How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?
12.06.2025 00:19
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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
Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.
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Now here in this verse
Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.
I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.
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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.
ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥
At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||
Who is the most trusted person in your life, and do they have the same trust on you?
There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,
I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
Raamaanand Jee, First House:
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I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||
The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||
ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥
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ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥
I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.
How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||
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From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195
Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥
What is one fantasy you have never told anyone about but really want to do?
ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
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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.
Why do some people have loving parents and some do not?
All the men and women of the world are His living forms.
With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||
ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥
Why do almost all the girls on Quora look beautiful?
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||
If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,
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Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?
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.
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧
Let’s look at the most used verse by McSikhs to show that Sikhs are neither Hindus nor Muslims.
Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)
Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||
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.
— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥
ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥
If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?
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.
One day, a desire welled up in my mind.
Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.
Why are some people afraid of monsters?
He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||
Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,
Says Kabeer, this is what I say:
Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
I am like a fish out of water,
Meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||
ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥
Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,
Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
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.
ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥
Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)
Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?
Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know
That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||
ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥
Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.
ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
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.
So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!
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Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,
ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.
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Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326
ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥
ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥
ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥
Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!
— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen
Sain (a barber)
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥
Kabir (a weaver)
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
Sikhism is a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!
Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||
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.
ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥
I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;
ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥
Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating against anyone by gender, class or caste and they included even people from humble origins like
That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
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ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥
ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥
My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||
Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:
Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;
Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.
There the streams of light flow in all directions, few are the men who can cross to that shore!
He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.
For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;
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
These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,
Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||
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.
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…
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ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥
He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),
You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥
The young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.
How can they kill the mother, whose milk they drink like that of a wet nurse?
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ
यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।
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.
ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥
ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥
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.
I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.
CONCLUSION:
ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥
Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92
I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||
To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.
Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.
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.
But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.
ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥
ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.
Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir
ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Here ਨਿਰਗੁਣ is Nirgun and not just lord. This is just another example to show that Kabir himself continued in the NIRGUN BHAKTI path.
ਬ੍ਰਹਮ is Brahm i.e the Brahman of vedanta but it gets interpreted as an all-pervading lord god.
then who is there to know what happens without?
ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||
Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?
ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥
We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,
ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥
As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
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!
I went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.
My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥
ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥
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.
ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥
ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
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.
Wherever I go, I find water and stones.
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥