How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?
11.06.2025 03:20
Here ਨਿਰਗੁਣ is Nirgun and not just lord. This is just another example to show that Kabir himself continued in the NIRGUN BHAKTI path.
ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥
ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥
Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,
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.
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥
I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||
There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.
— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||
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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.
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥
ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥
ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥
So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!
ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥
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He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),
Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know
All the men and women of the world are His living forms.
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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.
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.
ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥
ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧
Why can't we send flat Earthers to space and show them the shape of Earth?
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…
Let’s look at the most used verse by McSikhs to show that Sikhs are neither Hindus nor Muslims.
ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥
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I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.
I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.
With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||
What kind of person makes you think "how come there are people like that"?
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
NOW…
To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.
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Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.
Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,
That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||
I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ
ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥
ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥
ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥
As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,
The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:
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.
ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥
There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,
I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||
Wherever I go, I find water and stones.
For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;
then who is there to know what happens without?
ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥
ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥
Raamaanand Jee, First House:
Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)
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
ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?
ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥
Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.
If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?
ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥
That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||
यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।
Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir
I am like a fish out of water,
———————————————————————————————————————
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥
Now here in this verse
Sikhism is a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!
— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)
Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.
Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.
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.
ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥
———————————————————————————————————————
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||
Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,
Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.
Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.
ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥
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.
There the streams of light flow in all directions, few are the men who can cross to that shore!
You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.
If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?
— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92
Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.
How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||
I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;
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.
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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.
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥
You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
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 do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.
Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326
Kabir (a weaver)
ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,
The young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.
Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;
ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥
These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,
ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥
ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥
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.
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.
ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥
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.
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 should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
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.
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ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥
At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||
I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||
I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.
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.
ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥
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!
CONCLUSION:
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 ॥
ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||
ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||
Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and
I went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.
Says Kabeer, this is what I say:
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
My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||
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?
ਬ੍ਰਹਮ is Brahm i.e the Brahman of vedanta but it gets interpreted as an all-pervading lord god.
ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||
ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥
Meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||
From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195
One day, a desire welled up in my mind.
Sain (a barber)