How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?
Last Updated: 22.06.2025 15:14
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
ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥
How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||
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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.
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||
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Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥
Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?
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Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92
If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?
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ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥
— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen
I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.
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!
There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,
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I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;
Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.
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Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.
ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
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Now here in this verse
ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥
Wherever I go, I find water and stones.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.
ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥
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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
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥
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There the streams of light flow in all directions, few are the men who can cross to that shore!
ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥
The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||
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ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥
— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
Here ਨਿਰਗੁਣ is Nirgun and not just lord. This is just another example to show that Kabir himself continued in the NIRGUN BHAKTI path.
As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,
यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।
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.
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥
He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧
I am like a fish out of water,
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…
One day, a desire welled up in my mind.
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ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥
ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||
CONCLUSION:
— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
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.
ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥
He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.
Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,
I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||
Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?
These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,
My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||
Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir
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.
ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥
There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.
ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥
ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ
Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,
I went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.
ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥
Let’s look at the most used verse by McSikhs to show that Sikhs are neither Hindus nor Muslims.
At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥
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.
ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥
ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥
ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥
Meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||
Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||
To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326
Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
ਬ੍ਰਹਮ is Brahm i.e the Brahman of vedanta but it gets interpreted as an all-pervading lord god.
You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||
I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;
I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.
Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.
ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
then who is there to know what happens without?
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.
My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||
Raamaanand Jee, First House:
Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,
Kabir (a weaver)
NOW…
The young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.
I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.
Says Kabeer, this is what I say:
ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥
ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥
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.
I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.
ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥
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!
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥
He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),
We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,
Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know
ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥
Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating against anyone by gender, class or caste and they included even people from humble origins like
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:
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.
How can they kill the mother, whose milk they drink like that of a wet nurse?
ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥
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Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.
All the men and women of the world are His living forms.
Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)
ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥
Sain (a barber)
But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.
ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥
Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,
ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥
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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.
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.
ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥
Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!
I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||
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.
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,
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.
ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥
Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥
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.
Sikhism is a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!
You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.
Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;
ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥
From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
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.