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AUGUST, 1908.] THE LEGEND OF MIRA BAI THE RAJPUT POETESS.
Prahlad abandoned his father, Bibhîshan his brother Rawan, and Bharat his mother; Bali his gura, the women of Braj their husbands, and their lives were all the happier for having done so.
The opinion of all holy saints is that relations with and love for God are alone true. Of what avail is the eye-salve which causeth the eyes to burst; what more can Saith Tulsi Das, that spouse is worshipful, that son is dearer than life, Who is attached to Râm; he is my real friend in this world.
Bay?
As Mira Bat has been made a contemporary of Tulst Dås, so also she has been made a contemporary of the Emperor Akbar. It is said that having heard of the virtues and beanty of Mira Bâi he went with his minstrel, Tânsên, both disguised as hermits, to visit her. The following lines in attestation of this circumstance are attributed to Mira Bai:
O mother, I recognise Krishna as my spouse.
Akbar came to test me and brought Tânsên with him:
He heard singing, music, and pious discourse; he bowed to the ground over and over. Mira's lord, the all-wise Girdhar, made me his protégée.
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It is said that on observing her devotion Akbar was very pleased with the good fortune which enabled him to behold her. He made her a present of a jewelled necklace which she accepted with some misgivings, as it appeared too valuable an article for an ascetic to possess. The emperor was equal to the occasion, and said that he had found it while performing his devotional ablutions in the river Jamnâ, and thought it would be a suitable present to make her god. Tânsên, it is said, composed an ode in her honor, and he and his royal master then returned to their capital. The necklace was too valuable not to provoke remarks unfavourable to its recipient. The Rânâ submitted it to assayers who valued it at a fabulous sum of money. On enquiry it was found to be the same that a jeweller had sold not long previously to the emperor. Further enquiry led to the identity of the two strolling hermits with Akbar and his favourite minstrel. Mira Bâi's fate was now sealed. Her husband suspected that she had been polluted by the emperor. For this there was but que penalty in that age she must die. Mira Bâi's father-in-law sent her a cobra in a box, so that when she opened it the reptile might sting her to death. She was told it was a idlagrám. Before opening the box she addressed the éálagrám as follows:
O sálagrám in the box, why speakest thou not?
I speak to thee, but thou repliest not; why art thou silent?
This ocean of the world is very immense; take mine arm and extricate me.
Mira's lord, wise Girdhar, thou alone art my helper.
On opening the box Mirâ composed the following:
What shall the Rânâ do to me? Mîrâ hath cast off the restraints of her line.
The Rânâ once sent a cup of poison to kill Mira;
Mîrâ drank it with delight, loving it as if it were water blessed by her lord."
The Rânâ hath now sent a box containing a cobra,
But when Mirâ opened it and looked, the cobra became a sdlagram.
There was a sound of rejoicing in the company of the saints; Krishna had mercy on me.
I decorated myself, attached bells to my feet, and, keeping time with both my hands, Danced before the idol, and sang the praises of Gôpâl.
The holy are mine and I am theirs; the holy are my life.
Mira is absorbed in the holy as butter before churning is in milk.
Bân Sânga, Mira's father-in-law, was still obdurate and determined that she should die by the sword, but no one could be found to execute the death-warrant.
She was then ordered to kill
a Water in which her idol's feet had been washed.
Ghaniyam, dark as a cloud.
