Mirabai
16th-century Hindu mystic poet, saint and devotee of the god Krishna / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Meera, better known as Mirabai,[2] and venerated as Sant Meerabai, was a 16th-century Hindu mystic poet and devotee of Krishna. She is a celebrated Bhakti saint, particularly in the North Indian Hindu tradition.[3][4][5]
Mirabai | |
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Personal | |
Born | Jashoda Rao Ratan Singh Rathore c. 1498 (1498-04-29UTC13:35:52)[1] |
Died | c. 1548(1548-00-00) (aged 49–50) |
Religion | Hinduism |
Spouse | |
Parent |
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Known for | Poems, Bhakti for Krishna |
Other names |
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Mirabai was born into a Rathore Rajput royal family in Kudki (modern-day Beawar district of Rajasthan), and spent her childhood in Merta. She was the daughter of Ratan Singh and grand daughter of Dudaji of Merta.[6] She is mentioned in Bhaktamal, confirming that she was widely known and a cherished figure in the Bhakti movement by about 1600.[7][8]
Most legends about Mirabai mention her fearless disregard for social and family conventions, her devotion to Krishna, her treatment of Krishna as her husband, and her persecution by her in-laws for her religious devotion.[1][7] She has been the subject of numerous folk tales and hagiographic legends, which are inconsistent or widely different in details.[1][9]
Millions of devotional hymns in passionate praise of Krishna are attributed to Meerabai in the Indian tradition, but just a few hundred are believed to be authentic by scholars, and the earliest written records suggest that except for two hymns, most were first written down in the 18th century.[10] Many poems attributed to Meera were likely composed later by others who admired Meera. These hymns are a type of bhajan, and are very famous across India.[11]
Some Hindu temples, such as Chittor Fort, are dedicated to Mirabai's memory.[1] Legends about Mirabai's life, of contested authenticity, have been the subject of movies, films, comic strips and other popular literature in modern times.[12]