Mirabai

Mirabai - The Princess Who Became a Saint

Mirabai was a 16th-century Rajput princess and poet-saint, whose devotion to Krishna has made her one of the most beloved figures in Indian spirituality. Her life is a testament to the power of love that transcends social conventions, family obligations, and even the threat of death.

The Early Years

Mira was born in 1498 in the kingdom of Merta, Rajasthan. From her earliest years, she showed an unusual disposition. When a sadhu visited her father’s court and showed her an image of Krishna, the young Mira was captivated. She asked: “Who is this beautiful lord?” The sadhu told her it was Krishna, and from that moment, Krishna became the center of her life.

She was only four years old when she asked her mother: “Who will be my husband?” Her mother, half-joking, pointed to the image of Krishna and said: “Krishna is your husband.” Mira took this literally and with absolute seriousness. Her devotion was not a sentiment - it was the organizing principle of her entire existence.

The Marriage and the Conflict

Mira was married to Bhoj Raj, the crown prince of Mewar. Her husband was a good man who loved her, but Mira’s heart belonged entirely to Krishna. She refused to worship the family goddess, Durga, saying that her only lord was Krishna. She spent her days in the temple, singing and dancing before Krishna’s image.

This created immense conflict with her in-laws. They tried to force her to conform. They sent her a cup of poison, which she drank without harm because she had offered it to Krishna first. They sent her a basket with a snake; she opened it and found a garland of flowers. They tried to drown her; she floated on the river, singing Krishna’s name.

Her husband died young, and her in-laws demanded that she commit sati (self-immolation on the husband’s funeral pyre). Mira refused. “My husband is Krishna,” she said. “He is immortal. I cannot burn for a husband who has not truly died.”

The Wanderer

Mira left the palace and became a wandering singer. She traveled to Vrindavan and to Dwarka, the land of Krishna’s pastimes. Everywhere she went, she sang her songs of longing and love. She was accompanied by sadhus and devotees, and her presence transformed all who heard her.

The orthodox priests of Vrindavan were scandalized by this woman who sang and danced without regard for social conventions. But the great saint Chaitanya Mahaprabhu recognized her as a true lover of God and defended her: “The Lord does not ask about caste or gender. He asks only about love.”

The Songs

Mira’s songs, composed in Rajasthani and Braj Bhasha, are among the most beloved devotional lyrics in India. They speak of:

• The pain of separation from the beloved Lord
• The joy of union with Krishna
• A rejection of social conventions in the name of divine love
• The certainty that the Lord will never abandon those who love him

Her most famous lines capture her unshakable faith:

Mere to Giridhar Gopal, dusro na koi Jo sir hath rakhiyo, wo meri hai soi

“I have only Giridhar Gopal (Krishna); I have no other. The hand that has been placed on my head - that is the only one I claim.”