How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?
Last Updated: 19.06.2025 23:52
Sikhism is a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!
ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥
ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥
Joey Chestnut, barred last July, returns to Nathan’s hot dog eating contest - The Washington Post
ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥
There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.
I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.
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To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.
With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||
If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,
Are judges being lenient on hard criminals?
Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.
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.
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
ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥
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…
Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,
Would the word literate carry the same meaning with public (common wealth) in 1900 vs today 2020?
He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.
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.
Wherever I go, I find water and stones.
Any straight men had a gay experience in the past? What was it and how did you feel?
I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
I am like a fish out of water,
ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥
From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
Let’s look at the most used verse by McSikhs to show that Sikhs are neither Hindus nor Muslims.
ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥
Why are white women so hard to date?
The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||
So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!
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ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥
Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.
These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,
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Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.
ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||
Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?
ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥
That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||
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.
We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,
— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
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.
My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||
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.
ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥
There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,
Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;
Meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||
ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥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.
I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.
Raamaanand Jee, First House:
I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;
ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ
The young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧
If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?
There the streams of light flow in all directions, few are the men who can cross to that shore!
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:
CONCLUSION:
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ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥
ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥
Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||
Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!
One day, a desire welled up in my mind.
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.
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.
Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating against anyone by gender, class or caste and they included even people from humble origins like
ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥
That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||
He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||
You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥
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.
I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||
Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)
I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||
ਬ੍ਰਹਮ is Brahm i.e the Brahman of vedanta but it gets interpreted as an all-pervading lord god.
ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥
ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥
All the men and women of the world are His living forms.
But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.
I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||
He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),
Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||
Sain (a barber)
Here ਨਿਰਗੁਣ is Nirgun and not just lord. This is just another example to show that Kabir himself continued in the NIRGUN BHAKTI path.
You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥
ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥
For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥
ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥
— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥
ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and
Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥
ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥
I went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
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.
Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,
Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)
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My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||
— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92
Says Kabeer, this is what I say:
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||
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
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥
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.
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!
ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥
Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.
Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.
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.
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.
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥
ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥
Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.
Kabir (a weaver)
Now here in this verse
NOW…
ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥
As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,
I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir
यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
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.
I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.
ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥
Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥
Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.
Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?
Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,
How can they kill the mother, whose milk they drink like that of a wet nurse?
Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326
then who is there to know what happens without?
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know
Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
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.