How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?
13.06.2025 01:59
There the streams of light flow in all directions, few are the men who can cross to that shore!
Let’s look at the most used verse by McSikhs to show that Sikhs are neither Hindus nor Muslims.
Kabir (a weaver)
Why does it matter so much to atheists that God doesn't exist?
ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥
Wherever I go, I find water and stones.
He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),
I am 13 and I am planning to run away. What should I do to succeed?
ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥
ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92
Would you raise your children like your parents raised you?
ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥
There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,
Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir
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Here ਨਿਰਗੁਣ is Nirgun and not just lord. This is just another example to show that Kabir himself continued in the NIRGUN BHAKTI path.
Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.
What is your opinion on the band Nickelback? Why do they receive criticism from some people?
— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen
ਬ੍ਰਹਮ is Brahm i.e the Brahman of vedanta but it gets interpreted as an all-pervading lord god.
How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||
He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.
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
Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,
My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||
To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.
What are some common lies that addicts may tell themselves?
ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥
Raamaanand Jee, First House:
ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥
Why do flat-Earthers think the Earth is flat?
Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating against anyone by gender, class or caste and they included even people from humble origins like
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.
Why don't some people like the 10 Commandments?
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.
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
For 9 Days, Earth Was Sending Out Mysterious Signals. Now We Know What They Were. - Yahoo
That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||
— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥
ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Are there any industries or sectors where ChatGPT is particularly well-suited for implementation?
ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
CONCLUSION:
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥
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.
ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥
As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,
Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧
I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||
ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥
That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||
Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?
Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,
My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||
Now here in this verse
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥
ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥
At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
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…
I am like a fish out of water,
You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.
Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.
Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,
ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
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.
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
The young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.
Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?
I went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.
Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥
ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥
I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.
Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)
If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,
ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥
ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥
ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326
The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||
ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥
ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥
NOW…
All the men and women of the world are His living forms.
Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.
I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥
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.
How can they kill the mother, whose milk they drink like that of a wet nurse?
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!
With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||
You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥
Meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||
Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥
ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥
So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!
Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know
ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥
He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||
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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.
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.
One day, a desire welled up in my mind.
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||
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I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥
ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥
ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥
We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,
— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!
Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)
I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;
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.
From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195
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.
Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;
For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;
Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,
ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
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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.
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.
Sikhism is a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!
ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥
I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.
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Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.
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.
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥
I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.
ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥
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
यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।
Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.
Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.
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.
ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥
then who is there to know what happens without?
ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ
Says Kabeer, this is what I say:
Sain (a barber)
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.
If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?
But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.
Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||
Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||
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.
ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.