How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?
13.06.2025 13:27
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…
Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)
What does success really mean to you? Is it about happiness, money, or something else?
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?
Who is the greatest light welterweight boxer of all time?
My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||
ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥
ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||
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!
Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.
Why does my vagina and around my butthole itch? I don't have weird discharge and I'm still a virgin.
I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥
I went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.
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I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||
Now here in this verse
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.
Can you share a story of someone who had a lucky experience while hitchhiking?
Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
ਬ੍ਰਹਮ is Brahm i.e the Brahman of vedanta but it gets interpreted as an all-pervading lord god.
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Says Kabeer, this is what I say:
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
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.
then who is there to know what happens without?
Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92
Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?
You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:
The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||
What is every dictators biggest fear?
ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥
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.
But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.
For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;
— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen
The young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
How can they kill the mother, whose milk they drink like that of a wet nurse?
I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||
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
With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||
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.
ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥
ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥
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How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||
ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,
All the men and women of the world are His living forms.
There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,
Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)
My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||
These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,
Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating against anyone by gender, class or caste and they included even people from humble origins like
ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,
Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,
I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥
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…
Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥
ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥
ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.
Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;
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I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.
Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir
Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.
That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||
ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥
Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.
Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?
ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥
I am like a fish out of water,
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.
ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥
यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।
ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥
Sain (a barber)
Raamaanand Jee, First House:
ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥
Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.
I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||
ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥
Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥
I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and
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I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ
ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||
Meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||
ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||
ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥
Let’s look at the most used verse by McSikhs to show that Sikhs are neither Hindus nor Muslims.
From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195
ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥
— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.
To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.
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Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.
One day, a desire welled up in my mind.
ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥
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.
Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.
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.
That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||
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.
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,
Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.
ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥
ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥
Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥
CONCLUSION:
He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),
Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||
Kabir (a weaver)
Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!
ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥
There the streams of light flow in all directions, few are the men who can cross to that shore!
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.
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ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥
Wherever I go, I find water and stones.
ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326
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
ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥
There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.
Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,
ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
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.
Here ਨਿਰਗੁਣ is Nirgun and not just lord. This is just another example to show that Kabir himself continued in the NIRGUN BHAKTI path.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know
He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||
ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
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.
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.
Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
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.
— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.
Sikhism is a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧
ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥
So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!