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A
Brief Biography
Mirabai
learnt to worship Sri Krishna from her childhood. When
she was four years of age, she manifested religious
tendencies. Once there was a marriage procession in
front of her residence. The bridegroom was nicely dressed.
Mira, who was only a child, saw the bridegroom and said
to her mother innocently, "Dear mother, who is
my bridegroom?". Mira’s mother smiled, and
half in jest and half in earnest, pointed towards the
image of Sri Krishna and said, "My dear Mira, Lord
Krishna - this beautiful image - is your bridegroom".
Child Mira began to
love the idol of Krishna very much. She spent much of
her time in bathing and dressing the image. She worshipped
the image. She slept with the image. She danced about
the image in ecstasy. She sang beautiful songs in front
of the image. She used to talk to the idol.
Mira’s father arranged
for her marriage with Rana Kumbha of Chitore, in Mewar.
Mira was a very dutiful wife. She obeyed her husband’s
commands implicitly. After her household duties were
over, she would go to the temple of Lord Krishna, worship,
sing and dance before the image daily. The little image
would get up, embrace Mira, play on the flute and talk
to her. Rana’s mother and other ladies of the house
did not like the ways of Mira, as they were worldly-minded
and jealous. They were all annoyed with her. Mira’s
mother-in-law forced her to worship Durga and admonished
her often. But Mira stood adamant. She said, "I
have already given up my life to my beloved Lord Krishna".
Mira’s sister-in-law Udabai formed a conspiracy
and began to defame the innocent Mira. She informed
Rana Kumbha that Mira was in secret love with others,
that she with her own eyes had witnessed Mira in the
temple with her lovers, and that she would show him
the persons if he would accompany her one night. She
further added that Mira, by her conduct, had brought
a great slur on the reputation of the Rana family of
Chitore. Rana Kumbha was very much enraged. He straightaway
ran with sword in hand towards the inner apartments
of Mira. Fortunately, Mira was not in her room. A kind
relative of the Rana checked him and said, "Look
here Rana! Do not be in haste. You will repent later
on. Consider well. Enquire into the matter very carefully.
Find out the truth. Mira is a great devotional lady.
What you have heard now may be a wild rumour only. Out
of sheer jealousy some ladies might have concocted a
cock-and-bull story against Mira to ruin her. Be cool
now". Rana Kumbha agreed to the wise counsel of
his relative. The Rana’s sister took him to the
temple at dead of night. Rana Kumbha broke open the
door, rushed inside and found Mira alone in her ecstatic
mood talking to the idol.
The Rana said to Mira,
"Mira, with whom are you talking now? Show me this
lover of yours". Mira replied, "There sits
He—my Lord—the Nanichora who has stolen my
heart". She fainted. There was a wild rumour that
Mira was mixing very freely with Sadhus. She, no doubt,
had great regard for Sadhus and mixed freely with them.
Mira never cared a bit for the meaningless scandals.
She stood unruffled.
Mira was persecuted
in various ways by the Rana and his relatives. She got
the same treatment which Prahlad got from his father
Hiranyakasipu. Hari shielded Prahlad. Here, Sri Krishna
always stood by the side of Mira. Once the Rana sent
a cobra in a basket to Mira with the message that it
contained a garland of flowers. Mira took her bath and
sat for worship. After finishing her meditation, she
opened the basket and found inside a lovely idol of
Sri Krishna and a garland of flowers. Then the Rana
sent her a cup of poison with the message that it was
nectar. Mira offered it to Lord Krishna and took it
as His Prasad. It was real nectar to her. Then the Rana
sent a bed of nails for Mira to sleep on. Mira finished
her worship and slept on the bed of nails. Lo! The bed
of nails was transformed into a bed of roses.
When Mira was thus tortured
by her husband’s relatives, she sent a letter to
Tulsidasji and asked the advice of the saint. She wrote
thus: "All my relatives trouble me, because I move
amongst Sadhus. I cannot carry on my devotional practices
in the house. I have made Giridhar Gopal my friend from
my very childhood. I am strongly attached to Him. I
cannot break that attachment now".
Tulsidasji sent a reply:
"Abandon those who do not worship Rama and Sita
as if they are your enemies, even though they are your
dearest relatives. Prahlad abandoned his father; Vibhishana
left his brother Ravana; Bharata deserted his mother;
Bali forsook even his Guru; the Gopis, the women of
Vraja, disowned their husbands in order to attain the
Lord. Their lives were all the happier for having done
so. The opinion of holy saints is that the relation
with God and love of God alone is true and eternal;
all other relationships are unreal and temporary".
Once Akbar and his court
musician Tansen came in disguise to Chitore to hear
Mira’s devotional and inspiring songs. Both entered
the temple and listened to Mira’s soul-stirring
songs to their heart’s content. Akbar was really
moved. Before he departed, he touched the holy feet
of Mira and placed a necklace of emeralds in front of
the idol as a present. Somehow the news reached the
Rana that Akbar had entered the temple in disguise,
touched the feet of Mira and even presented her a necklace.
The Rana became furious. He told Mira, "Drown yourself
in the river and never show your face to the world in
future. You have brought great disgrace on my family".
Mira obeyed the words
of her husband. She proceeded to the river to drown
herself. The names of the Lord "Govind, Giridhari,
Gopal" were always on her lips. She sang and danced
in ecstasy on her way to the river. When she raised
her feet from the ground, a hand from behind grasped
her. She turned behind and saw her beloved Krishna.
She fainted. After a few minutes she opened her eyes.
Lord Krishna smiled and spoke to her these words: "My
dear Mira, your life with this mortal husband is over
now. You are absolutely free. Be cheerful. You are Mine.
Immediately proceed to the bowers of Vraja and the avenues
of Brindavan. Seek Me there, my child. Be quick".
He then disappeared.
Mira obeyed the divine
call immediately. She walked barefoot on the hot sandy
beds of Rajasthan. On her way, she was received by many
ladies, children and devotees with great hospitality.
She reached Brindavan. She found out her Flute-bearer
there. She went about Brindavan begging for her food
and worshipped in the Govinda Mandir which has since
become famous and is now a place of pilgrimage. Her
devotees of Chitore came to Brindavan to see Mira. Rana
Kumbha came to Mira in the disguise of a mendicant,
revealed himself and repented for his previous wrongs
and cruel deeds. Mira at once prostrated before her
husband.
Jiva Gosain was the
head of the Vaishnavites in Brindavan. Mira wanted to
have Darshan of Jiva Gosain. He declined to see her.
He sent word to Mira that he would not allow any woman
in his presence. Mira Bai retorted: "Everybody
in Brindavan is a woman. Only Giridhar Gopal is Purusha.
Today only I have come to know that there is another
Purusha besides Krishna in Brindavan". Jiva Gosain
was put to shame. He thought that Mira was a great devotional
lady. He at once went to see Mira and paid her due respects.
Mira’s fame spread
far and wide. So many princesses and queens have come
and gone. So many Ranis, Kumaris and Maharanis have
appeared on the stage of this world and vanished. How
is it that the queen of Chitore alone is still remembered?
Is this on account of her beauty? Is this on account
of her poetic skill? No. It is on account of her renunciation,
one-pointed devotion to Lord Krishna and God-realisation.
She came face to face with Krishna. She conversed with
Krishna. She ate with Krishna—her Beloved. She
drank the Krishna-prema-rasa. She has sung from the
core of her heart the music of her soul, the music of
her Beloved, her unique spiritual experiences. And she
has sung songs of surrender and Prem.
Mira had the beautiful
cosmic vision. She saw Krishna in the tree, in the stone,
in the creeper, in the flower, in the bird, in all beings—in
everything. As long as there is the name of Krishna,
there will be the name of Mira also.
It is extremely difficult
to find a parallel to this wonderful personality—Mira—a
saint, a philosopher, a poet and a sage. She was a versatile
genius and a magnanimous soul. Her life has a singular
charm, with extraordinary beauty and marvel. She was
a princess, but she abandoned the pleasures and luxuries
incident to her high station, and chose instead, a life
of poverty, austerity, Tyaga, Titiksha and Vairagya.
Though she was a delicate young lady, she entered the
perilous journey on the spiritual path amidst various
difficulties. She underwent various ordeals with undaunted
courage and intrepidity. She stood adamant in her resolve.
She had a gigantic will.
Mira’s songs infuse
faith, courage, devotion and love of God in the minds
of the readers. They inspire the aspirants to take to
the path of devotion and they produce in them a marvellous
thrill and a melting of the heart.
Mira’s earthly
life was full of troubles and difficulties. She was
persecuted. She was tormented and yet she kept up an
undaunted spirit and a balanced mind all through, by
the strength of her devotion and the grace of her beloved
Krishna. Though she was a princess, she begged alms
and lived sometimes on water alone. She led a life of
perfect renunciation and self-surrender.
Mira had Raganuga or
Ragatmika Bhakti. She never cared for public criticism
and the injunctions of the Shastras. She danced in the
streets. She did no ritualistic worship. She had spontaneous
love for Lord Krishna. She did not practise Sadhana-bhakti.
From her very childhood she poured forth her love on
Lord Krishna. Krishna was her husband, father, mother,
friend, relative and Guru. Krishna was her Prananath.
Mira had finished the preliminary modes of worship in
her previous birth.
Mira was fearless in
her nature, simple in her habits, joyous in her disposition,
amiable in her deportment, graceful in her behaviour
and elegant in her demeanour. She immersed herself in
the love of Giridhar Gopal. The name of Giridhar Gopal
was always on her lips. Even in her dreams, she lived
and had her being in Sri Krishna.
In her divine intoxication,
Mira danced in public places. She had no sex-idea. Her
exalted state could not be adequately described in words.
She was sunk in the ocean of Prem. She had no consciousness
of her body and surroundings. Who could gauge the depth
of her devotion? Who could understand her internal Premamaya
state of Maha-bhava? Who could measure the capacity
of her large heart?
Mira wafted the fragrance
of devotion far and wide. Those who came in contact
with her were affected by her strong current of Prem.
Mira was like Lord Gauranga. She was an embodiment of
love and innocence. Her heart was the temple of devotion.
Her face was the lotus-flower of Prem. There was kindness
in her look, love in her talk, joy in her discourses,
power in her speech and fervour in her songs. What a
marvellous lady! What a wonderful personality! What
a charming figure!
Mira’s mystic songs
act as a soothing balm to the wounded hearts and tired
nerves of those who toil in this world with the heavy
burden of life. The sweet music of her songs exerts
a benign influence on the hearers, removes discord and
disharmony, and lulls them to sleep. Mira’s language
of love is so powerful that even a downright atheist
will be moved by her devotional songs.
Mira acted her part
well on the stage of the world. She taught the world
the way to love God. She rowed her boat dexterously
in a stormy sea of family troubles and difficulties
and reached the other shore of supreme peace and absolute
fearlessness—the kingdom of supreme love. She belonged
to the gentle fair sex and yet how undaunted in spirit
and how courageous she was! Though she was young, she
bore the persecutions silently. She endured the piercing
taunts and sarcastic criticisms of the world bravely.
She has left an indelible impression on the world and
her name will be handed down to posterity.
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