Bhakti Saint Mirabai Folklore, Life History

Mirabai was a great bhakti saint and devotee of Sri Krishna. Although she was criticized and hostile by her family, she lived an exemplary holy life and composed many bhajans for his Lord Krishna.

Mirabai is known for her songs of devotion to Krishna and devoted herself to the worship of Krishna by giving up traditional female characters. She is a saint of Bhakti, a poet and a mystic, as well as Princess.

She is one of the most important representatives of Prema Bhakti (Love of God) and an inspired poet.

She sings in Vraja-bhasha and sometimes sings with Rajasthani to praise Shri Krishna, and her Lord has developed the strongest love and devotion deep inside her.

Origin and History

She was born in 1498 AD in Chaukari Village, Merta District, Rajasthan. Merta is a small state in Marwar, Rajasthan, ruled by Ranthors, a great devotee of Vishnu.

Her father, Ratan Singh, is a descendant of Rao Duda Ji, a descendant of the founder of Jodhpur, Rao Jodha Ji Rathor. She was raised by his grandfather.

Following royal habits, her education includes knowledge of scripture, music, archery, fencing, horse riding, and driving chariots – she has also been trained to carry weapons in combat.

However, she also grew up in an atmosphere of Krishna consciousness, which helped her shape her path towards full devotion to Shri Krishna.

She was soft-spoken, sweet, and mild-mannered, gifted, and sang with a melodious voice.

Her fame has spread across many kingdoms and provinces and is considered one of the most outstanding beauties of her time. Her reputation is scattered.

Saint Mira Bai’s Arranged Marriage

Rana Sangram Singh is often referred to as the powerful King of Mewar, Rana Sangha, with Mirabai and son Bhojraj Marriage (later known as Rana Kumbha or Kumbha Rana) is close to Laduda.

Bhojraj wanted to marry Mira for his pious nature and divine intention. Rao Duda agreed to join the union.

However, her heart was filled with thoughts about her Krishna, she did not want to marry someone else.

But because her grandfather said nothing, so she finally agreed for the marriage with Rana.

She married Rana Kumbha until she was 14 years old before getting married in 1513. She went to (Chittorgarh) Mewar with Rana Kumbha.

Folklore and Legends

The history has seen many folklore and legends and one such person that has made her name in history is Saint Meerabai. It has a lot of folklore associated with her and her devotional poems sung in praise of Lord Krishna.

1. First time knowing Shri Krishna

When Saint Meera was only 3 years old, a wandering Sadhu came to her home and handed a Shri Krishna doll to his father.

Her father thought it was a special blessing, but at first, he did not want to give it to her daughter because she felt she would not be grateful.

However, Mira fell in love with the doll at first sight. She refused to eat until she gave Shri Krishna’s doll to her.

2. Deep Devotion with Shri Krishna

When she was only four years old, she showed a deep love for Krishna. Mira Bai watched a wedding in front of his residence.

The child Meera found the well-dressed bridegroom and then naively asked her mother: “Dear Mother, who will be my bridegroom?”

Her mother smiled and joked, half-seriously, pointing to the image of Shri Krishna, said: “My dear Mira, Shri Krishna-this beautiful guy-will be your bridegroom”.

As she grew, her desire to be with Krishna grew stronger, and she believed that Shri Krishna would marry her.

In due course, she firmly believes that Krishna will become her husband

3. Mughal Emperor Akbar Mesmerized by Mira’s Bhajans

Mira’s fame spread everywhere, and her devotional bhajans sang in northern India.

Friendship with Mughal Emperor Akbar — Mughal Emperor Akbar

On the one hand, Meerabai’s reputation and spirituality are said to have reached the ears of Emperor Akbar of Mughal.

Akbar was very powerful, but he was also interested in different religious paths.

The problem was that he and Meerabai’s family were the biggest enemies and going to Mirabai will cause him and Mirabai trouble.

But Akbar made up his mind to see the princess Meera. He disguised himself as a beggar and went to Mirabai with Tansen.

Akbar was so fascinated by her affectionate music and bhajans that he put a priceless necklace on her feet before leaving.

4. Lord Krishna Commanding Her to Go to Brindavan

However, as time passed, Akbar’s visit was heard by her husband Bhoj Raj. He was angry at a Muslim and his number one enemy who witnessed his wife.

He ordered Mirabai to drown in the river and commit suicide.

She intends to fulfill her husband’s orders, but when she enters the river, Sri Krishna appears in front of her and orders her to leave Brindavan, where she can worship him peacefully.

Therefore, Meera and some followers went to Brindavan, where she spent her time in devotion to Sri Krishna.

5. Sending a letter to Tulsidas

When torture and scandals continued, Meera sent a letter to Goswami Tulsidas and asked his opinion. She wrote:

“Just because I have been tortured by relatives, so I can’t give up my Krishna. I can’t continue to dedicate my faith in the palace.

I have treated Giridhar Gopala as a friend since I was a kid. Completely bound. I cannot break this bond.”

Tulsidasji replied: “Abandon those who cannot understand you and do not worship Rama or Shyama, even if they are your dearest relatives.

Prahlada abandoned his father. Vibhisana left His brother Ravana. Bharat abandoned his mother. Bali even gave up his master. “

The relationship with God and love for God are the only real and eternal elements. All other relationships are illusory and temporary

6. Saint Meerabai in Brindavan

In Brindavan, Meerabai was free to worship Giridhara. She would spend her time singing and exulting with Krishna.

Like a real Bhakti, she worships God wholeheartedly. The wealth of the world is not attractive to Mirabai.

Her only satisfaction comes from devotion to Sri Krishna. Her soul yearned for Krishna.

She thinks she is a Gopi of Brindavan and is mad only because of her pure love for Krishna.

Obstacles faced by Saint Meerabai

After finishing housework, Meera went to Shri Krishna’s temple every day to worship, sing and dance in front of Shri Krishna’s idols.

Kumbha Rana’s mother and other court ladies did not like Mirabai’s lifestyle because of their worldly awareness and jealousy. Mirabai’s mother-in-law forced her to worship Durga and often scolded her.

But she insisted: “I have dedicated my life to my beloved Shri Krishna“.

Her sister-in-law, Udabai, constituted a conspiracy and began to slander innocent Meera.

She told Rana Kumbha that Mira was secretly in love with someone, she witnessed Meera chatting with her lover in the temple, and if he accompanied her one night, she would show him these people.

The ladies further raved that Saint Mirabai’s manner has brought great insults to the reputation of the Rana Chittor family.

The angry Kumbha ran towards Meera with a sword in his hand, but fortunately, Meera had already gone to her Krishna temple.

A sober relative of Rana persuaded him to say,

“Rana! You will always repent for your hasty actions and consequences. Check the accusation carefully and you will find the truth. Meerabai is a great devotee of the Lord. Out of pure jealousy, the ladies may have fabricated scandals against MeeraBai to incite you and destroy her.”

Kumbha calmed down, accompanied his sister, who took him in the middle of the night to the temple.

Rana Kumbha opened the door, rushed in, and found Meera alone chatting and singing with idols in an ecstatic mood.

Rana shouted, “Mira, show me your lover, whom you are talking to now.” Mira replied, “He-My Lord, who stole my heart sat there.” She was in a trance.

When asked about her marriage responsibilities, Mira replied that she married Krishna. Kumbha Rana was heartbroken but had been Mira’s good husband and sympathizer until his death.

Rana’s relatives began to persecute Meera in various ways, although Mira did not want to gain the throne.

Mira received a basket with cobras and sent a message saying that the basket contained garlands. After meditation, Saint Mirabai opened the basket and found flowers in a cute Shri Krishna idol.

The ruthless Rana (her brother-in-law) gave her a cup of poison and conveyed the message that it was nectar.

Mira provided it to her Shri Krishna and regarded it as his Prasad. It was nectar for her.

The Bhakti Movements of Saint Mirabai

As part of the Bhakti movement, Mirabai did not follow these traditional guidelines to become a widowed Rajput princess but instead worshipped Krishna enthusiastically.

She determined that she was Krishna’s spouse. Like many people in the Bhakti movement, she ignores gender, class, caste, and religious boundaries and spends time caring for the poor.

Meerabai returned to her hometown of Mewar, but her family also opposed her shifting from traditional religious customs to her bhakti towards Lord Krishna.

Later, she joined a religious community in Brindavan.

Mirabai’s contribution to the Bhakti movement is mainly her music: she wrote hundreds of songs and initiated a way to sing songs, namely raga.

Scholars accepted about 200-400 songs written by her; another 800-1000 were attributed to her. She does not consider herself as the author of the song-as a selfless expression-so her authorship is uncertain.

These songs were kept verbally and were not written until long after the composition, which complicates the task of assigning authorship.

Mirabai’s songs express her love and dedication to Krishna, almost always Krishna’s wife. This song tells the joy and pain of love.

Metaphorically, Meerabai pointed out the desire of the individual ego, that is, Altman, and the universal ego or supernatural phenomenon, which is the poet’s representative of Krishna.

Meerabai composed her songs in Rajasthani and Braj Bhasa languages and translated them into Hindi and Gujarati.

Meerabai was willing to sacrifice family dignity and traditional gender, family and caste restrictions, and devote herself wholeheartedly to Krishna.

This makes her an important role model in the religious movement that emphasizes ecstasy and rejects traditional splits based on gender, class, caste, and creed.

According to the tradition of her people, Meerabai is a “loyal wife” simply because she is committed to her choice of spouse Krishna, thus giving her loyalty to the worldly spouse Prince Rajput.

Famous Compositions and Poems of Meerabai

Much of what we know about Meerabai comes from her poetry. Her poetry expresses her longing and pursuit to ally with Sri Krishna.

Sometimes she expresses the pain of separation and sometimes expresses the ecstasy of divine union.

Her spiritual poems were designed to sing as bhajans, and many people still sing today.