Meera also spelt as Mira Bai, a Princess of Rajasthan and queen of Chittor; devoted to Krishna; took poison from her husband without any effect; composed devotional songs of exceptional quality. (Glossary for the Vahinis)
Meera was a devotee who had completely merged herself in Krishna consciousness. (SSS Vol.20) Meera asked her mother, as a tiny girl, ‘Mother! We are playing a game. The other girls have all given out the names of the man each will wed; who is to be my husband---tell me, I must tell them his name’? When she worried her for some little time, the mother blurted out, ‘This Giridhar, installed in this shrine, He is your husband. Go’. Meera dedicated herself to the Lord Giridhar (Krishna) from that moment and saw everywhere, at all times, only His complexion and His compassion. (SSS Vol.8)
After her marriage, she requested her husband to build a temple for Krishna. The Rana built for her a temple in marble. Meera spent all the time in the temple singing Bhajans (devotional songs) oblivious of the outside world. (SSS Vol.20) As were the tradition in those days, women were forbidden from freely moving among the males or sing in public. That too Meera was the wife of Maharana (a Rajput King) they were never allowed to mix with men. However, Meera never entertained such differences. In her view, ‘The entire creation was feminine and only Krishna was male (Do we consider someone as a male because he wears a pant and a bush shirt. But, all are ladies only! How? Because all are Prakriti (the eternal feminine nature).
Several people play several roles on the stage called universe. They are just roles. The mind is common to both ladies and gents. If there is a sorrowful event, both ladies and gents weep. Similarly, hunger is common to both sexes. Anger is common to both. The six enemies to a human being namely desire, anger, greed, pride and jealousy are common to both males and females. Hence all are women only. God only has the power to restraint and is beyond these six enemies. Hence, He is only the male. ( (Beacons of Divine Wisdom Part 2, p. 127).’ Hence, she always believed that she was moving among ladies, not gents. With such a broad feeling Meera used to move about freely and sing the glory of Lord Krishna in an ecstatic mood. As a result, the Rana developed hatred against her. He was angry that Meera was freely moving about, ignoring the differences between a male and a female and thus bringing down the reputation of the royal family.
Akbar the Mogul Emperor happened to know about the deep devotion of Meera through some one. He developed it an intense desire to have her darshan somehow. He disclosed this to his confidant Birbal. He too wanted to accompany the Emperor. Both of them set out to have the darshan of Meera, in disguise. During that time Meera was engaged in soulful singing of the divine name of the Lord Krishna in the Mandir. After hearing her singing, Akbar was deeply in transcendental bliss. Until Birbal patted him on his back and brought him into world, he lost consciousness. Finally before he departed, Akbar went to Meera with a garland in his hand and prayed, ‘Mother! Kindly take the garland and put it around the neck of Lord Krishna.’ Meera replied. ‘I am sorry I don’t touch other’s articles. You can yourself put the garland around Krishna’s neck is you wish.’ Akbar did not dare go near the idol of Krishna and prayed to Meera once again to take the garland and decorate the idol of the Lord Krishna. Unable to say no to his sincere prayer, Meera took the garland from Akbar and put it around the neck of Lord Krishna. (Beacons of Divine Wisdom Part 2, pp. 126-127)
Divine Name can convert poison to nectar
Rana arranged to mix poison in the milk and asked her to drink. Meera has a habit of offering everything to Lord Krishna before she partook of the same. She used to carry out her daily routine in the spirit of ‘Sarva Karma Bhagavat Preethyatham’ (performing all acts with a view to please God). Hence, she placed the vessel containing milk at the altar of Krishna and prayed wholeheartedly ‘Krishnarpanam’! (I offer this to Lord Krishna). That was a genuine offering from the depth of her heart. The very next moment, Lord Krishna partook a portion of the milk and changed the rest in to divine nectar. Meera partook of the left over milk happily as Lord Krishna prasadam (sanctified food). Her brother –in- law was waiting eagerly and anxiously to her the news of her death. Man proposes, God disposes! In a few minutes, he came to know that the poisoned milk did not have any effect on her and felt deeply disappointed. Meera did not die as expected. She was her normal self. The reason being, the milk along with the poison became an offering to Lord Krishna! As a result, the idol of Krishna made of pure white marble turned into blue! The Rana arranged to get the small quantity of milk that was in the vessel tested. It was proved it had no poison in it. The, what had happened to the poison that he himself had mixed in the milk, was the question that troubled the King. Lord Krishna partook of the poison, since it was offered so lovingly by His devotee, Meera in a spirit of ‘Bhagavat Preethyartham’ (to please God). Hence, the poisoned milk could not do any harm to Meera, the dear devotee of Lord Krishna. Whatever one offers to God in a spirit of ‘Bhagavat Preethyartham’, He removes the impurity in it and sanctifies that offering. (Beacons of Divine Wisdom Part 2, p. 127)
Rana locks Meera out of the Mandir
The Rana, who allowed Meera to carry on her worship of Krishna as agreed to by him before the marriage, got vexed with her complete absorption in Krishna and prohibited her from going to the temple and closed its doors to prevent her from going there. (SSS Vol.20)
He thought, ‘This lady is spoiling the reputation and honour of the royal family. It is high time she is sent out,’ Immediately, he rushed to the Mandir and ordered, ‘You go away from the Mandir immediately.’ Meera could not understand why she was being forced out of the Mandir. She pleaded, ‘I am living only for the sake of Krishna. How can I go leaving Krishna?’ Rana was not willing to wait further and therefore dragged her out of the Mandir, holding her hair.
She was shocked at this unforeseen development. However, she recovered soon and thought to herself, ‘This Mandir is impermanent on any day. The one that is permanent is the Mandir in my heart. (Beacons of Divine Wisdom Part 2) Meera felt: ‘The Rana may bar me from the temple which he has built. But who can bar me from seeking the Krishna who resides in the temple of my heart?’ (SSS Vol.20) She therefore, advised her mind, ‘Chalore Man Ganga Yamuna theer’ (Oh! Mind! Go to the place where the rivers Ganga and Yamuna meet - This is the place where the two channels ‘Ida’ and ‘pingala’ meet. It is the nerve centre called ‘Sushumna.’ It is located in the brow centre. (Beacons of Divine Wisdom Part 2)). Meera exhorted her mind to meditate upon the brow centre, where Lord Krishna is installed. What is the form of Krishna there? Krishna wearing a crown decorated with peacock feather, radiant yellow coloured robe and ear studs and a resplendent body. Though she was thrown out of the Mandir built with brick and mortar, she could still be holding on to her dear lord Krishna by meditating upon His beautiful form in her brow centre. (Beacons of Divine Wisdom Part 2, pp. 127-128)
When Meera was locked out of the Krishna Mandir by the Rana she was advised by Tulasidas that in the quest for God she was not bound to obey her husband’s orders. (SSS Vol.25)
The woman saint, Meera said, ‘Braving all hardships, I dived deep into the ocean of the worldly life and at last got hold of the precious pearl in the name of Krishna. If I lose hold of this pearl, I may not get it again. Therefore, Oh Lord! You are my sole refuge.’ (SSS Vol.25)
She prayed to the Lord, ‘Swami, I delved deep into the ocean and could get the pearl of your divine name. Let not this valuable pearl slip from my hand and drop back into the ocean. Having been born in this world let me sing the glory of the divine name constantly and make my life sanctified.’ (SSS Vol.40)
Krishna was the only refuge to Meera
Unmindful of torrential rain and tempestuous wind she was going through the streets singing the glory of Lord Krishna. Several people, young and old, men and women followed her. Meera prayed to Lord Krishna saying, Oh! Giridhari! I am able to secure the most valuable pearl called divine name by delving deep into the sea called samsara, undergoing several difficulties. Please help me to preserve it carefully so that it may not slip out of hands, You are my only refuge.’ (Beacons of Divine Wisdom Part 2 p. 130)
When the Rana pushed Meera out of the temple and locked it, exactly at the same time the doors of the Krishna Temple in Dwaraka shut themselves automatically. Any amount of prayers or any efforts by anyone could not make them open. The Rana realised his mistake and went in search of Meera to apologise to her. (Beacons of Divine Wisdom Part 2, p. 130)
Meera’s thoughts were centred on Krishna installed in Dwaraka. She ran towards Dwaraka through forests and hills, defying storm and rain, singing all the way and calling on ‘Krishna ! Krishna !’ Reaching Dwaraka, she entered the temple but found the doors of the sanctum closed. Despite all her efforts, the doors would not open. She cried out ‘Oh Krishna ! Do you think with the cymbals in one hand and tambura in the other how can I hold your lotus feet? See, I am throwing them away. I shall not give you up and you cannot get away from me. Abandoning everything, I will cling to your feet.’ Crying in anguish, Meera knocked her head against the door of the sanctum, (SSS Vol.20) calling ‘Giridhari! Giridhari! Surprisingly, the doors opened and Meera breathed her last, both happened at the same time Lord Krishna appeared before her granted the ultimate boon of merger with Him. A few minutes before Meera breathed her last; the Rana came running to her and repented for his mistake saying, ‘Oh! Meera! I did great harm to you not realising your devotion to Lord Krishna. Please forgive me.’ (Beacons of Divine Wisdom Part 2, pp. 130-131) An effulgent flame emerged from her body and merged into the Krishna idol. (SSS Vol.20)
The potency of the Divine Name is such that it can convert even poison into nectar. This is illustrated by an episode from the life of Meera. She was a queen. But she was so much absorbed in her devotion to Krishna that she would sing and dance with ecstasy unmindful of whether she was in a palace or in a crowded bazaar. Meera had no body consciousness at all. A true devotee should be totally free from the sense of ‘I’ and ‘Mine.’ In this way, Meera demonstrated to the world the power of the Lord’s name and the greatness of devotion to the Lord. (SSS Vol.25)