
यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।
Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
NOW…
ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥
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.
ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥
At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||
I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||
The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||
ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,
I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
There the streams of light flow in all directions, few are the men who can cross to that shore!
But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.
Sikhism is a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!
All the men and women of the world are His living forms.
Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir
ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥
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.
ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥
ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥
ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥
Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.
ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
One day, a desire welled up in my mind.
You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
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Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||
For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;
You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.
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.
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ
I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||
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.
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
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥
Let’s look at the most used verse by McSikhs to show that Sikhs are neither Hindus nor Muslims.
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
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.
I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.
ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧
I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||
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Here ਨਿਰਗੁਣ is Nirgun and not just lord. This is just another example to show that Kabir himself continued in the NIRGUN BHAKTI path.
As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,
How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.
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॥
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.
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
ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥
I am like a fish out of water,
ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥
To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.
How can they kill the mother, whose milk they drink like that of a wet nurse?
Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?
ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥
I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||
ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
Now here in this verse
From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195
Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.
Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?
ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥
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.
He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||
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With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||
— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥
ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥
My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||
ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
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!
then who is there to know what happens without?
That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||
Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||
Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating against anyone by gender, class or caste and they included even people from humble origins like
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.
Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know
ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92
ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥
ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥
Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326
Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?
The young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.
Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.
There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,
Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥
Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,