Meera Bai was the only child of her parents. Her mother died when Meera Bai was still in her infancy. She was brought up under the custody of Duda Ji, her grandfather who was a worshipper of God. He had met Guru Ravidass Ji several times. He was under his influence. Meera Bai was also influenced by the devotional bent of mind of her grandfather. It is said that at the time of marriage of Meera Bai, Guru Ravidass Ji blessed the couple.
After her marriage, she adopted Guru Ravidass Ji as her Guru, with the consent of her husband and other elderly members of the family. Religious discourses were held daily at the open compound of 1800 ft. high Kumbh Shyam Mandir near Vijay Sitambh, Chittorgarh. These discourses had deep impact on innocent conscience of Meera Bai. In this compound, Meera used to dance in ecstasy of deep Divine devotion. She used to sing the praise of her Guru.
Guru milya Ravidass ji dini gyan ki gutki.
Chot lagi nijnam hari ki mharey hivrey khatki.
By this time, Meera Bai had become a truthful devotee of Guru Ravidass Ji She had unshakeable faith in Guru Ji. She was absorbed in mediation and company of saints all the time. After the death of her father-in-law, her troubles started. Bikramjit the younger brother of her deceased husband was apprehensive and did not like her remaining aloof in meditation and company of saints. But Meera Bai did not relent.
Bikramjit got her thrown in Gambhiri river at mid-night. She glimpsed Guru Ravidass Ji in the turmoil of waves. The waves comfortably sprang her out to the bank of river. This incident confirmed purity of Meera and she felt blissful.
On another day in her intuitional devotional state of meditation, Meera Bai was talking and laughing with Guru Ravidass Ji in her room. Bikramjit apprehended that she was talking and laughing with some outsider in her room. Out of wrath he unsheathed his sword to kill her. He knocked at the door and asked her angrily to open the door open. There was no man. Room was filled with dazzling light. Meera was absorbed in meditation. This shook him. His conscience cursed him. He fainted. After some time he gained consciousness. Feeling helpless he came out.
Meera Bai faced yet another crucial test. A cushioned bed was prepared. Piercing sharp nails were studded on it. Meera Bai was asked to sit on it as it was purported to be manufactured for her comfortable sleep. She did as directed. By virtue of protection by Guru Ravidass Ji the piercing nails became flowers. She had sound sleep on the bed.
Bikramjit was still haunted by the phobia of killing Meera Bai. He chalked out a strategy to kill Meera Bai in consultation with his ministers. She was to be offered milk mixed with poison by posing it as nectar sent to her by Guru Ravidass Ji. Uda Bai, sister of Bikramjit, secretly told Meera Bai that poison in the milk is going to be offered to her posing as nectar sent to her by Guru Ravidass Ji; that she should not drink it. Meera Bai replied that if it is said to have been sent by Guru Ravidass Ji, she would drink it as nectar. Milk mixed with poison was offered to Meera Bai through Pandit Daya Ram stating that it is nectar sent by Guru Ravidass Ji and she should drink it. In meditation Guru Ravidass Ji told her that although it is poison-mixed-milk yet she should unhesitatingly drink it as nectar. Meera Bai repeated Name of Guru Ravidass Ji devotionally and carried the pot containing poisonous milk. It became nectar. She drank it and became blissful. She sang in ecstasy:
Vish ko pyala Rana Ji melio dyo
mertani ne paye
Kar charanamit pee gayee re,
gun Gobind ra gaye.
Bikramjit Still thought of killing Meera Bai. He thought out another plan. A poisonous snake was to be sent to Meera Bai posing as garland sent by Guru Ravidass Ji for her. The snake would sting her when the pot is opened. Pot carrying poisonous cobra snake was taken to Meera Bai and she was told that it is a garland sent by Guru Ravidass Ji for her. She should wear it. She meditated Guru Ji. By spiritual power of Guru Ravidass Ji the snake became a beautiful garland. She removed disc of the pot. It was a beautiful garland. She picked it up and wore it. She was moved and sang spontaneously:
Saanp pitaro Rana Ji bhejyo,
dyo mertani gal Daar
Hans hans Meera kanth lagayo,
yo to mhan Re nausar haar
Meera Bai thanked Guru Ravidass Ji. She was saved.
Bikramjit was now helpless. He yielded to Meera Bai and begged apology for past attempts to kill her. She forgave him. Bikramjit and members of his family developed deep regard for Guru Ravidass Ji.
Guru Ravidass Ji was a great saint. Meera Bai was his equally great disciples. Her heart beat with Guru Ji; her soul vibrated with Guru Ji. She wrote and sang profuse devotional poetry in praise of Guru Ravidass Ji. Sweet and melodious tunes of hymns of Meera Bai can be heard even today in air in the serene vicinity of Chittor. Radio and Television too sing her devotional songs as the day dawns.
The Chittaurgarh Fort
Meera regarded Guru Ravidas as her spiritual Guru. This enlightened saint was a shoemaker by caste and profession. In 15th century itself he propagated the message that caste has no meaning and its one’s own karmas that decide one’s fate.
One of the many incidents associated with him is that one morning some of his neighbors were going to take bath in the sacred Ganga and asked him also to accompany them. Guru Ravidas had promised to deliver shoes to one of his customers. So, he was not able to join them. When one of his neighbors persisted, then Guru Ravidas uttered his belief saying that: “Man changa tow kathoti mein Ganga“. That is if your heart is pious then the holy river is right in your tub and you need not go anywhere else.
There is a small chhatri in front of Meera’s temple. It has guru Ravidas’ engraved foot print. As a respect to her guru, Meera once wrote:
After her marriage, she adopted Guru Ravidass Ji as her Guru, with the consent of her husband and other elderly members of the family. Religious discourses were held daily at the open compound of 1800 ft. high Kumbh Shyam Mandir near Vijay Sitambh, Chittorgarh. These discourses had deep impact on innocent conscience of Meera Bai. In this compound, Meera used to dance in ecstasy of deep Divine devotion. She used to sing the praise of her Guru.
Guru milya Ravidass ji dini gyan ki gutki.
Chot lagi nijnam hari ki mharey hivrey khatki.
By this time, Meera Bai had become a truthful devotee of Guru Ravidass Ji She had unshakeable faith in Guru Ji. She was absorbed in mediation and company of saints all the time. After the death of her father-in-law, her troubles started. Bikramjit the younger brother of her deceased husband was apprehensive and did not like her remaining aloof in meditation and company of saints. But Meera Bai did not relent.
Bikramjit got her thrown in Gambhiri river at mid-night. She glimpsed Guru Ravidass Ji in the turmoil of waves. The waves comfortably sprang her out to the bank of river. This incident confirmed purity of Meera and she felt blissful.
On another day in her intuitional devotional state of meditation, Meera Bai was talking and laughing with Guru Ravidass Ji in her room. Bikramjit apprehended that she was talking and laughing with some outsider in her room. Out of wrath he unsheathed his sword to kill her. He knocked at the door and asked her angrily to open the door open. There was no man. Room was filled with dazzling light. Meera was absorbed in meditation. This shook him. His conscience cursed him. He fainted. After some time he gained consciousness. Feeling helpless he came out.
Meera Bai faced yet another crucial test. A cushioned bed was prepared. Piercing sharp nails were studded on it. Meera Bai was asked to sit on it as it was purported to be manufactured for her comfortable sleep. She did as directed. By virtue of protection by Guru Ravidass Ji the piercing nails became flowers. She had sound sleep on the bed.
Bikramjit was still haunted by the phobia of killing Meera Bai. He chalked out a strategy to kill Meera Bai in consultation with his ministers. She was to be offered milk mixed with poison by posing it as nectar sent to her by Guru Ravidass Ji. Uda Bai, sister of Bikramjit, secretly told Meera Bai that poison in the milk is going to be offered to her posing as nectar sent to her by Guru Ravidass Ji; that she should not drink it. Meera Bai replied that if it is said to have been sent by Guru Ravidass Ji, she would drink it as nectar. Milk mixed with poison was offered to Meera Bai through Pandit Daya Ram stating that it is nectar sent by Guru Ravidass Ji and she should drink it. In meditation Guru Ravidass Ji told her that although it is poison-mixed-milk yet she should unhesitatingly drink it as nectar. Meera Bai repeated Name of Guru Ravidass Ji devotionally and carried the pot containing poisonous milk. It became nectar. She drank it and became blissful. She sang in ecstasy:
Vish ko pyala Rana Ji melio dyo
mertani ne paye
Kar charanamit pee gayee re,
gun Gobind ra gaye.
Bikramjit Still thought of killing Meera Bai. He thought out another plan. A poisonous snake was to be sent to Meera Bai posing as garland sent by Guru Ravidass Ji for her. The snake would sting her when the pot is opened. Pot carrying poisonous cobra snake was taken to Meera Bai and she was told that it is a garland sent by Guru Ravidass Ji for her. She should wear it. She meditated Guru Ji. By spiritual power of Guru Ravidass Ji the snake became a beautiful garland. She removed disc of the pot. It was a beautiful garland. She picked it up and wore it. She was moved and sang spontaneously:
Saanp pitaro Rana Ji bhejyo,
dyo mertani gal Daar
Hans hans Meera kanth lagayo,
yo to mhan Re nausar haar
Meera Bai thanked Guru Ravidass Ji. She was saved.
Bikramjit was now helpless. He yielded to Meera Bai and begged apology for past attempts to kill her. She forgave him. Bikramjit and members of his family developed deep regard for Guru Ravidass Ji.
Guru Ravidass Ji was a great saint. Meera Bai was his equally great disciples. Her heart beat with Guru Ji; her soul vibrated with Guru Ji. She wrote and sang profuse devotional poetry in praise of Guru Ravidass Ji. Sweet and melodious tunes of hymns of Meera Bai can be heard even today in air in the serene vicinity of Chittor. Radio and Television too sing her devotional songs as the day dawns.
The Chittaurgarh Fort
Meera regarded Guru Ravidas as her spiritual Guru. This enlightened saint was a shoemaker by caste and profession. In 15th century itself he propagated the message that caste has no meaning and its one’s own karmas that decide one’s fate.
One of the many incidents associated with him is that one morning some of his neighbors were going to take bath in the sacred Ganga and asked him also to accompany them. Guru Ravidas had promised to deliver shoes to one of his customers. So, he was not able to join them. When one of his neighbors persisted, then Guru Ravidas uttered his belief saying that: “Man changa tow kathoti mein Ganga“. That is if your heart is pious then the holy river is right in your tub and you need not go anywhere else.
There is a small chhatri in front of Meera’s temple. It has guru Ravidas’ engraved foot print. As a respect to her guru, Meera once wrote:
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