O P Sharma
Mira Bai is a legendary figure who is a symbol of single-minded devotion to Lord Krishana. She is one of the tall saint singers of the Bhagti Movement in India whose hymns have become household part of daily prayers across the country.
Mira Bai (1498-1547) was from Rajasthan whose life has become a legend of devotion to Krishna. Her lyrical compositions are a household treasure and many great musicians have sung them and continue to sing them. The Bhakti songs are sweet, full of emotions , charms of nature as also complete devotion. Their language which is mixed dialect of Braj Bhasha and Marwari is simple and direct. Their lyrical rapture and passionate sincerity have charmed millions of hearts for many centuries.
She was from a royal family, yet she lived simple life . She had no interest in dress, no desire for high living palace or taste for delicious eatables. She gave up her royality and lived happily with the mendicants while singing during the pilgrimage to Dwarka.
Exemplary Devotion
Note the spirit, tone and tenor of following hymn: “Hari Har Ki peeda” meaning Oh Almighty God bless entire humanity.
The tenet of the Bhakti is given by Lord Krishna in the 18th chapter of Bhagvad Gita which says: ” Have your mind on me, your devotion towards me, your sacrifice to me, worship me, To me you will come, truly. I promise you, for you are dear to me”. It is universally known that true devotee, there never lost the sight of goal and all his feeling and activities become directed towards Krishna. Mira Bai’s devotion to her Supreme Lord Krishna is singularly exemplary.
Born during the year 1498, in trouble-torn Rajasthan and married in the Rana Rajput royal family, She ultimately found solace and peace in the devotion to Lord Krishna. Swayed by the emotional appeal of the on-going Bhakti Marg or way of devotion and the ascetics as well as the householders of, working class as also the royalty came under its influence. Ramananda and Vallabhacharya become its propounders. Poetry had been closely linked to religious expression in regional languages. The examples are : creative genius of poetry was used in writing and singing beautiful devotional poetry by Jnaneshwar and Nam Dev in Marathi, Chandidas in Bengal, Narsi Mehta in Gujarat, Kabir composed couplets while Tulsi Dass and Sur Dass, a blind poet composed exquisite lyrics describing Krishna’s life and activities. Mira Bai also sang of her love and devotion for Lord Krishna and contributed to devotional poetry.
Miraculous Idol
Her husband Bhoj Raj Singh Rana, the eldest son of Rana Sanga ruler of Mewar (Rajsthan) it is believed made a number of attempts to put an end to her life. Once a poisonous snake hidden in a flower basket, was sent to Mira Bhi but when opened by her she found a Saligram (idol) instead of the snake. At another time, a cup of poison was sent which she drank without coming to any harm. And we find passing references to these incidents in her poems. One follows:
O King, I know you gave me poison,
But I emerged
Just like gold burned in fire
Comes out bright as a dozen suns.
Another devotional song follows :
Drink the delights of the name of Rama
O heart,
Shun the evil, sit with good men, listening
To the tales of Hari every day,
Put lust, anger, arrogance, greed and
Selfishness out of thoughts,
Mira’s Lord is Girdhar Nagar,
She is drenched in His colour
Mira Bai is at her lyrical best when singing of her love for Krishna. Such poems form the core Mira Bai’s writings. Her love is sung in its multiple facets, attraction, hope, longing, disappointment, jealousy.
It is said that during her childhood when Mira was only three years old, she was given an idol of Krishna by a wandering Sadhu. She became deeply attached to it and always carried the idol throughout her life. The legend also has it that Mira Bai kept this idol of Krishna with her even during the marriage ceremony and later took it to Chittor and refused to worship her husband’s patron goddess, much to the annoyance of her husband’s family. Probably her religious fervor grew stronger with time.
Eternal Message
At the time Mira Bai lived, there were limited means to preserve the manuscripts or a copy of literary noted works.
But some of the songs of Mira Bai are still available.
Some legends are woven round her death at Dwarka. It is believed that Udai Singh, who succeeded Rana Vikramjit on the throne, sent a deputation of renowned Brahimns to bring back Mira Bai. When forced by the Brahimns , she wished to spend the night at the temple of Ranchhorji (Krishna) and in the morning she was nowhere to be found anywhere.
She is alive forever with her devotional songs and exemplary devotion to the Almighty God, Lord Krishna.
(Starline Syndicate Service)
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