Sant Shiromani Mirabai
Meerabai's name is paramount among the saint-poets who flowed the stream of saguna-bhakti-rasa in medieval Rajasthan. The events of his birth time are available, but there is no definite date regarding birth and death.
Meera was born by Acharya Ramchandra Shukla V.S. It is believed in 1573 (AD.1516) while historians like Gaurishankar Hirachand Ojha, Harvilas Sharda and Gopinath Sharma etc. have given the birth of Mirabai in V.No. It is believed in 1555 (AD 1498). On the basis of some verses of Meera, it is estimated that she was contemporary of Kabir, Tulsidas, Raidas and Akbar, but this does not seem to be true due to the gap of more than 200 years between Kabir's birth and Akbar's death.
Regarding the birth of Meera, the opinion of scholars like Ojha seems to be more correct, so Meerabai was born after the death of Kabir and before becoming the emperor of Akbar.
Early life of Mirabai
Mirabai was the only daughter of Rathor Ratan Singh, the second son of Rao Duda of Merta. Meera was born in the village of Kudki, about 21 miles from Merta. At the very young age of Meera, her mother died. Mirabai's grandfather Rao Duda and his family were devotees of Lord Krishna. Rao Duda appointed Pandit Gajadhar as Meera's teacher, who used to narrate stories and memories of Puranas to Meera along with worship.
In this way, the seeds of devotion towards Krishna in Meera were planted in childhood itself. It is believed that a monk had given the idol of Lord Muralidhar to Meera during her childhood. Meera started considering him as her husband. After the death of Rao Duda, Mira's aunt Veeramdev became the ruler of Merta. In AD 1516, Meera was married to Bhojraj, the eldest son of Maharana Sanga of Mewar.
After marriage Meera took the idol of Lord Murlidhar and Pandit Gajadhar to Chittor. Meera built Murlidharji's temple in Chittor fort and handed over the responsibility of his service to Pandit Gajadhar. In return for this service, Gajadhar was given 2,000 bighas of land in Mandal and Pur, which is still with his descendants.
After 7 years of marriage, Meera's husband Bhojraj got Veergati in a war. Mirabai, detached from worldly pleasures, started doing satsang and bhajan-kirtan. In AD 1528, Meera's father-in-law Maharana Sanga was also injured in the battle of Khanwa and attained Veergati. After him Maharana Ratna Singh and then Maharana Vikramaditya became the ruler of Mewar. Both of them did not like that Meera was sitting among the sadhus. He insulted Meera and even tried to kill her. On this Mirabai left Chittor and returned to her Pehar Merta.
After some time Rao Maldev of Jodhpur snatched the Merta kingdom of Meera's uncle Veeramdev. So Meera went to Vrindavan. On being harassed by Maharana Vikramaditya here too, Mirabai left Vrindavan and went to Dwarka. After some time Jaimal Rathod, son of Meera's uncle, recaptured Merta and called Meera from Dwarka to Merta but Meera refused to leave Dwarka. On this Jaimal sent some priests to Dwarka. He started fasting by sitting at Meera's door.
Then Meerabrai went to the temple and sang a hymn which meant 'O Lord! I do not want to leave this abode of yours, it is my vow, but if these brahmins die of starvation, then I will be guilty of brahmhatya. Therefore, you should take such a remedy so that both my vow and the life of the brahmins are saved. Singing this hymn, Meera's soul flew away and she merged with the idol of Dwarkadhish.
Meera's devotional spirit
Three stages of her spiritual journey are visible in Meera's works. In the beginning, her soul yearns for Lord Shri Krishna and she gets distraught in love affair and says- 'I am Virhani sitting awake, Jag sove ri aali' ..... 'Daras bin Dukhan lage nain.' In the second phase of devotion, she gets the achievement of Shri Krishna, she says- 'Payoji Maine Ramratan Dhan Payo'……. ‘Saajan has come to my house, Juga-juga ri jowta, Virhani piv paaya ho.’
The third and final stage of Meera's devotion is when she attains the ecstasy produced by devotion and God-realization - 'Ansuvan water irrigation-watering love vine sown, now the vine has spread the joy fruit Hoi.'
There are four types of salvation in Indian spirituality – Sayujya, Sarupya, Salokya and Samipya. In Sayujya Moksha the devotee becomes one with his God. In Sarupya Moksha the devotee assumes the same form as God, in Salokya Moksha the devotee becomes situated in the world of his God.
In Samipya Moksha the devotee is situated near his God. Due to sagun bhakti and due to sagun bhakti also due to the devotion of conjugal spirit, she attains syujya salvation in which she becomes one with God. Meera has expressed this feeling in this way- 'Mere to girdhar gopal second na koi'
Meerabai's verses are sung with devotion in the general public. Meerabai may have been a devotee-poet of Rajasthan, but her verses are sung all over the country. Due to the influence of different places, there is a difference in the nature and language of these words. Colonel Todd and Stratton threw light on the life of Mirabai. Nancy has also mentioned Mirabai in these words- 'Bhojraj Sangawat innu kahai chai, Mirabai Rathod paranai huti.' 'Life and Poetry of Mirabai' by Munshi Devi Prasad Munsif Wrote a book called According to Mahadevi Varma, 'Meera's verses are the gems of devotional literature of the world.
Compositions of Mirabai
Mirabai has written her own verses and her language is Rajasthani mixed Khari dialect. Some verses are found in pure Brajbhasha and some verses are also found in Gujarati language. Along with Hindi and Rajasthani, Dingal, Pingal, Braj, Sanskrit, Sadhukkadi languages are also seen in his posts. More naturalness and originality are found in Mira's songs than contemporary poets.
The use of calm rasa and makeup rasa has been more in his writings. It is believed that Meerabai composed four texts- (1.) Barsi ka Myra, (2.) Geet Govind Tika, (3.) Raga Govind, (4.) Raga Sorath's verses. Compilation of verses written by Mirabai 'Mirabai's verses' It has also been done in a book called.
Meerabai's verses, filled with deep pain of heart, compassion and tenderness of love, are a priceless heritage of Hindi literature. The verses of Meera, irrigated by the intense feeling of surrender, the intense pain of separation and the tears emanating from the joy of union, are the best examples of lyrical poetry. Due to the softness of expressions, pomp and smooth flow of language, he got special fame in the public.
In Meera's verses, intense pain of love with melody-devotion, inner feeling of separation and spiritual sublime has been expressed which is unique in Hindi literature. Breaking the taboos of the feudal environment, simple and heart-grabbing language has been used in Krishna-bhakti in the verses of Meera, which has become unique due to the poignant estrangement-expression and the spontaneous use of ornaments.
Mirabai had a good knowledge of music, so her poetry is based on various ragas. Therefore, the words of Meera are also used in classical singing.
Miradasi sect
Mirabai did not establish any sect, yet the devotees who follow the path of devotion of Mirabai associate themselves with the Miradasi sect. The number of people of this sect is very less. The people of this sect do Hari-Kirtan and dance with aplomb like Mirabai.
According to the Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, the worship system of the child form of Krishna is prevalent among the devotees of the Miradasi sect. H. H. Wilson has also mentioned this sect. It is believed that Mirabai inspired many princes and princesses in Rajasthan to follow the path of devotion.
Among them are Akhairaj of Idar, Prithviraj of Bikaner, Jai Singh and Pratap Singh of Jaipur, Sawant Singh (Nagridas) of Kishangarh, Ranavatji, wife of Prithviraj, Rasik Bihari (Bani-Thani) of Sawant Singh and his sister Sundar Kanwari, Kisni of Marwar etc. Meera's devotion to conjugal sentiment had a special effect on widowed women who, like Meera, used to consider Krishna as their husband. The devotees and women of Miradasi sect used to wear the same clothes as Meerabai.
Present day fame of Mirabai
Today Mirabai's fame is all over the world. In Merta, the capital of Rao Duda, there is a medieval temple of Lord Krishna with a human figure of Mirabai. There is also a temple of Mirabai in Chittor fort, on which the Postal Department of the Government of India has issued a special cover. Many feature-films were also produced about Mirabai. The highest literary award of Rajasthan Sahitya Akademi is known as Meera Puraskar.