How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?
Last Updated: 28.06.2025 23:50
Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.
ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥
I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.
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Kabir (a weaver)
Sikhism is a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!
Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?
He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||
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.
ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥
Should a male with long hair comb his hair daily?
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
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ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥
What do people usually do when they wake up at 5:00 am?
With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||
Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.
then who is there to know what happens without?
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Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.
ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥
Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.
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ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥
ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥
These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,
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All the men and women of the world are His living forms.
Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.
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If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||
What is the sluttiest thing your wife has ever done?
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
I went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.
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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.
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.
ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||
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But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.
How can they kill the mother, whose milk they drink like that of a wet nurse?
ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥
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Raamaanand Jee, First House:
Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,
Meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||
Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.
ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥
Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||
ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥
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.
ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥
Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!
ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥
ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥
Now here in this verse
For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;
ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326
I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!
CONCLUSION:
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ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥
I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.
— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧
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
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥
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.
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!
Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
There the streams of light flow in all directions, few are the men who can cross to that shore!
ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥
That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||
Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.
Says Kabeer, this is what I say:
Here ਨਿਰਗੁਣ is Nirgun and not just lord. This is just another example to show that Kabir himself continued in the NIRGUN BHAKTI path.
My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||
Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)
Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)
I am like a fish out of water,
Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||
I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||
My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||
I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;
Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know
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ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥
Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,
Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating against anyone by gender, class or caste and they included even people from humble origins like
ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥
ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥
I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.
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.
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥
यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।
ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
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
Let’s look at the most used verse by McSikhs to show that Sikhs are neither Hindus nor Muslims.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥
Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;
You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),
ਬ੍ਰਹਮ is Brahm i.e the Brahman of vedanta but it gets interpreted as an all-pervading lord god.
Wherever I go, I find water and stones.
ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥
If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,
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Sain (a barber)
One day, a desire welled up in my mind.
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ
I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
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…
From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195
We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,
The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||
As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,
ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.
I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||
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.
You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.
ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥
Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,
— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen
ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥
Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.
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.
Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥
ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥
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.
Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and
ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥
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.
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.
The young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.
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.
ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥
NOW…
How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||
Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,
ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥
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.
Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?
ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,
ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||
Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?
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.
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.
To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.