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DI:Personality
Meerabai
In Dwaraka
The political condition in Medatha and in Chittore had changed very much. Nobody cared
for Mira. Every one had branded her as a disgrace to the community. Her uncle, Beerama
Dev, had to fight hard to retain his kingdom. He had no time to think of Mira. She, too,
did not bother herself about these things. In a state of utter detachment she went on
pilgrimage with saints. Finally she halted at Dwaraka. The temple of Ranchodji (another
name for Sri Krishna) in Dwaraka became her shrine.
Though Mira was extremely popular, the royal families of Rajasthan hesitated to own her.
The news that the Rana had been very unfair to Mira had spread. After Ratan Simha the
Second was murdered, Udaya Simha was crowned. He thought that if Mira lived alone in the
company of monks, it would bring a bad name to the royal family. So he requested her to
return to Chittore.Having once suffered many tortures there, the pious Mira did not wish
to return to that cage. There is an interesting tale about this.
Udaya Simha soon realized that Mira would not come back in deference to his words. He
sent five Brahmins of Chittore to meet her.They requested herto return toChittore. Mira
felt that if she went back to thepalace, the same old tale would be repeated. She was
probably about forty-eight at that time. Even while her husband, Bhojaraja, was living it
had been difficult for her to worship Sri Krishna in the palace. Mira had to shift to a
temple. Now twenty-five years had passed since her husband's death. The royal family had
even tried to murder her. So she had come to live in Dwaraka, far away from them all. She
had resolved that she was related to nobody except Giridhar Gopal.
Was she to go back to that palace, to that prison? "I shall not come," she said.
It was the Rana who had sent the Brahmins. They dared not stand before him with dull
face, without Mira. They implored, they entreated and they tried more than one way to
persuade her.
"No," said Mira, "I shall not come." Then the Brahmins used their last weapon. "We shall
not return without you," they said, "If you do not come with us,we shall fast here unto
death."
Mira was in difficult situation. She did not like to go to Chittore. But she could not be
responsible for the death of these Brahmins. So she requested them to wait that night in
the temple itself. She agreed to go to Chittore with them the next morning. The Brahmins
felt very happy and stayed in the temple.
'Where Is Saint Mira'
The day dawned.
Mira was not to be found anywhere.
The Brahmins got scared. They searched for her. Other devotees and sanyasis also searched
for her. But she was nowhere to be seen.
Only her dress was found lying in front of Ranchodji's shrine.
The devotees concluded that she might have got merged in her dear Lord, Lal Giridhar.
Even now devotees have the same belief.
There are people who do not believe this story. But there cannot be a more beautiful
conclusion to the story of Mira's life. People who believe this to be true think it must
have happened in 1547. Another Ponclusion is, that Mira did not die but escaped in
disguise. But they cannot say anything about her life after this time. Nothing was heard
of her anywhere. Among the stories people narrate about her this is none after this date.
Therefore it is only appropriate to believe that Mira who had remained firm in the midst
of all troubles realized at last the union with her dearest Lord.
The Drop of Nectar in the Poison
Mira's achievement in music is remarkable. She herself has set tunes to her songs and has
mentioned the ragas. 'Rag Govinda' and 'Rag Mira Malhar' are her own creations. Mira's
songs can easily be set to music. And this is why those songs have been on the lips of
people for over four hundred years.
There are several compositions on record said to have been her work. But only the lyrics
known, as Padas (songs of folk style) are important. So far more than four hundred such
songs have been collected.
Mira's name is not mentioned in any of the royal chronicles of Rajasthan. No details of
any kind can be found in the writings of contemporary historians. From all this, it is
obvious that there was a deliberateattempt to wipe out her name from history. Some people
had tried to kill her when she was alive. Probably they tried to prevent all mention of
her in history. This would not be surprising. Jealousy and hatred make a man stoop to any
mean act. The moving songs of Mira who had won the hearts of the people are still on
their lips and so she lives still. Those kings in power in those days not only hated her
and treated her with contempt but also tried to expel her from the pages of history.
Today while we look for material in books of history for Mira's biography, we have to
ignore them. But Mira who had suffered their cruelty neither did not hate them in return
nor showed any anger. Like a drop of sweet nectar preserved unspoiled even in the midst
of poison, in the midst of hatred, violence and scandals, Mira fixed her mind on Lal
Giridhar and sang in praise of him. We feel as if we hear Mira say with a smile, 'A
devotee suffers any kind of hardship for the sake of his God, He never gives up his God.
By minding his own business, he reaches his goal.'
The song comes floating across of hundred years:
"Mere tho Giridhar Gopal doosaro na koyi !!
Mata chodi, pita chode, Chode saga soyi !
Sadha sang baith baith Lok laj khoyi !!
Santh dekh dowdi aayi, Jagat dekh royi !
Prem aasu dar dar Amar bel boyi !!
Marag me taran mile santh nam doyi !
Santh sada sees par Nam hridou hoyi !!
Ab tho bath phail gayi, Janou sab koyi !
Dasi Mira Lal Giridhar Honi so hoyi !!
"I have no one but Giridhar Gopal. I gave up my mother. I gave up my father, and gave up
all my kith and kin. I gave up my shyness in the company of sages. I ran eagerly seeking
the saints but the ways and manners of the world came in the way. Then I shed tears.
Those tears have kept the creeper of love alive. Saints and the holy name of Sri Krishna
were the guiding lights I found along my path. Sri Krishna from within and the saints
from without have illumined my path. My Lord, this slave Mira is yours. And you are the
goal she wishes to reach. Let people gossip as they please. What does it matter?"
– Courtesy : FreeIndia
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