Meera

      MEERA  BAI ----- THE   SAINT  COMPOSER

                                   ( Compiled  by  Krishna  M. Gutala ) 

When we think of soul-stirring devotional songs, and the great Composers from North India, what at once comes to our mind is Meera Bai of Rajasthan, a royal princess, an incredible devotee of Lord Krishna since her childhood, with unshakable faith in Him, till her last breath. Her life is a sterling example to illustrate the infinite power of Faith in her chosen Deity, who protected her, every moment of her life, under all adverse circumstances. When her in-law’s family disapproved of her ways of life, not conforming to the traditional norms, and, took to the extreme limit of even ending her life, her miraculous trust in her Lord Krishna, ever stood by her. When they sent her poison (in the guise of nectar), it indeed turned into nectar. Similarly, when a coiled serpent was sent in a basket, it turned into a garland of flowers. Such was the strength of her utter devotion. These incredible miracles are not of some character in mythology, but of one, of only a few centuries back, a contemporary of Akbar and Tansen, Tulsidas and Kabir.

Lord Krishna declares in Bhagavad Geetha: “Be certain none can perish trusting Me” - - - - “In faith of Me, all dangers thou shall vanquish by My Grace”. Well, to see the utter Truth in these Divine Assurances, let us have some glimpses into the life of this great Saint-Composer Meera.

  

Meera Bai was a great saint and devotee of Sri Krishna. She was one of the significant Saints of the Vaishnava Bhakti movement. Despite facing criticism and hostility from her in-law’s family, she lived an exemplary saintly life, and composed many devotional songs. Historical information about her life, is a matter of some scholarly debate. The oldest biographical account was Priyadas’s commentary in Nabhadas’s Sri. Bhaktammal in 1712. Nevertheless, there are many oral histories which give an insight into life of this unique saint-poetess of India.

Meera was born in 1498 AD in Chaukari village in Merta district of Rajasthan. Her father was Ratan Singh, the second son of Rao Dudaji, a descendent of Rao Jodhaji Rathor, the founder of Jodhpur. Meera’s mother was Veer kumari. When Meera was only three years old, a wandering Saadhu came to her family’s home, and gave a doll of Sri Krishna to her father. Her father took it as a blessing, but did not give it to the three year old, being unsure whether she would like it. However, Meera fell for it at the very first sight, and became deeply enamored of the doll. She refused to eat until the doll was given to her. To Meera this figure of Sri. Krishna embodied his living presence. She, in course of time, resolved to make Sri Krishna her lifelong friend. Throughout her turbulent life, she never wavered from her youthful commitment.

On one occasion, when Meera was of about 4 years, she saw a wedding procession going down the street. Turning to her mother, she asked in innocence “Mom! Who will be my husband?”. Her mother replied, half in jest: “You already have one”, showing to the doll nearby! That seems to have gone deep into her heart, as also memory. She stuck to that, throughout her life, till the very end. Meera’s mother was supportive of her daughter’s blossoming religious tendencies. However, unfortunately, she breathed her last, during a child birth, when Meera was around eight years. Meera was then sent to her grandfather Rao Duda, where also was  her father’s elder brother Rao Viram Dev, at Merta. Meera received her education there. As customary with royal families, her education comprised of knowledge of scriptures, music, archery, fencing, and even wielding weapons of war. However, she also grew up amidst an atmosphere of total Krishna consciousness that was responsible in molding her life in the path of singular devotion to Lord Krishna. As Meera grew up, her ardent desire to ever be with her Krishna, grew intensely, and she somehow strongly believed that Lord Krishna would surely come to marry her!

Meera Bai was soft-spoken, gifted, and had a melodious voice. She had exquisite beauty. Her fame spread far and wide. Rana Sangram Singh, commonly known as Rana Sangha, the powerful king of Mewar, approached Rao Duda, for Meera Bai’s hand, in marriage to his son Bhoj Raj, also known as Rana Kumbha. Rao Duda agreed to the proposal. But Meera could not bear the thought of marrying a human being , when her heart was full with her Krishna. However, she could not go against her dear grandfather’s word, and reluctantly consented. The wedding took place in 1513, when she was around fourteen. Meera was dutiful, and left for Mewar with Rana Kumbha.

After her household duties, Meera would go to the Temple of Lord Krishna, and, worship, sing and dance before the Idol daily. The royal family, Rana Kumbha’s mother and other ladies of the palace, naturally, did not like the ways of Meera. She was forced to worship the family’s Deity, Durga, but she insisted that she gave up her life to her Lord Krishna. This irritated the family members, and the rift began to grow wider. Meera’s sister-in-law Udabai concocted a conspiracy to defame Meera. She complained to her brother Rana Kumbha that Meera was having an affair with someone, and that she witnessed it in the Temple. She took pleasure in poisoning his mind. It so happened that once, when he heard Meera talking to someone in her room, the Rana, sword in hand, in a fit of temper, rushed to her room. But, when he went in, he found her talking to her Lord Krishna. He repented his hasty act. A sober relative of Rana, advised him to exercise restraint, and emphasized that Meera was innocent, and an ardent devotee of Lord Krishna. However, it became a matter of full time research for the royal family members. They scratched their heads for new bluffs, when the old failed. They floated a new one that Meera was mixing freely with Sadhus. Despite all this, Meera continued to sing and worship her Lord Krishna, along with Bhagavathars in the Temple. Under the stressful circumstances, Rana Kumbha was heart-broken, yet remained a good husband, sympathetic to Meera. Meera, on her part, throughout these hysterical slanders, remained unmoved, by both criticism, as also praise, of the world. She said to herself:

            “This infamy, Oh my Prince, is delicious!

              Some revile me, others applaud.

              I simply follow my incomprehensible road.

              A razor-thin path; but you meet some good people,

              A terrible path, but you hear a true word.

              Turn back?

              Because the wretched stare and see nothing?

              Oh!  Meera’s  Lord is noble and dark,

              And slanderers rake only themselves, over the coals”

Rana’s relatives, however, persisted with defaming and persecuting Meera, and even attempted to end her life!  Herewith are a few of their fruitless attempts: 

  Meera was sent a basket with a cobra inside, but with a message that the contents were flower-garlands. When however, Meera after her meditation, uncovered the basket, she found inside a lovely idol of Sri Krishna, with a flower garland!

Meera’s  brother-in-law sent her a cup of poison, but with a message that it was nectar for Lord Krishna. However, when Meera, after worship, drank the cup, lo! It was delicious nectar!

Another cruel attempt was, a bed of sharp nails, neatly covered up, was sent to Meera. But when Meera reclined on it, she found it was a bed of fragrant beautiful flowers! That is how her Lord Krishna protected her, under all circumstances. He was ever an ‘Aapat Baandhava’. Meera used to sing:  “That dark dweller is my only refuge. Oh my companion, worldly comfort is illusion. As soon you get it, it goes!  I have chosen the indestructible for my refuge. Him, whom the snake of death will not devour. My beloved dwells in my heart all day. Meera’s Lord is Hari, the Indestructible. My Lord, I have taken refuge with you”

However, when the torture and scandals continued unending to pester her, Meera sent a letter to Goswami Tulsidas, asking for advice. She said in her letter that simply because she was constantly tortured by her relatives, she could not abandon her Lord Krishna. She was unable to carry on with her devotional practices in the palace. Tulsidas replied:

“Abandon those who cannot understand you, and who do not worship Rama or Shyama. Did not Prahlada abandon his father, and, Vibhishan left his brother, Bali forsook even his Guru? The relation with God, and, love of God, are the only elements that are true and eternal. All other relationships are unreal and ephemeral”.

Meera also met again her Guru and Mentor Raidas, who is said to have lived upto 118 years!

However, the turning point in Meera Bai’s life occurred when once Mughal-e-Azam Akbar, and his Court Musician Tansen, came in disguise to Chittor to hear Meera’s soulful devotional songs in the Temple, where she normally used to sing. They heard her to their heart’s content. Before they left, Akbar touched the holy feet of Meera, and placed a necklace of priceless gems in front of Lord Krishna’s Idol. This news, unfortunately, somehow reached Rana kumbha, who became furious, and in a fit of temper, ordained Meera to drown herself, and never show her face again, in view of the great disgrace she brought to her family, by singing before Akbar, not only a muslim, but also an arch enemy of Rajputs. She proceeded to the river to drown, even then singing and dancing to her Lord. A hand from behind seemed to hold her. She turned back and fainted. When she opened her eyes, He whispered to her that her life with her mortal relatives was over, and she was now free! She ever was, and would ever be His. Intuitively on her Lord’s advice, she left for Brindavan, walking barefoot on the scorching hot sands of Rajasthan. En route, she received hospitality from one and all. On reaching Brindavan, she again met her Guru Sant Raidas. She went about in Brindavan doing ‘Oonchha vritthi’ (begging for alms), and worshipping in Govindji Ki Mandir, which later became a great pilgrim center. Meera in Brindavan breathed a distinct air of freedom, singing and dancing to her heart’s content.

Speaking on Meera, Swami Sivananda stated: “Meera wafted the fragrance of devotion far and wide- - - 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 fervor in her songs- - - - Meera’s songs infuse faith, courage, devotion, and love of God - - - They inspire the aspirants to take to the path of devotion, and produce in them a marvelous thrill, and a melting of the heart”.

In the year 1521, Rana Kumbha died in a fierce battle. Her in-laws compelled her to do ‘sati’ (burning alive on the funeral pyre of husband) an ancient traditional custom. But she refused stating that her real husband was her Lord Krishna.

The Head of the Vaishnavites in Brindavan, was one by name Jeeva Gosain. Meera sought his darshan. He said that he would not allow any woman in his presence. Meera retorted that the only true man (Purusha) in this universe, was Lord Krishna. Everyone else was a woman! Jeeva Gosain was put to shame, and went to Meera, and paid his respects.

Meera continued her pilgrimage, singing and dancing, from one village to another. She is thought to have spent her last years as a pilgrim in Dwaraka, in Gujarat. The year was 1547. On the Krishna Janmaashtami Day at Dwaraka, there was exciting happiness all around. The lights of the lamps, and the echoing sounds of bhajans, surcharged the environment. With ‘tambooraa’ in one hand, and ‘cymbols’(or chipla) in the other, Meera sang ecstatically, with Gopala smiling in front of her closed eyes. She danced singing ‘Mere Janana Marana Ke Saathee’. In that state of ecstasy, she stumbled and fell on the flower-bedecked feet of her Giridhaari. She is said to have exclaimed “Oh, Giridhari! You are calling me? I am coming”. As all were watching with awe, a lightning enveloped Meera and the sanctum-sanctorum doors closed on their own. Lo, when the doors opened, Meera’s saree was enveloping the Lord’s Idol. Her voice and the flute accompaniment were the only sounds that could be heard. Meera merged with her Kanhaiya, as the bubble merges with the water.

So many princesses and queens have come and gone. So many appeared on the stage of this world. How is it the queen of Chittor, Meera alone is still remembered? Is it because of her beauty? Or her poetic skill? No. it is on account of her utter renunciation, her single-minded devotion to her Lord Krishna. She conversed with Him, ate with Him, and drank the Krishna Prema-Rasa. She was indeed one of the foremost embodiments of Prema-Bhakti that ever trod upon this planet!

Meera wrote song-verses known as ‘pada-s’, and mystical love poems called ‘bhajan-s’. She is credited with creating a unique raga called  Meera-ke-Malhar.She composed her songs in a combination of Rajastani and Braj languages. There are anywhere from 400 to 1300 songs attributed to Meera Bai, but scholars believe she mostly composed somewhere between 103 to 200 pada-s.

Meera Bai’s works were not recorded in writing for many reasons. At the time Meera lived, there were limited means to preserve manuscripts. After the death of her husband and father-in-law, she was continuously persecuted. . it was highly unlikely that they would have made an effort to record her works.. . Works of poets like Kabir were preserved by their disciples. But Meera did not have a following of such disciples. She did not strive for poetic recognition, and probably, did not care to leave her songs in writing. They have been “preserved in the fluid realm of oral tradition”.

Meera, while not as well known as her contemporaries like Kabir, Tulsidas, and the blind poet Surdas, was however significant in her own right, and her songs of love and devotion for her Lord Krishna, became a unique contribution to the history of north Indian culture . . . . She lives in the minds and hearts of many, thru her devotional songs.  

           Meera Mahotsav:  Meera Smrithi Samsthan, along with Chittorgarh officials, organizes Meera Mahotsav every year, on the day of Sharad Purnima (Meera Bai’s birth anniversary) for three days. Many famous musicians and singers gather to sing bhajans during this celebration. The three-day celebration also features puja-s, discussions, dances, fire-works etc.

        ( Source material of this write-up: Mostly, extracts from Google )