Meera Bai: Her Life and Devotion (The Eternal Consort of Lord Krishna)

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Meerabai (1498-1547) is one of the most significant figures of the Sant tradition of the Vaishnava Bhakti Movement. Born some six centuries back, she still is held as the ultimate Krishna devotee and none can surpass her when it comes to "Madhuraya-Bhava Bhakti" (Treating God as husband and self as wife).

Meera was an aristocratic Hindu woman who was a Princess of Rathod Clan of Rajasthan and was married to Crown Prince of Chittor. She was passionately devoted to Lord Krishna from her childhood and remained so till her last breath. She finally left the palace life and wandered in streets singing devotional songs. Many attempts were made on her life and she was branded as a stigma on the Royal family. But Meera's life was centred around Krishna and she finally merged in Him.

Some 12-1300 'Bhajans' attributed to her, are popular throughout India and have been published in several translations worldwide. She is remembered as an epitome of Krishna-consciousness and devotion.

Meerabai (c.1498-c.1547CE) was an aristocratic Hindu mystical singer and devotee of lord Krishna from Rajasthan and one of the most significant figures of the Sant tradition of the Vaishnava bhakti movement. Some 12-1300 prayerful songs or bhajans attributed to her are popular throughout India and have been published in several translations worldwide. In the bhakti tradition, they are in passionate praise of lord Krishna. Meera, a Rajput princess was born in Kudki (Kurki), a little village near Merta, which is presently in the Nagaur district of Rajasthan in northwest India. Her father, Ratan Singh Rathore, was a warrior of the Rathore clan, the son of Rao Jodha of Mandore (1416-1489 CE), founder of the city of Jodhpur in 1459.

No Indian woman of her period in any medium was greater than Meerabai. That she was a woman did not matter. That she was a widow who refused to commit sati -- self-immolation on the funeral-pyre of her husband did not matter. That she left her family and palace to wander with Sadhus did not matter. That she threw her royal attire and clad in cotton danced in the streets, a princess and daughter-in-law of the great Rana Sanga none of this mattered then. What matters today, as centuries back, is that she left behind a body of lyrics and Bhajans that teach us in a method, subtle, flexible and unique, her immortal message of love.

The book contains 11 chapters which deal with her religious and devoted life.

This work would be useful for teachers, students and others who have much respect for Meerabai.