How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?
13.06.2025 12:45
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!
Wherever I go, I find water and stones.
Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥
Says Kabeer, this is what I say:
Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.
☆ what's the thing that made u fell in love with your bias?
ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥
ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ
Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||
ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥
यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।
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.
How do you get a girl to like you?
Sain (a barber)
Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.
ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥
then who is there to know what happens without?
Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;
How did you respond to, "Why do you love me"?
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 spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,
All the men and women of the world are His living forms.
9 Things Women’s Health Doctors Would Never Do - HuffPost
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥
— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥
We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,
Who are your 5 or so favorite Quora people?
ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥
What do people aim for when they meditate, and how do they do it properly?
There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,
ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥
I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.
How many wishes do people get on their birthday?
He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||
How can they kill the mother, whose milk they drink like that of a wet nurse?
ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
What is the most craziest dream you ever had?
NOW…
But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.
ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥
When sharing a wife, is it best with your buddy or a stranger?
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326
ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥
I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||
To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.
He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),
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.
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥
Let’s look at the most used verse by McSikhs to show that Sikhs are neither Hindus nor Muslims.
The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||
At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||
From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195
Meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||
Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?
ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥
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You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.
ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen
I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
I am like a fish out of water,
Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and
Here ਨਿਰਗੁਣ is Nirgun and not just lord. This is just another example to show that Kabir himself continued in the NIRGUN BHAKTI path.
I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)
Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.
Raamaanand Jee, First House:
ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥
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.
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧
If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,
CONCLUSION:
I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.
— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥
ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥
ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥
There the streams of light flow in all directions, few are the men who can cross to that shore!
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥
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.
I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||
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…
Sikhism is a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||
Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||
Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating against anyone by gender, class or caste and they included even people from humble origins like
ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥
Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.
Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know
With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||
One day, a desire welled up in my mind.
Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,
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
That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||
My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||
How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||
As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,
These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,
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.
My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||
ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥
=======================================================
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92
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.
ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥
ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥
ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥
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.
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.
He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.
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.
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
Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir
ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥
ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥
ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
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.
Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.
I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
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.
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)
ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥
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.
ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥
If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?
Now here in this verse
That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||
There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.
Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.
So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
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.
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?
Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.
Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.
The young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325
———————————————————————————————————————
I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.
I went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥
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.
ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥
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Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,
Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,
ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:
———————————————————————————————————————
Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!
For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;
Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥
Kabir (a weaver)
You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥