How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?
07.06.2025 11:34
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||
— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
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.
I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
=======================================================
If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,
ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥
Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||
Meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||
In what ways does Islam oppress women?
ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
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.
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||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.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92
ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥
Are MAGA the "useful idiots" for the radical-right billionaires like Charles Koch and Elon Musk?
Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)
Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!
Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.
What’s going on with measles, bird flu, and COVID? Here’s a guide to the latest. - The Boston Globe
ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥
यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।
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.
The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||
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.
Pokémon Legends Z-A Is Now Up for Preorder on Switch and Switch 2 - IGN
Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥
ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥
Dotemu’s CEO on how it makes new games that feel retro - The Verge
You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.
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.
================================================================
Do you think Japan will have same-sex marriage by 2030?
Raamaanand Jee, First House:
If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?
then who is there to know what happens without?
Most-complete Stegosaur skull ever found forces rewrite of dinosaur history - Earth.com
From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195
I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||
ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥
ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥
One day, a desire welled up in my mind.
ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥
I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥
Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧
Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know
ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.
Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?
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
ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥
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…
ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥
CONCLUSION:
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
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
At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen
You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.
Sikhism is a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!
Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.
Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?
Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥
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.
ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
All the men and women of the world are His living forms.
NOW…
Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.
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 ॥
My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||
ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
Sain (a barber)
With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥
Now here in this verse
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?
That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||
— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326
I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.
These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,
I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥
ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥
ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥
I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||
———————————————————————————————————————
———————————————————————————————————————
———————————————————————————————————————
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.
ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥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.
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.
Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating against anyone by gender, class or caste and they included even people from humble origins like
There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.
He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.
I went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.
I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||
ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥
For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;
I am like a fish out of water,
Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.
ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥
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.
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.
ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥
ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥
Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)
ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥
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.
He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),
ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:
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.
Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,
Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.
Says Kabeer, this is what I say:
ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥
How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||
Wherever I go, I find water and stones.
We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,
ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥
Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and
My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||
ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥
Kabir (a weaver)
That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||
Let’s look at the most used verse by McSikhs to show that Sikhs are neither Hindus nor Muslims.
ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥
ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥
ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥
Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir
So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
ਬ੍ਰਹਮ is Brahm i.e the Brahman of vedanta but it gets interpreted as an all-pervading lord god.
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥
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!
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.
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥
As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,
There the streams of light flow in all directions, few are the men who can cross to that shore!
ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.
I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||
Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,