Mirabaiमेरे तो बस गिरिधर गोपाल दूसरो न कोई
Mirabai (मीराबाई) (1498-1547CE) (also known as Meera; Mira; Meera Bai) was a Hindu mystical poetess whose compositions are popular throughout India. Mirabai is held to have been a disciple of Ravidas. Mirabai composed between 200 to 1300 prayerful songs called bhajans. These bhajans are in the bhakti tradition, and most passionately praised Lord Krishna. The extant version of her poems are in a Rajasthani dialect of Hindi and in Gujarati.
Many of the details of Mirabai's life are pieced together from her poetry and the stories later recounted by members of her community. Whilst Mirabai's hagiography is held as truth by followers of the Bhakti tradition, the historical authenticity of most of her story is the subject of scholarly debate.
Mirabai was born at Merta in Nagaur District of Rajasthan in Rathore clan of Rajputs. When she was six years old, Mirabai was given a vigraha of Krishna by her mother to which she played, sang and talked. Her father's elder brother Viram Deo who succeeded to the throne arranged her marriage at the age of 16 with Prince Bhoj Raj, the eldest son of Rana Sanga of Chittor. This marriage raised Mirabai to a very high social status, as the ruler of Chittor was considered to be the leader of the Hindu princes of Rajputana. However, her great devotion to Lord Krishna did not always endear her to her husband and family. Her love of Krishna was so absorbing she neglected her social and regal responsibilities. She refused to offer worship to the family deity, Durga. She sang and danced in public temples and mingled with members of all castes. Because of this Mirabai suffered great hardship throughout her life. Her husband died a few years after her marriage and she refused to commit sati, a practice of widow self-immolation held in high regard in royal rajput families of the time. In 1527, the Rajputs opposed a Muslim invasion from Afghanistan.
Mirabai's father was killed in battle; her father-in-law was wounded in the same battle and died the next year. Mewar got a new child-ruler, who with his mother, made life at the court difficult for Mirabai. In Mirabai's poems she mentions that her family attempted to kill her twice but that she was miraculously saved both times. These physical hardships became intolerable and after praying to Krishna, she left the palace for good (possibly at the age of 30) and went to the pilgrimage of Mathura, Vrindavana and finally to Dwarka. Mirabai spent most of her time in prayer and worship of Krishna. She left behind a legacy of many soulful and prayerful songs, which are still sung in India today. Mirabai is widely regarded as a saint in the tradition of the Bhakti Movement. The 16th century Bhakti Movement showed the path to salvation by devotion. Other saints belonging to this culture were Tukaram, Kabir, Guru Nanak, Ramananda, Chaitanya, Ranabai.
Her love for Krishna is epitomized by the popular belief about her final disappearance in the temple of Krishna in Dwarka. She is believed to have entered the sanctum of the temple in a state of singing ecstasy or ananda. The sanctum doors are believed to have closed on their own and when later opened, the sari of Mirabai was seen enwrapped around the vigraha of Krishna, symbolizing the culmination of her union with her ishta-devata.
Many of the details of Mirabai's life are pieced together from her poetry and the stories later recounted by members of her community. Whilst Mirabai's hagiography is held as truth by followers of the Bhakti tradition, the historical authenticity of most of her story is the subject of scholarly debate.
Mirabai was born at Merta in Nagaur District of Rajasthan in Rathore clan of Rajputs. When she was six years old, Mirabai was given a vigraha of Krishna by her mother to which she played, sang and talked. Her father's elder brother Viram Deo who succeeded to the throne arranged her marriage at the age of 16 with Prince Bhoj Raj, the eldest son of Rana Sanga of Chittor. This marriage raised Mirabai to a very high social status, as the ruler of Chittor was considered to be the leader of the Hindu princes of Rajputana. However, her great devotion to Lord Krishna did not always endear her to her husband and family. Her love of Krishna was so absorbing she neglected her social and regal responsibilities. She refused to offer worship to the family deity, Durga. She sang and danced in public temples and mingled with members of all castes. Because of this Mirabai suffered great hardship throughout her life. Her husband died a few years after her marriage and she refused to commit sati, a practice of widow self-immolation held in high regard in royal rajput families of the time. In 1527, the Rajputs opposed a Muslim invasion from Afghanistan.
Mirabai's father was killed in battle; her father-in-law was wounded in the same battle and died the next year. Mewar got a new child-ruler, who with his mother, made life at the court difficult for Mirabai. In Mirabai's poems she mentions that her family attempted to kill her twice but that she was miraculously saved both times. These physical hardships became intolerable and after praying to Krishna, she left the palace for good (possibly at the age of 30) and went to the pilgrimage of Mathura, Vrindavana and finally to Dwarka. Mirabai spent most of her time in prayer and worship of Krishna. She left behind a legacy of many soulful and prayerful songs, which are still sung in India today. Mirabai is widely regarded as a saint in the tradition of the Bhakti Movement. The 16th century Bhakti Movement showed the path to salvation by devotion. Other saints belonging to this culture were Tukaram, Kabir, Guru Nanak, Ramananda, Chaitanya, Ranabai.
Her love for Krishna is epitomized by the popular belief about her final disappearance in the temple of Krishna in Dwarka. She is believed to have entered the sanctum of the temple in a state of singing ecstasy or ananda. The sanctum doors are believed to have closed on their own and when later opened, the sari of Mirabai was seen enwrapped around the vigraha of Krishna, symbolizing the culmination of her union with her ishta-devata.
Mirabai bhajan : Mane Chakar Rakho Ji
This famous hymn has another version which was used in the 1947 Hindi film Meerabai. Mirabai operated in Rajasthan and her dialect of Hindi is more properly called a variety of Rajasthani. Because of Rajasthan's proximity to Gujarat, Rajasthani and Gujarati share many similar linguistic features, and Mirabai seemed equally at home in either language. However here is the more popular version, influenced by Gujarati.
माने चाकर राखो जी, गिरधारी लाल, चाकर राखो जी
चाकर रहसुं बाग लगासूं नित उठ दर्शन पासूंबृंदावन की कुंज-गलिन में गोविंद लीला गासूं
चाकरी में दरसन पाऊं सुमिरन पाऊं बरचीभाव भगति जागीरी पाऊं तीनों बाता सरसी
मोर मुकुट पीतम्बर सोहे गले वैजंती मालाबृंदावनमें धेनु चरावे मोहन मुरलीवाला
ऊँचे-ऊँचे महल बनाऊँ बिच बिच राखूँ बारीसाँवरिया के दरशन पाऊँ पहर कुसुम्बी सारी
जोगी आया जोग करनकूं तप करने संयासीहरि-भजन कूं साधू आये बृंदाबन के वासी
मीरा के प्रभू गहर गम्भीरा हृदे रहो जी धीराआधी रात प्रभू दर्सन दीन्हो जमुनाजी के तीरा
Translation:
Lord Girdhari (Krishna), make me your servant.
As your servant, I will plant a garden, and see you every day.
In the groves and lanes of Vrindavan, I will sing about you.
Lord Girdhari (Krishna), make me your servant.
As your servant, I will plant a garden, and see you every day.
In the groves and lanes of Vrindavan, I will sing about you.
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Bhaj Govindam
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