How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?
Last Updated: 26.06.2025 19:16
Sikhism is a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!
I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||
Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
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That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||
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 have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||
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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.
You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.
Says Kabeer, this is what I say:
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Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥
Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir
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ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
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ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
What do all Indian parents have in common?
ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥
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.
ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
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Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.
Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||
ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥
ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
All the men and women of the world are His living forms.
With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||
What are some of your shocking stories?
How can they kill the mother, whose milk they drink like that of a wet nurse?
He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.
CONCLUSION:
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ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥
Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know
ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥
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At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||
ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥
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!
What is the nastiest thing you had your wife do and she loved it?
Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||
I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.
I am like a fish out of water,
Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.
ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥
ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥
I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥
ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧
ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥
Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
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.
He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,
I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
Kabir (a weaver)
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥
Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.
I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||
ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥
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.
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.
He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||
ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥
Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?
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
Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?
The young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.
Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)
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
How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||
There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,
As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,
That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
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.
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,
I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;
ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥
ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥
ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥
Wherever I go, I find water and stones.
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.
Here ਨਿਰਗੁਣ is Nirgun and not just lord. This is just another example to show that Kabir himself continued in the NIRGUN BHAKTI path.
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Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:
यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।
Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!
ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!
Sain (a barber)
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ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥
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.
Now here in this verse
One day, a desire welled up in my mind.
My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||
ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen
ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥
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.
ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥
I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.
ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
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…
Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?
NOW…
ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥
— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,
Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,
The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||
There the streams of light flow in all directions, few are the men who can cross to that shore!
I went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.
ਬ੍ਰਹਮ is Brahm i.e the Brahman of vedanta but it gets interpreted as an all-pervading lord god.
I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.
ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥
ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥
Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)
ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥
ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥
If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥
Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.
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I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||
There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.
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.
then who is there to know what happens without?
But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.
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ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥
Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,
Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.
ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥
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.
For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
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.
Raamaanand Jee, First House:
Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating against anyone by gender, class or caste and they included even people from humble origins like
Let’s look at the most used verse by McSikhs to show that Sikhs are neither Hindus nor Muslims.
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥
Meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||
Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥
These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,
You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ
Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.
From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195
— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?
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.
ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥
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.
My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||