#MeeraBai
#BhaktiSaint
Mirabai was born in Samvat 1557 or 1499 A.D. in the village Kudki, near Merta, a small estate in Marwar, Rajasthan. She was born as a royal princess, daughter of Ratan Singh Ranthor and grand-daughter of Dudaji of Merta.

The Ranthors of Merta were great devotees of Lord Vishnu. Meera, also known as Meera Bai or Mirabai was a 16th-century Hindu mystic poet and devotee of Lord Krishna. She is a celebrated Bhakti saint, particularly in the North Indian Hindu tradition.

Meera Bai was brought up amidst Vaishnava influence, which moulded her life in the path of devotion towards Lord Krishna. Her religious tendencies were encouraged by her mother and after her mother died, she was put up with her Grandfather.

She took to adoring the idol of Lord Krishna since a very young age and learnt to worship him from her childhood. When she was four years of age, she manifested religious tendencies. Once there was a marriage procession in front of her residence.

The bridegroom was nicely dressed. Meera, who was only a child, saw the bridegroom and said to her mother innocently, "Dear mother, who is my bridegroom?".
Meera’s mother smiled, and half in jest and half in earnest, pointed towards the image of Sri Krishna and said,

"My dear Meera, Lord Krishna—this beautiful image—is your bridegroom".
She assumed that Krishna was her husband. She danced before the idol, cooked for it, bathed it and even slept with it. She sang beautiful songs in front of the image and used to talk to the idol.

She was married to Prince Bhoj Raj of Chittor, son of Rana Sangha. She still held Lord Krishna her husband and apparently had her idol by her side even on the bridal seat. She refused to worship the family deity and continued to sing and dance in the shrine of Lord Krishna.

She often met other devotees who came to the shrine. This was seen as a threat to the female piety, Meera now being a princess of a highly esteemed royal state. After her husband died within three years of the wedding, Meera refused to enter the fire.

She said that her husband was Lord Krishna. Her activities seemed quite unacceptable to her husband's family members and attempts were made to kill her twice as she was now seen as a blot of shame. She miraculously survived all attempts to murder her.

She took to the dangers with a smile and her unflinching faith made her ready to face them all. Inspite of the negative attitude around her, she only thought about her Lord Giridhar. Though she was young, she endured the piercing taunts, sarcastic criticisms of the world bravely.

When she was tortured by her husband’s relatives, she sent a letter to Tulsidasji and asked the advice of the saint. She wrote: "All my relatives trouble me, because I move amongst Sadhus. I cannot carry on my devotional practices in the house.

I have made Giridhar Gopal my friend from childhood. I am strongly attached to Him. I cannot break that attachment now".
Tulsidasji sent a reply: "Abandon those who do not worship Rama and Sita as if they are your enemies,

even though they are your dearest relatives. Prahlad abandoned his father; Vibhishana left his brother Ravana; Bharata deserted his mother; Bali forsook even his Guru; the Gopis, the women of Vraja, disowned their husbands in order to attain the Lord.

Their lives were all the happier for having done so. The opinion of holy saints is that relation with God and love of God alone is true and eternal; all other relationships are unreal, temporary".
She was ready to face any obstacle, but nothing made her shun her love for Krishna.

She left her in-law's place, only to find herself moving out of her own house as well. She began to travel wide and far..She reached Brindavan and found out her Flute-bearer there. She went about Brindavan begging for her food.

She worshipped in the Govinda Mandir which has since become famous and is now a place of pilgrimage. Her devotees of Chitore came to Brindavan to see her. Rana Kumbha came to Meera in the disguise of a mendicant.

He revealed himself and repented for his previous wrongs. Meera at once prostrated before her husband.
From Brindavan, she proceeded to Dwaraka. There she was absorbed in the image of Lord Krishna at the temple of Ranchod.

There were so many Queens who had appeared but they all were forgotten. How is it that the queen of Chitore alone is still remembered?
Is this on account of her beauty? Poetic skill? No.
It is because of her renunciation, her devotion to Lord Krishna.

Her Lord Giridhar was the only thing she knew.

To her, her Giridhar Gopal meant everything.
"मेरे तो गिरिधर गोपाल, दूसरो न कोई “

She died in1556 at Dwaraka.
She has left an indelible impression on the world and her name will be handed down to posterity.

Radha ka bhi Shyam woh toh Meera ka bhi Shyam...