How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?
15.06.2025 01:22
ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥
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.
You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.
ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;
Why would Trump make conspiracy claims that Haitians are eating pets in Ohio?
He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||
ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥
ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
What is the most ridiculous obviously false verse in the Bible?
Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)
Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!
Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?
In your humble opinion, why does the narcissist mistake kindness for weakness in some people?
NOW…
— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
When does a man tell a woman he has feelings for her?
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.
Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,
Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Scientists find proof that birds nested in the Arctic alongside dinosaurs - Earth.com
How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||
ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥
I went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92
I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.
Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.
What's the funniest thing you heard in a movie theater?
Says Kabeer, this is what I say:
Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
Have you ever had sex with your mother-in-law? If so, how was it and did your wife ever find out?
Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.
I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||
ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
Is it legal for an employer to ask why you are taking time off from work?
CONCLUSION:
Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||
Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know
What would you do if you found out that someone had broken into your home while you were sleeping?
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥
Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,
यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।
What is the reason for writing X^2 as XX instead of X*X?
If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?
ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥
ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥
That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥
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.
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧
At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||
ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥
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He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),
ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥
There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥
These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.
He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.
One day, a desire welled up in my mind.
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥
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.
But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.
Raamaanand Jee, First House:
ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ
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.
We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,
then who is there to know what happens without?
ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥
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.
The young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.
That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||
Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?
To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.
ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥
My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||
Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.
ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥
Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.
ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥
Now here in this verse
— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
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.
ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥
Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir
ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥
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
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.
I am like a fish out of water,
ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥
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…
ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥
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.
My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||
ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥
Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.
Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating against anyone by gender, class or caste and they included even people from humble origins like
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So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!
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.
ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥
ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥
Meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||
Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and
I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||
ਬ੍ਰਹਮ is Brahm i.e the Brahman of vedanta but it gets interpreted as an all-pervading lord god.
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥
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!
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
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ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||
I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326
ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥
Kabir (a weaver)
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ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥
ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen
How can they kill the mother, whose milk they drink like that of a wet nurse?
Wherever I go, I find water and stones.
ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥
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
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥
ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥
Let’s look at the most used verse by McSikhs to show that Sikhs are neither Hindus nor Muslims.
ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;
With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||
From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195
ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥
As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,
All the men and women of the world are His living forms.
I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||
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.
Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,
If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,
There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.
Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.
I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||
Here ਨਿਰਗੁਣ is Nirgun and not just lord. This is just another example to show that Kabir himself continued in the NIRGUN BHAKTI path.
You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
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.
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥
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.
ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥
I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||
Sikhism is a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!
Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.
Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;
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.
Sain (a barber)
There the streams of light flow in all directions, few are the men who can cross to that shore!