How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?
Last Updated: 02.07.2025 08:36
Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?
Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)
Sain (a barber)
What’s the saddest thing you’ve seen at your job?
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
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?
At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||
ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥
Packers waive receiver, open up roster spot - Acme Packing Company
ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥
CONCLUSION:
All the men and women of the world are His living forms.
Courtroom chaos erupts as Diddy supporter disrupts trial - WJAC
Raamaanand Jee, First House:
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.
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ
Big Tech Is Back in S&P 500 Driver’s Seat as Profit Engines Hum - Bloomberg
ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥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.
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:
My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||
I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
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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.
From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195
Is there an MBTI personality that is more or less likely to handle stress?
ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥
Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||
ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥
Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!
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If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,
Is there a correlation between being a medium and mental health?
— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.
ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Adopting the MIND Diet May Lower Dementia Risk at Any Age - Neuroscience News
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!
Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)
ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥
Popular home goods retailer files for bankruptcy, plans to close 26 stores initially - 10TV
I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92
Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,
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.
ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥
ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.
My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||
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.
I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧
Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.
ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥
Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir
ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
I went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||
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…
You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥
ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥
There the streams of light flow in all directions, few are the men who can cross to that shore!
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ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥
I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||
How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||
Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know
Now here in this verse
ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥
ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
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.
There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,
Let’s look at the most used verse by McSikhs to show that Sikhs are neither Hindus nor Muslims.
Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;
I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.
ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥
Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,
Wherever I go, I find water and stones.
Sikhism is a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
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If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.
Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and
For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;
We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,
He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||
Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?
Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥
He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),
That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||
Says Kabeer, this is what I say:
He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.
I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.
— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥
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.
ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥
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.
So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!
Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?
One day, a desire welled up in my mind.
To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.
That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||
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.
Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.
ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥
With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||
ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.
The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||
Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.
Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥
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
Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,
यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।
I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥
There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.
Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating against anyone by gender, class or caste and they included even people from humble origins like
I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.
ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥
ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥
Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥
ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥
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.
I am like a fish out of water,
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||
Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.
ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥
ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
Kabir (a weaver)
NOW…
Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.
ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥
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.
ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥
then who is there to know what happens without?
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ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,
— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen
As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,
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.
The young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.
Meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||
I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||
Here ਨਿਰਗੁਣ is Nirgun and not just lord. This is just another example to show that Kabir himself continued in the NIRGUN BHAKTI path.
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥
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.
ਬ੍ਰਹਮ is Brahm i.e the Brahman of vedanta but it gets interpreted as an all-pervading lord god.
ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥
ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
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.
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