Mirabai - Lover of Krishna
Mirabai was a great saint, poet and devotee of Sri Krishna, a major god in the Hindu pantheon who is said to be an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The name Krishna means black or dark blue and he is often referred to as the “dark one.” He is a major figure in the epic Hindu tale, the Mahabharata. Mira the most renowned woman poet of India. Her songs and poems are recited by Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs. Her proper is Mira, sometimes spelled Meera. The suffix 'bai' refers a sister or a girl.
Mira was born c. 1500 near Merta, Rajasthan, in Northwestern India. Her father was Ratan Singh, a descendant of Rao Rather, the founder of the city of Jodhpur. When Mirabai was quite young, a wandering holy man (sadhu) came to her family’s home and gave a doll of Sri Krishna to her father. He thought this was a special blessing but was unwilling to give it to his daughter because he thought she would not appreciate it. Mira, however, fell in love with the doll at first sight and, it is said, refused to eat until her father gave it to her. For Mira, the doll embodied Krishna’s living presence and soon after she decided to make Krishna her ‘friend, lover, and husband’, a commitment she never gave up until her death.
Mira was born c. 1500 near Merta, Rajasthan, in Northwestern India. Her father was Ratan Singh, a descendant of Rao Rather, the founder of the city of Jodhpur. When Mirabai was quite young, a wandering holy man (sadhu) came to her family’s home and gave a doll of Sri Krishna to her father. He thought this was a special blessing but was unwilling to give it to his daughter because he thought she would not appreciate it. Mira, however, fell in love with the doll at first sight and, it is said, refused to eat until her father gave it to her. For Mira, the doll embodied Krishna’s living presence and soon after she decided to make Krishna her ‘friend, lover, and husband’, a commitment she never gave up until her death.
Not long after that, Mira’s father arranged for her marriage to Prince Bhoj Raj, the eldest son of Rana Sanga of Chittor. The Sanga family was a very influential family in Chittoor, the home of the Chattari Rajput, an Indian Warrior caste and members of the Shiva religious community, which were spiritual rivals to the followers of Krishna. The marriage was good for Mira in that it raised her social position. However, she was uncomfortable with the luxurious surroundings of the Sanga’s palace. Instead of participating in that scene, she spent the evenings singing and chanting devotional song to her beloved Sri Krishna, often entering into trance-like states, singing and dancing in ecstasy. This distressed her new family even more because it was seen as lower class behavior.
As mentioned above, Mira’s her new family were devotees of the Hindu God Shiva and did not approve of her behavior especially her devotion to Krishna. And she made things worse when she refused to perform the ceremonial worship (puja) to Durga, Shiva’s consort. Instead, she made puja to Krishna, explaining that her spirit was already committed to Sri Krishna. And, although her family disapproved of her actions, they weren't sure what to do because she was developing a saintly reputation throughout the region. In addition, she was known to spend time discussing spiritual issues with the local Sadhus and sing and dance with the common people and even people of lower castes, which was a serious taboo.
Such behavior increased her family’s anger and jealousy, to the extent that her sister-in-law, Udabai, started spreading rumors and defamatory remarks about her. Eventually, Udabai suggested that Mira was entertaining men in her room. When her husband heard about this he busted into her room with sword planning to slay both Mira and the man. However, all he saw was Mira playing with her Krishna doll, so he had to apologize. Because of her devotion however, Mirabai remained unconcerned by both the criticism and praise of the world.
Such behavior increased her family’s anger and jealousy, to the extent that her sister-in-law, Udabai, started spreading rumors and defamatory remarks about her. Eventually, Udabai suggested that Mira was entertaining men in her room. When her husband heard about this he busted into her room with sword planning to slay both Mira and the man. However, all he saw was Mira playing with her Krishna doll, so he had to apologize. Because of her devotion however, Mirabai remained unconcerned by both the criticism and praise of the world.
Mira’s fame spread far and wide as her devotional songs spread across northern India. Eventually her fame as a singer and an accomplished spiritual practitioner reached the ears of Akbar, the Mughal (Islamic) Emperor. He was an extremely powerful ruler. In addition, he was interested in the religious of the area. He wanted to meet Mira but that was problematic because he and Mirabai’s family were enemies and he knew that doing so would cause problems for both himself and Mirabai. The story then claims Akbar disguised himself as a beggar and, travelling with his friend and gifted vocalist, Tansen, paid a visit to her, where he became so enchanted with her music and devotional singing that he placed a priceless necklace at her feet before leaving.
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Eventually even the learned sadhus of the area came to Mira for inspiration. One story tells of a respected spiritual master who refused to speak to her because she was a woman. Mira replied the only one real man in Vrindavan was Sri Krishna, concluding that everyone else was just a Gopi of (normally, gopi meant ‘a female cowherd’ but here means one of his Krishna’s lovers). On hearing this, the master recognized her saintly wisdom and agreed to talk to her. Later Mirabai would become his student.
After a while Bhoj Raj finally realized that his wife really was a saint, so he travelled to Vrindavan and invited her to return home. She agreed, though the rest of his family didn’t approve. Not long after however, he died while fighting against the Mughal armies. This created new problems for Mira when Rana Sanga, her father-in-law, this was a good opportunity for him to get rid of her forever. He demanded that she commit Sati, i.e. burn herself in Bhoj Raj’s funeral pyre. However Mira, with help from Krishna refused, saying that her real husband was Krishna and that he had not died. She later said in a poem: "I will not commit sati. I will sing the songs of Giridhara Krishna, and will not become sati because my heart is enamored of Hari."(3)
After a while Bhoj Raj finally realized that his wife really was a saint, so he travelled to Vrindavan and invited her to return home. She agreed, though the rest of his family didn’t approve. Not long after however, he died while fighting against the Mughal armies. This created new problems for Mira when Rana Sanga, her father-in-law, this was a good opportunity for him to get rid of her forever. He demanded that she commit Sati, i.e. burn herself in Bhoj Raj’s funeral pyre. However Mira, with help from Krishna refused, saying that her real husband was Krishna and that he had not died. She later said in a poem: "I will not commit sati. I will sing the songs of Giridhara Krishna, and will not become sati because my heart is enamored of Hari."(3)
Shree Krishna and Mirabai |
After this her family increased it’s harassment of her. They restricted her movements and sought to make her life as uncomfortable as possible. Yet in the face of these trials and tribulation Mira remained detached from her physical suffering. Nothing they did disturbed her inner connection to Giridhara, which is Sri Krishna’s nickname as young cowherd boy. Also, her family tried to kill her on two separate occasions, once with venomous snakes and another time with poison. On both occasions however, she was protected by her devotion to Sri Krishna and so suffered no harm. |
However, the ongoing criticism and hostility interfered with her spiritual life, which was based on devotion and contemplation, so she sought advice from learned men and saints in her area. They advised her to again leave the Chittoor and return to Vrindavan, which she and some of her followers did. There she finally was free to worship as she pleased. There she could sing the bhajans and dance in ecstatic communion with Krishna. There she was like a true bhakti (saint); she could worship Krishna with her whole heart. And there she concluded that she had no longer needed the niceties of the world, that all she really wanted to do was practice her devotion to Sri Krishna. In her heart she only yearned to be with Krishna. As Osho put it, “she continued her pilgrimage by ‘dancing from one village to another and almost covering the whole north of India’".(6)
Most of what we know about Mirabai comes from her poetry, which center on both her love for Sri Krishna and at times, the pain she suffered when not near him. They were designed to be sung as bhajans and many are still sung today.
It is said that at her death she simply melted into the heart of Krishna. Tradition relates how one day she was singing in a temple, when Sri Krishna appeared in his subtle form. Sri Krishna was so pleased with his dearest devotee that he opened up his heart center and Mirabai entered, leaving her body whilst in the highest state of Krishna consciousness. (4) |
Mirabai and Krishna |
Sri Chinmoy wrote: “Mirabai was a devotee of the high, higher, highest order. Among the saints of India, she is absolutely unparalleled. She composed many, many bhajans, which are prayerful songs to God. Each song Mirabai wrote expressed her inspiration, aspiration and sleepless self-giving." (5)
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Much of this article was drawn from Tejvan Pettinger’s "Biography of Mirabai", Oxford, www.biographyonline.net, 25th June 2007.
Other references include:
Additional Sources:
Many of the translations, except for the last one, were taken from the Mirabai Mandir on the internet. The last poem was translated in *Sources of Indian Tradition* vol 1, ed. by Theodore De Bary, Columbia University Press, 1958.
Other references include:
- (3) Mirabai at SSC.net
- (4) Swami Sivananda on Mirabai
- (5) Sri Chinmoy on Mirabai
- (6) Osho, The Wild Geese and the Water, Rahnnesg Fooundation International, Chapter 14
Additional Sources:
- Mirabai - Women Saints East and West Article by Mrs. Lajwanti Madan ISBN 0874810361
- Women Writing in India: 600 B.C. to the Present. vol.I, Susie Tharu and K. Lalita, editor.
- The Feminist Press - 991.0440873
- Mirabai: The Rebellious Rajput Rani by Bill Garlington, U.S.A.
- Mirabai at Other Women's Voices -
- http://home.infionline.net/~ddisse/mirabai.html
- Mirabai at Poetseers.org
Many of the translations, except for the last one, were taken from the Mirabai Mandir on the internet. The last poem was translated in *Sources of Indian Tradition* vol 1, ed. by Theodore De Bary, Columbia University Press, 1958.