Corresponding to this concept, Sikhism also ordains that Khalsa Sikhs should defend the Hindus of all castes and classes from the threat of forced conversion to Islam by the Mughals.
Sikhism had to be developed as an independent religion from the land of Punjab, which belonged to the same soil of India, where Hinduism was born much earlier to it. The Hindu leaders’ dereliction of duty to teach the spiritual realities to the common people and their getting lost in the mire of superstition and materialism gave rise to the growth of Sikhism. That is the reason why there is a lot of common ground in both the religions.
Sikhism is centered on the cardinal role of Guru. Each Sikh Guru had contributed to the development of Sikhism and the final script took the shape of the holy sacred text of “Granth Sahib”. This sacred text conveys the religious ideas of Sikhism in the form of hymns and poems. Granth Sahib is regarded with the same veneration as is due to a Guru or a deity.
Hindus also follow the sacred text Bhagavad-Gita, which synthesizes the knowledge contained in Vedas and various Upanishads. Lord Krishna, who taught Bhagavad-Gita, is regarded as the greatest Guru, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Guru is worshipped first by every Hindu, before he starts worshipping any other deity.
Like the Sikh Guru, Lord Krishna also waged war to establish Dharma in the country. The concept of worshipping Guru more than the God and that of treating the sacred text as the word of God are common to both the religions.
The tenth Sikh Guru, Govind Singh, said that there should be no more Gurus and the Granth should be regarded as the living voice of all the prophets, called “Guru Vani”. The hymns convey a wide range of mystical emotion and intimate expressions of personal realization of God. They are the rapturous hymns of divine love. Hindus also sing hymns and Sanskrit verses from the Gita, Vedas and devotional songs written and sung by great devotees like Tyagaraja in classical vocal music.
The “Adi Granth”, which was modified by successive Gurus till it has been declared as “Granth Sahib”, contains the religious teachings of Hinduism and Islam. This aspect also conforms to the Hindu religious philosophy of respecting the divine voice in all religions and the freedom of human spirit.
Dr. Radhakrishnan, one of the greatest philosophers of India, says that the gurus are the light bearers to mankind. They are the messengers of the timeless. They do not claim to teach a new doctrine but only to renew the eternal wisdom. Nanak, the Sikh saint, elaborated the views of the “Vaishnava Saints” (Hindu saints who are the worshippers of Lord Vishnu) in consonance with this Hindu religious concept.
Sikhism preaches Dharma (righteous behavior) Karma (the Law of Cause and Effect) Reincarnation (Theory of Rebirth) and Meditation (one of the Yoga practices). These are the same concepts propagated by Hinduism.
Like Hindus, the Sikhs also cremate the dead and also immerse their ashes in holy rivers like the Ganges.
Both the religions preach the importance of carrying out duty. Lord Krishna, through the Gita, taught that one’s duty is more important than divine worship. He taught that no consideration should make him shirk from his duty. Under his direction, his disciple and the invincible warrior, Arjuna fought the war of “Kurukshetra” to reestablish Dharma.
The Sikh Gurus also adhered to their duty. They created an army of Khalsa Sikhs to fight the evil of Muslim conversion of Hindus and revive the ideals of Hinduism, which had been neglected by Hindu teachers, by evolving a modern religion, namely, Sikhism.
Though the earlier Sikhs recommended that a real Sikh should also be Hindu, this concept had been discontinued by the tenth Sikh Guru. He instructed that once a Hindu espouses Sikhism and becomes a Khalsa, he cannot follow any other religion.
Sikhism preaches that the human beings are born out of the good deeds and enter the abode of gods, the heaven. Hinduism also preaches the same concept. It preaches that the human beings can attain higher “lokas” (regions of gods above the Earth) by virtue of their good deeds and selfless service to God.
Sikhism speaks about Karma. The same philosophy is taught by Hinduism. According to both the religions, the Law of Karma says that one has to experience the good or evil done in the past lives in the present life, and those of the present deeds in next life. Man cannot come out of the vicious circle of Karma unless he discovers the futility of actions not related to the realization of Self and comes out of “Maya”(illusory nature of creation). Both the religions concur with this theory.
The concept of reincarnation followed suit in both the religions automatically, once this theory of Karma had been accepted by both the religions.
Both the religions not only tolerate other religions of the world, but also do not hesitate to adopt the good in them. Hindus visit the temples of Sikhs such as the Golden Temple of Amritsar in Punjab and offer prayers and service. The openness of Hinduism towards other religions is also evident in Sikhism. The pluralistic religious tradition is a common link.
Guru Nanak became ecstatic when he had visited the temple of Lord Jagannath in Orissa in India. He sang in praise of the delectable sight of the priests waving lights before the florally decorated image of God.
Guru Nanak was equally impressed by the monotheism of Islam and denounced image worship. In Hindu philosophy also, image worship is recommended for the beginners only, while the advanced meditate on the formless God. The transition is achieved gradually.
Mahatma Gandhi said, “A friendly study of the world’s religions is a sacred duty. We must have the richness of various traditions”. The Sikh saints had liberally adopted what was good in Hinduism, Islam, Christianity and other religions.
Dr. Radhakrishnan wrote, “When the religions begin to fertilize one another, they will supply the soul for which this world is seeking”.
The cross fertilization of Sikhism and Hinduism had fulfilled this objective to India when it was needed most.