Srila Prabhupada Glorified Mirabhai

[Paramananda das]

Srila Prabhupada Glorified Mirabhai



— Sometimes we see some devotees that talk very negative about Mirabhai, however Srila Prabhupada only glorified her. The mood may be different from that of Rupa and Raghunatha das Goswamis, but why dislike Mirabhai or find faults with her devotion or beautiful bhajans?

I have many times gone to Mirabhai's Krsna temple in Vrindavan while doing Parikrama (it is not so far from Radha Damodara). I will quote Srila Prabhupada and a few of her beautiful bhajans. To see her just as a "woman "is very offensive.

Indian: May I ask you one question?
Prabhupada: Yes.
Indian: When there is bhajana singing...
Prabhupada: Yes.
Indian: ...which I can understand the words...
Prabhupada: Hare Krishna?
Indian: Or any bhajana of God. Then, you see, understand language and everything. You see, if it is just like Mirabhai and crying, tear comes from my face, and laughing, very instant laughing, laugh...
Prabhupada: Yes.
Indian: And there is no other progress.
Prabhupada: No, that is ashta-sattvika-vikara [Cc. Antya 14.99].
Indian: Sattvika-vikara.
Prabhupada: Yes, that is called vikara, transformation of spiritual platform. Yes.
Indian: But still there is something more, something more.
Prabhupada: No, that is the... When one cries, transformed, that means he's realizing Krishna.
Indian: Yes, yes...
Prabhupada: He's realizing like that. That is realization=2 0Mahaprabhu also used to do that. That is highest stage, maha-bhava.
Indian: Maha-bhava, yes...
Prabhupada: Yes.
Indian: So then I go in bhajana, wash out everything; I feel myself that there is only soul, no body. And then you see a man who sings or who are present, you see, they are also not their body. Simply soul.
Prabhupada: Yes, forget all material... Yes.
Indian: All these things. Then there is only soul.
Prabhupada: Yes, that is perfectional, liberated stage.


Athava yoginam grihe. Yoginam grihe means that neither rich nor very pious, but actually yogi. His parents, he gets such a parent that who are actually in execution of spiritual life, Krishna consciousness or yoga, the father mother. So children, they generally imitate, imitate the parents' habits or activities. So fortunately we had the opportunity of getting such a father. So we are imitating our father. In my childhood I imitated my father. He was worshiping Deity of Krishna. So I asked him, "My dear father, I shall worship. Give me the Deity of Krishna." So he gave me a little Deity of Krishna and Radha and I was imitating. So beginning of life... So these are actually facts. Maharaja Parikshit also, he was playing with Krishna, Krishna dolls. Just like Mirabhai. She was playing with Krishna doll and later on s he became a very high-grade devotee. So these chances are there.

Similarly, prakriti... Just, this is an example. Here, either man or woman, everyone is prakriti. The real purusha is Krishna. And there is a nice example. When Rupa Gosvami was there in Vrindavana in his bhajana, Mirabhai went to see him. And Rupa Gosvami's message was that he does not see any woman. They were very strict. At least, the story is like... So Mira challenged that "I came to Vrindavana. I know that only Krishna is purusha here, and everyone is woman. So how does it mean that Rupa Gosvami's declined to see another woman?" So Rupa Gosvami agreed, "Yes, I am mistaken. Yes, Krishna is the only purusha." So purusha means the enjoyer, and prakriti means the instrument of enjoyment, prakriti, energy. Just like here we see one man is very big, rich man, but he's enjoyer by utilizing his energy. Similarly, the whole cosmic situation, whole creation is..., the supreme enjoyer is God.

Reporter: Yeah. You think Mirabhai was a bhakta?
Prabhupada: Yes. He was devotee..., she was a devotee.
Reporter: Yes. She had this quality of presence.
Prabhupada: Oh, yes.
Reporter: Yes. Direct dialogue.
Prabhupada: Oh, yes. Otherwise, how she could tell t he king that, "No, you are not husband; I have got alread y my husband, Giridhari."
Reporter: Hm. Yes. And the king sent the poison. Ah? And she drank it.
Prabhupada: Yes. I think that you people, you can understand this philosophy very nicely and do good to the people. What is the name of your paper

Indian man: Prabhupada? Jiva Gosvami was the guru of Mira?
Prabhupada: No. I do not know who is the guru of Mirabhai. But Mirabhai, from the childhood, she was a devotee. But I do not hear anyone as her guru.
Indian man: No, but who was living in Vrindavana. Was Jiva Gosvami living in Vrindavana?
Prabhupada: Yes. Six Gosvamis. Rupa, Sanatana, Bhatta Raghunatha, Sri Jiva, Gopala Bhatta, Dasa Raghunatha. Six Gosvamis, they were immediate disciples of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. They were entrusted to develop Vrindavana. And they did it. Modern Vrindavana means, this is the contribution of the Six Gosvamis. [break]
Indian man: ...a portion which says that when she went there and...
Prabhupada: So that may be, whatever is there, but Rupa Gosvami had no reason to refuse seeing a woman.
Indian man: No, but, that... Which Gosvami?
Prabhupada: No, any Gosvami. Because the Gosvamis were so popular that amongst the villagers, when there was some20disagreement between family members they used to come t o hi m and say to him, "Baba, (Hindi)." That means in that way he had to see many women many times. Why he should refuse? And what is the meaning of refusing if one, anybody... Even Caitanya Mahaprabhu did not refuse, but women used to offer their respect from little distance, not very near. That was Caitanya Mahaprabhu's restriction. But in our association there is no such thing as refusing anyone the opportunity. Krishna does not say. Mam hi partha vyapasritya ye 'pi syuh papa-yonayah striyah sudras tatha vaisyah [Bg. 9.32]. He does not make any... And so far my institute is concerned, we do not make such thing. Everyone should be given chance. But we have restriction that we should mix with women very cautiously. You should not have any illicit sex. These things are there.



Mhara re Giridhar Gopal - Meerabai Bhajan





Mirabhaii was offered real poison and offered it to Krsna, and drank it being unaffected. Only those who can do a similar feet can fault her in anyway. I actually found this same bhajan, Mhara re Giridhar Gopal... posted on an ISKCON website (ISKCONDesireTree.net). I am happy to see that some devotees are not disrespectful to Mirabhai but glorify her, as did Srila Prabhupada.

Srila Prabhupada glorified Mirabhai and she also glorified Lord Caitanya:



Ab To Hari Nam Dhun Lo Lagi
By Mira Bai
Language: Braja Bhasa

(1) ab to hari nam dhun lo lagi, sadho!
saba jaga bolata makhan chora,
nam dharo vairagi!

(2) kaha chadi vahu mohan murali?
kaha chadi saba gopi?
mora mundayi gora kati bandhi,
mane na mani gopi!

(3) mata yasomati makhan choran
bandhi jaki b aha,
syama kisor bhaye nava gora,
caitanya jako nam!

(4) pitambar ko bhava dikhavai,
kati kaupina base,
gore krsna ki dasi mira,
jasa na krsna bane na bane!

ab to hari nam dhun lo lagi!
TRANSLATION

1) O pious souls! Now, my consciousness is absorbed into the Divine vibration of the Names of my Hari! I surrender myself to His Holy Name! The entire world addresses Him as the 'Butter Thief'. But now, He has earned another popular Name for Himself, as 'Vairaagi'- the dispassionate wandering monk! (Sanyasi)

2) O my dearest Mohan ( Enchanter, Krishna)! Why have You discarded Your intimate companion, (Priya-Sakhi)- the Divine Flute? And why have You renounced all Your eternal Sweethearts, Gopis? You appear now with shaven head and ochre cloth at Your waist! But this clever Gopi uncovers Your disguise and doesn't care to20conceal it!

3) Now it seems like Mother Yasoda has tied up the both arms of Butter Thief! Alas, no more mischievous tricks! My Dark Beloved has now reappeared as the newly fresh Golden Lord Whose blessed Name is 'Caitanya'!

4) Though clad Himself in skimpy rags, His Pitambara (Yellow Divine Attire) as well as His inner most Divine Love Sentiments are revealed to me. Now Mirabai is the maid-servant of the Golden Krishna Caitanya, whether the Glory of My Krishna is recognized by all or not!

This bhajan is sometimes sung in Gaudiya math:


(1)
ali! mhane lage vrnda 1vana niko
ghara ghara tulasi, thakura puja, darsana govindaji ko
ali! mhane lage vrndavana niko (2)
nirmala nira bahata yamuna ko, bhojana dudha dahi ko
ali! mhane lage vrndavana niko (3)
ratna sim´hasana apa viraje, mukuta dh aryo tulasi ko
ali! mhane lage vrndavana niko (4)
kuñjana kuñjana phirata radhika, sabda sunata murali ko,
ali! mhane lage vrndavana niko (5)
mira ke prabhu giridhara-nagara, bhajana vina nara phiko
ali! mhane lage vrndavana niko
TRANSLATION

1) O friend! I like Vrndavana so much, where in every home there is worship of tulasi and the Deity with darsana of Govindaji.

2) Where the pure waters of the Yamuna flow and where the foodstuffs are milk and yoghurt. O friend! I like Vrndavana so much.

3) Where the Deity sits on a jeweled throne, with tulasi in His crown. O friend! I like Vrndavana very much.

4) Where Radhika roams from kuñja to kuñja, having heard=2 0the vibration of His flute. O friend! I like Vrndavana so much.

5) The hero Giridhari is the master of Mira, who says that without bhajana a person is dull. O friend! I like Vrndavana so much.

(refrain)


raj-rani mira bhikharini
giridhari tomaro lagiya

(1)
(ami) pathe pathe ghuri bhikharini
hari nam bhikha magiya go

(2)
loke bole mira pagalini
rana kohe kula kalankini
mira kohe prabhu giridhari
(mira) asa pathe royeche chahiya go

(3)
dekha dao prabhuji prabhuji
mira kande tomaro lagiya
kandaiyo na abhagire
rakho more ange misaya go

(4)
giridhari tomaro pran mirar
giridhari tomaro lagiya
TRANSLATION

Refrain: The queen Mira is simply a beggar-woman, but only for Your sake, O Giridhari!

1) I simply wander here and there like a mendicant, but I seek only the alms of Your holy name.

2) People say, “Mira has become a madwoman.” The King says, “She has disgraced her family.” But Mira says, “O Lord Giridhari, my=2 0only desire is to remain at Your lotus feet.”

3) O Prabhuji! Kindly reveal Yourself to me! Mira simply weeps for You, my Lord. Please don’t make this most unfortunate person cry any more. Please keep me tightly embraced, as if united with Your own body.

4) O Giridhari! You are the life and soul of Mira!


Mirabhai appears to have the mood more of a Sakhi, whereas many Gaudiya Vaisnava Acaryas wants to bring Radha and Krsna together in the mood of a manjari. That some call her a sentimentalist is their own lack of devotional sentiments.   Some claim she did not respect Sadhus. Her songs never state this and  she met Srila Rupa Goswami, how can she have not had Sadhu Sanga? We have not had such tremendous fortune to see Srila Rupa Goswami, or converse with him. Who is anyone to fault Mirabhai? They are surely not pleasing Radha and Krsna...or Mahaprabhu.


Some Gaudiya Maths find faults with Mirabhai, as do some ISKCON Gurus. My question is, why? Kindly respect Mirabhai and even offer her your pranamas... trinap api sunicena. Our hearts are steel-framed and we do not cry with love for Krsna like Mirabhai. Offending her will not help melt the steel frame around our hearts, but praising her Bhakti will. Srila Prabhupada confirmed her sattvika Bhava also.

your servant,
  Paramananda das

[Paramananda das]

This bhajan was amongst the favorites of Mohandas Gandhi. He requested M.S. Subbulaksmi to sing this song on his last birthday.


Song Name: Hari Tum Haro Jana Ki Pir
Official Name: None
Author: Mira Bai
Book Name: None
Language: Braja Bhasa

LYRICS:
(Refrain)
hari tum haro jana ki pīr

(1)
draupadī kī lāj rākhī
tum baḍhayo cīr

(2)
bhakta kārana rūpa narahari
dharyo āp śarīr

(3)
hiraṇyakaśyapa mār līnho
dharyo nāhina dhīr

(4)
būḍate gaja rāja rākhyo
kiyo bāhar nīr

(5)
dāsi mīrā lāl giradhar
duḥkha jahāń tahāń pīr

TRANSLATION
Refrain: Oh Hari! Please remove the sufferings of humanity.

1) You protected the honor of Draupadi by increasing the length of her cloth.

2-3) For the sake of Your devotee, You assumed the form of Nrsimhadeva. You killed Hiranyakasipu with Your fierce form.

4) You immobilized the alligator that endangered the feet of the elephant, Gajendra.

5) Oh darling Giridhara! I am only Your maidservant, Mira. Here and there, there is only suffering and pain. Therefore, Oh Hari! Please remove the sufferings of humanity.