Meerabai

The golden period of Indian poetry was the Bhakti Movement, which was started by enlightened saints like Ramananda, Kabir, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Gurunanak and others. They showed the path of Bhakti to attain salvation. At the same time all of them showed the way to live in this world gracefully. Meerabai belonged to that cult. Born in early 16th century Meerabai belonged to the royal family of Mewar (Rajasthan) . She renounced the luxuries of royal life and became an ardent devotee of Lord Krishna. Meera composed many devotional songs in Mevari and Gujarati languages in praise of Lord Krishna which are sung to this day with great reverence throughout the country. She died at the feet of Lord Krishna of Dwaraka at the age of 67. Her poetry is a graceful combination of emotions and music. Meera’s poems are also taken as a firm voice for the dignity of woman against the male-dominated society. As that was the time no woman could come out of the four walls without a long veil. Meera not only came out of the palace but also became close to the common man. That is why Meera’s poetry is the voice of a woman against the whole society, the whole system.

*

But how can I write a letter, O friend?
I cannot possibly do it.
For as soon as I pick up a pen,
My hand trembles;
And my eyes are filled with tears,
Which rain unceasingly down.
And when I try to say something,
My heart is aflutter with a strange apprehension;
My voice is choked and words fail me.

O traveler, you have seen my plight
Yourself.
Go and speak of it to Hari.
He, Giridhar, alone is my Lord,
Says Mira,
Tell Him, the Merciful One,
To grant me a place
At his lotus feet for all time.

**

Intoxicated am I
With the love of god!
A delightful drizzle drenches my robes;
Lightning flashes all around,
And thunder booms in the clouds overhead.
My satguru has opened the door
And dispelled all delusion;
And revealed to me
The mystery of life.
The one I see in all, and yet apart.
I’ll light the lamp of knowledge, says Mira,
And climb to the unattainable heights
Of the roof-top of nectarous bliss.

Miran Bai (Rajasthani) Translated by Kesri Singh

***

I danced tying ankles to my feet.
People say Mira has gone mad; my mother-in-law called me a destroyer of the family.
Ranaji sent me a cup of poison; Mira drank it and laughed.
I sacrificed my body and mind at the feet of Hari and I am thirsty for a glimpse of Him.
Mira’s Lord is Giridhar Nagar, I have come for your shelter.

****

O Pal! I am mad after pain; nobody could know my pain.
The pain of wound is known to the wounded, who preserves the fire in the heart;
The value of self-sacrifice is known to the sacrificer,
Like the price of a jewel to the jeweler;
What could the world know about it?
Lord, Mira’s pain shall disappear only when the physician is the wheat-complexioned one.

*****

Ascetic, go not, go not, I fall at your feet, your slave am I.
The stairs of devotional love are typical; come and tell me its direction.
I make a pyre of aromatic sandalwood, come and light it with your hand.
Having burnt, it has become a heap of ashes; apply it to your body.
Says Mira, O Lord Giridhar Nagar, intermingle my light with your divine light.

Mira (Hindi) Traanslated by J.P. Srivastava

*
My mind is pierced, Rana, my heart is stolen;
What shall I do?
The people of the town blame me.
Your advice is of no use to me, Rana;
What shall do?
An elephant strides through a crowded street;
If a dog barks, what does it matter to the elephant, Rana?,
I keep forgetting household chores,
I don’t like food, there is no sleep in my eyes, Rana.
Mira’s God is the lifter of mountains;
Fortunate am I, singing of God, Rana.`

**

Boatman, set sail;
I would like to meet him.

Ganga on this side and Jamuna on that side,
The darling of Nand stands in the middle.

Boatman, set sail;
I would like to meet him.

I will get diamonds set in your boat,
And will have a string of bells surround it.

Boatman, set sail,
I would like to meet him.

Your boat is heavy with weight,
Help me reach the other side.

Boatman, set sail,
I would like to meet him.

I turn my mind into a boat, my body as hard as a tortoise,
I keep my soul as my attendant

Boatman, set sail,
I would like to meet him.

Mira’s God is the lifter of mountains
Help me cross the ocean of life

Mira Bai (Gujarati) Translated by Swati Joshi

(We got these translations through Dr.Ayyappa Paniker, who was the editor of Medieval Indian Literature, Kendriya Sahitya Akedemi, New Delhi. Kritya is thankful to him and the translators. )