Saint nabhadas of the early 17th century praised her in his hagiography, renouncing respect in society and all family ties, mira worshiped lord krishna in the form. Mirabai s guru the identity of mirabai s guru is also a controversial question. Mirabai was a well known hindu mystical poetess, whose writings are praised all over. Growing up at her grandfathers palace, mirabai was deeply devoted to krishna bhagwan.
Mirabai 1498 1546 meerabai or mirabai alternate orthographies. The devotional poems of mirabai offers the reader a sober english translation of more than two hundred of her padas, based on the interpretative work of indian scholars that has appeared during the last few decades. The back of the paperback published in 1980 says it all. The leaf that has once fallen does not return to the branch. In a few poems, mirabai refers respectfully to a raidas. The founder of this tradition was a thirteenthcentury poet, jayadeva, who wrote in sanskrit. She dances barefoot at twilight with the sudras playing hand cymbals. Mirabai is a literary and spiritual figure of legendary proportions. Book recommendations, author interviews, editors picks, and more. A study of john harbisons mirabai songs college music symposium. These are popular throughout india and have been translated and published worldwide. Andrew schelling is a poet, essayist, and translator of the poetry of india. The worlds poetry archive 10 i will sing the praises of hari we do not get a human life just for the asking.
More than 1,300 pads poems commonly known as bhajans. I am mad with love by mirabai famous poems, famous poets. The worlds poetry archive 2 mirabai 1498 1546 meerabai or mirabai alternate orthographies. Their message usually was spread through deeply personal poems through which they conversed with their chosen god. I met the teacher raidas, he gave me the essence of knowledge. Mirabai replied there was only 1 real man in brindaban, sri krishna. Her publications include fast speaking woman 1975, marriage. His epic gita govinda was the model for writing bhakti poetry. If we could reach him through nothing but berries and wild nuts. She has performed on many continents, at major festivals and venues ranging from house concerts to iconic venues like carnegie hall and the sydney opera house. She was a canonical poet of hindu faith, but how much of her story is true and how much is.
My heart is with god, now nobody can stop me on the way to god. Poetry chaikhana mirabai the heat of midnight tears. Some 1,300 pads poems commonly known as bhajans sacred songs are attributed to her. See more ideas about krishna, krishna painting, krishna art. My beloved is a steeped herb, he has cured me for life. Come, thief 2011, a finalist for the pen usa poetry award. Classic poetry series mirabai poems publication date. Mirabai was a 16th century rajasthani princess, a devotional songwriter, poet and a mystic who stood against the conventions of her times to voice her spiritual devotion for krishna. Poetry chaikhana mirabai yogahinduvaishnavakrishna. Some bhajans of meera have been rendered by robert bly in his mirabai versions new york. Mirabai, a princess, was a devotee of lord krishna, she was in love with him from her early childhood and her poems are of love and devotion to her lord. Life waxes and wanes imperceptibly, it does not stay long. The sixteenthcentury hindu saint mirabai is both a quintessential artist herself poet, singer, and dancer and lives on in a full range of artistic forms, her story told and retold in hagiography and history, drama and epic song, fiction and film, and her poetry not only performed in every conceivable musical style but also continuing to generate new poems and songs composed in her name.
She was one of the most significant sants true or saints of the vaishnava bhakti movement. Three introductory essays deal with her life her place in the bhakti movement and the characteristics of her poetry. Birth in a human body is the reward for good deeds in former births. A sweetness has entered through them, has pierced through to my heart. She is mentioned in bhaktamal, confirming that she was widely known and a cherished figure in the bhakti movement culture by about 1600 ce. Meera mira bai1 was a hindu mystic poet and devotee of krishna.
Bly has also collaborated with jane hirshfield on mirabai. On hearing this the spiritual teacher accepted the wisdom of mirabai and agreed to talk to her. Mirabai peart is a versatile violinist, violist and singer. Lessons from the ancient aryans through the early modern mughals, lyn reese, women in world history curriculum, 2001. Short biography of mirabai, description of life of 16th century indai. Mirabai, also known simply as mira, is a favorite among hindu poetsaints, particularly in the north indian bhakti tradition, and thousands of poems have been attributed to her. Pdf meerabai a study in context of literature and nature. Read saints of india mirabai online, read in mobile or kindle. On a sudden, the sight, your look of light, stills all, the curdpot falls to the ground. Mirabai was born into a rajput royal family in kudki, pali district, rajasthan, india then spent her childhood in merta, rajasthan. As is the case with most ascetic figures, there are several versions of who mira was and it is thus difficult to ascertain what parts of the legend are.
It is said that, she was a disciple of shri guru ravidas. Mirabais poetry was written in the form of song verses known as padas and mystical love poems called bhajans. North indian bhakti tradition, and thousands of poems have been attributed to. John harbisons mirabai songs are musical settings of six poems by an indian princess, mirabai. Dr prayag narayan misra has presented more than 20 devotional poems available in both hindi and english languages. She wrote most of the poems in the rajasthani dialect. It was the black stone of vishnu the king sent a cup of poison, but my lord converted it into nectar when i washed my hand and drank, behold. Her devotional poetry directed toward giridhara, a form of the great godman krishna is so intensely personal that it borders on the erotic while, at the same time, it remains transcendentally spiritual. In the united states also physician, social activist, and writer tanmeet sethi has.
Most of her compositions were written in the praise of lord krishna. Mirabai was one of the most famous of the women bhakta poets of north india. As is the case with most ascetic figures, there are several versions of who mira was and it is thus difficult to ascertain what parts of the legend are historically accurate and which are exaggeration and folklore. Pdf saints of india mirabai download ebook for free. Poems of mirabai much of what we know about mirabai comes from her poetry. Most legends about meera mention her fearless disregard for social and family conventions, her devotion to lord krishna.
O friends on this path, my eyes are no longer my eyes. Mirabai belongs to a long, rich tradition of song poems dedicated to krishna, founded by the famous thirteenthcentury poet jayadeva. Download saints of india mirabai ebook free in pdf and epub format. Mirabai mira has been singing the glories of govind and is immersed in joy the king sent a snake in a basket they came and placed it m miras hand i washed and came to look at it, and behold. The devotional poems of mirabai english and hindi edition.
The devotional poems of mirabai offers an english translation of 200 of her padas, based on the work of indian scholars during the last few decades. Based on poems attributed to the seventeenth century hindi songstress mirabai, these poems by two of our premier american poets are spiritual in an ecstatic, erotic manner. Apr 25, 2020 there is more than fifty of mirabai s poems in this book. Her mother passed away when she was very young and her father, ratan singh, was very busy with the kingdom. Nov 01, 2004 mirabai is a literary and spiritual figure of legendary proportions. He has taught at naropa university for twenty years and from 199396 served as chair of the jack kerouac school of disembodied poetics founded by alan ginsburg and anne waldman. Born a princess in the region of rajasthan in 1498, mira as she is more commonly known eschewed the marriage her royal family had arranged for her, celebrating instead her right to independence and intense devotion to krishna in both her life and poetry. Mirabai inherited a long, rich tradition of song poems dedicated to krishna. Women bhakta poets, madhu kishwar, editor, manushi, nos. Awardwinning poet, essayist, and translator jane hirshfield is the author of nine collections of poetry, including ledger 2020. Ive found mirabai s previously translated poetry before, but theyre pretty old and the english is not as easy to understand. The author of more than 40 collections of poetry and poetics, anne waldman is an active member of the outrider experimental poetry movement, and has been connected to the beat movement and the second generation of the new york school. The newer translations are much better and easier to understand.
Mirabai comes to america the journal of hindu studies. Ecstatic poems 2004 mira has finished with waiting. How long did i stand in the house of this body and stare at the road. Mirabai composed sagun poetry, songs about a personal god. The story of the sixteenthcentury hindu saint mirabai is told and. After mirabais grandfather passed away, her uncle became the new king. Mirabai is said to have been devoted to krishna from a very early age, and in one of her poems she asks, o krishna, did you ever rightly value my childhood love. Listen, my friend, this road is the heart opening, kissing his feet, resistance broken, tears all night. Her devotion of lord krishna made her go against the traditions and customs of her time and made mirabai is the most famous of the women bhakta poets of north india. Three introductory essays deal with her life, her place in the bhakti movement and the characteristics of her poetry.
There is a great similarity between the lives and poems of akka mahadevi and meerabai, despite belonging to different eras and cultures. Pdf jayshree singh meerabai a study in context of literature and nature meerabai in indian history and indian poetics the poetry of. Mirabai, mira bai, or meera is known by many names. Dr prayag narayan misra has presented more than 20 devotional poemsavailable in both hindi and english languages. Meera bais life has been interpreted as a musical story in meerathe lover, a music album based on original compositions for some well known meera bhajans, released 11 october 2009. She holds with ashcaked arms her human skull begging bowl. Mirabai is home to the most enlightening and elevating books on the planet, as well as a brilliant collection of crystals, jewelry, statuary, scents, energy sprays and other provisions for serene and centered living. As her father was away much of the time, she was then sent to be raised at her grandfathers house. The beauty 2015, longlisted for the national book award. Many poems attributed to meera were likely composed later by others who admired meera. Many of the poems they translate are familiar, though their word choices differ significantly from others, and in one unusual song krishna comes to wed mirabai on a horse followed by elephants with a carriage so they can escape. If we could reach the lord through immersion in water, i would have asked to be born a fish in this life. Mirabai s poetry reminds me a lot of the sufi poet rumis poetry. Spiritual poetry is a strange bird, and this spiritual poetry is an even stranger one.
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