How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?
Last Updated: 20.06.2025 06:24
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.
ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥
I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||
Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and
That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||
How can someone get patrons on Patreon if they are a beginner artist?
Says Kabeer, this is what I say:
I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.
Now here in this verse
What are some fun/kinky things to do with your partner?
ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥
So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!
ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥
Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||
These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,
Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.
ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥
How do I come out as queer to my best friend in a funny and stupid way?
I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ
ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Is it wise to SECRETLY expose a narcissist by telling others that he/she is a covert narcissist?
ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥
Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)
At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||
Why do I want to be caught sucking dick by my wife?
Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.
There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.
Meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||
Why are the democrats keep insisting that there are more than two genders?
He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥
ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||
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.
Wherever I go, I find water and stones.
ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥
I am like a fish out of water,
Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating against anyone by gender, class or caste and they included even people from humble origins like
ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥
What’s the saddest thing you’ve seen at your job?
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||
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ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥
You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧
=======================================================
Kabir (a weaver)
Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,
If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?
ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥
How can they kill the mother, whose milk they drink like that of a wet nurse?
My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||
ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥
Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;
I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.
We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,
Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.
To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.
The young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.
ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥
Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.
Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!
यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।
Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?
As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,
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.
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥
I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.
You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||
ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥
But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.
He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),
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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.
Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir
All the men and women of the world are His living forms.
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.
The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||
He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.
Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.
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!
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
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.
ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
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…
ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥
ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥
There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,
I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
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 am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
then who is there to know what happens without?
ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥
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.
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?
For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;
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.
ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥
Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.
Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
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ਬ੍ਰਹਮ is Brahm i.e the Brahman of vedanta but it gets interpreted as an all-pervading lord god.
If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,
ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥
How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
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
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥
Sain (a barber)
Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
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 ॥
Sikhism is a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!
Raamaanand Jee, First House:
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I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||
ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥
I went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.
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.
Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,
CONCLUSION:
ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥
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.
Here ਨਿਰਗੁਣ is Nirgun and not just lord. This is just another example to show that Kabir himself continued in the NIRGUN BHAKTI path.
Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)
Let’s look at the most used verse by McSikhs to show that Sikhs are neither Hindus nor Muslims.
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.
Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:
ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥
Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥
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
From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195
Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,
NOW…
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.
ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥
I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||
Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know
ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥
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.
ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥
That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||
I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92
I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.
ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥