Meerabai

About the Book Meerabai was the soul of Rajasthan. She was tower of spiritual perfection for the Devotees. She was a poetess of rare type and a singer of superfine character. She was a special torch light of Bhakti and Love Songs. She was a prominent bright ray spreading over the divine spirit through her divine songs of Bhakti and Love. She was a lonely bright star in the horizon containing countless stars of Prema Gira composers.

Meerabai's love songs have been the outcome of springs of spiritual delight and devotional experience in life. Those songs have taken root in the heart and should of millions of devotees of the land, not only for their spiritual happiness. This aspect has been delineated by the author in a befitting manner.

Foreword "Meerabai" - the very nomenclature or title of the work suggests that Bhakta Meerabai's personality was of pious nature. She is called as the divine river or Devganga of the desert land of Rajasthan. Her life story of love for Lord Sri Krishna is full of freshness like a golden stream taking its course across the Country. Rajasthan, the desert land, is known as the above the traditional heritage of culture.

The narration of the background of the life of Meerabai, the devotee of Lord Sri Krishna, extols the great part played by the royal families of Rajasthan. The historical events leading to heroic struggle by the Royal family manifest the dignity of self respects, patriotism as well as the protection of independence of the Country.

The life-story of Meerabai seems to be little known in Karnataka on account of distance of time, place and language barrier. Under this circumstance, the efforts made by Sri K.V. Venkatanarasimhaiah in collecting information of events of the devotee scattered over a period of time, along with the story of Raidas, whom Meerabai took as her Guru, is really a hard task. It has enlightened the spiritual aspect of the text.

Meerabai being the queen of the royal family and a house-wife was wedded to Giridhar Gopal wholeheartedly. Her devotional firmness of mind was such that she stood against the old aged royal traditional belief in dignity and false practice. She, of course, had to face a series of trouble and maintained self-Independence, keeping in mind the ultimate aim of life, leading unassuming way of common life style. Her high sense of in were service to Lord Sri Krishna and godly saints has been touched upon by the author in a natural and easy manner by employing simple words for the understanding by common man. Meerabai's love songs have been the outcome of springs of spiritual delight and devotional experience in life. Those songs have taken root in the heart and soul of millions of devotees of the land, not only for their sweetness of melody but also for their spiritual happiness. This Aspect has been delineated by the author in a befitting manner.

Preface In the medieval age of Indian history, the fountain of Devotional poetry (Bhakti kavya) flourished all over India in such an esteemed and energetic wave that it overwhelmed the entire atmosphere and environment of the country. The different branches of Bhakti movement were ever greened by the literary composition of the great saints, poets, philosophers, social reformers and religions pioneers of the regional and national languages. It was the age of intellectual awakening and revolutionary activities in which the heroic land of Rajasthan also participated to advance its progressive strength. The contribution of Meerabai in the aforesaid field proved as a celestial boon for the public and it showed its eternal diamond beauty like the shining jewel adorned among the golden chain of Devotional Hindi poetry, which was mixed with the tinge of Rajasthani language. She absolutely dedicated her personality in the feet of her supreme god, Shri Giridhar Gopal and did not pay any attention towards to worldly lures and the physical pleasures. Her austerity and purity of heart and mind surrounded the great canvas of her thinking and it extended upto all the providing dimensions of the universal truth. It paved the path of spiritual journey for the national and global environment to reach at the highest peaks of devotion and dedication towards the Almighty God.

Although Meerabai was born in the Royal Rathore family of a small village near Merta town of the then Jodhpur state but her inborn genes of pre-births, lineage inclination towards devotional worship of the Almighty God inspired her to choose the divine path of spiritual life for her self-realisation. Her empathic attachment with Shri Krishna or the Giridhar Gopal was so deeply rooted in her heart that she recognized Him as her true friend and husband of her continuous births ¼ lkaofj:ksfxj/kkjhEgkjks tye&tye jks lkFkh1/2. It was her firm belief that only the Giridhar Gopal, adorned with the crown of peacock's feathers on his head was her everlasting life partner and none else. She composed her absolute literature in the subjective genre of rhythmical songs and melodious tunes which is regarded as the famous 'PADAS', 'BHAJANS' and 'GEET' sung by Meerabai in the unique praise of her spiritual inspiring diety named as Shri Krishna.

Introduction The blessings of elders and gurus never go in vain whether they are educated, innocent or uneducated. When they bless or express their best wishes with pure heart, they will remain as an armour to the blessed person throughout his life. This is what I have learnt practically in my life. It is indeed the secret of my life. When, after completing my IV standard in my village, I insisted upon to continue my studies in Secondary School even if I had to leave my parents and to go to nearby town for further studies. I told my parents that I do not wish to be a Gopalaka (cowherd) but I should continue my studies and I am prepared to go out of my house and remain outside even if I were to stay alone at the age of 8. My parents had no choice except to accept my plea. They had to separate themselves from me. My grandmother of 98 years was living in my house. As per practice I prostrated before her and sought her blessings. She blessed me and advised me as follows: "Oh Child! You may proceed for further studies. Study well and acquire full knowledge. Complete your education. Man should not live like a tree and finally to fall on earth. You should be frilly educated. Acquire the knowledge fully. Don't use it only for yourself but part it with others. You must be helpful to someone in the society. Obey the Gurus and elders and keep respect for them. Whatever you earn, do not think that it is for your selfish use only. Distribute a portion of it initially and enjoy the rest for you and your family." Advising thus she give me Re 1/- (A silver coin) which was given to her by her son. She told me that I should study with its support. She inspired me to study and to become well educated and acquire knowledge. Her advice and help is remaining still fresh in my memory at every moment. The coin given by her is with me even today. Its intrinsic value today is Rs. 102/-. 'Be learned man', this advice of her drew me to the world of books and bounded me with them. There was an excellent atmosphere in Turuvekere. Tumkur was an appropriate place for the acquisition of knowledge. So in addition to normal education, After my graduation I was a teacher in High Schools for some time. The knowledge of Accounts and Tax Laws acquired during my service in Govt. Service helped me to come in contact with eminent business men of Rajasthan in Bangalore. I was engaged to guide them in Law matters and accounting ways and I also taught their children. This came in hand for me to visit Rajasthan for more than 5 times. With their help and guidance I was able to travel in the deep corner of the State of Rajasthan and visited all the sacred places of the State. During these visits I kept a close watch on my goal.

Over the civilization of the people of the area, their culture, the details about famous Bhaktas, Politicians, Patriots, the Veteran Warriors of the past Royal families, I was collecting the details on all these subjects from my friends and students who followed me and guided me. I was able to get extra-ordinary encouragement from all of them in my sincere effort. Seizing such an opportunity I evinced deep interest in collecting full details of Bhakta Meerabai who for over 500 years before had enthralled the millions of music lovers all over the world with her melodious Bhajans and given peace to millions of troubled minds. My interest in her life and achievements doubled when I was unified by her Krishna Bhakti. At that very moment I decided to write her biography. The memory of having witnessed the picture of Bhakta Meera during 1940 in which BharataRatna M.S. Subhalakshmi had acted as Meerabai. I could not control my emotions about the proposed project. Inspite of my best efforts I could not procure authoritative books to give dependable detailed account of Meerabai's life. As per my habit I noted down the gathered information in my dairy as it was my practice from my boyhood. It was my ambition that such information would be helpful to someone if not to myself. I was completely disappointed in not procuring authentic information about her inspite of my search in countless Bookstalls all over India. Yet I attempted during 1991 to write a book entitled 'Bhakta Baleyaru' which included three ladies of identical qualities and Bhakta Meera also. All these three have the similarities in their efforts in the field of Bhakti and getting salvation in their end. Hence I wrote the script and kept it in my bookshelf. Owing to my physical incapability, age, deformed limbs and family problems I could not protect the script properly. In the mole of constructing the first floor to my house, I lost the script, perhaps, due to the ignorance of its importance to those who handled it.

**Contents and Sample Pages**