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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[AUGUST, 1903.
herself in whatever way she thought fit. By this time she was a widow, her husband having predeceased his father, and her person was at her own disposal. Promising that she would obey the Rânâ's command she retired to her solitary apartment, during the night put on the dress of a mendicant, and left the palace. She plunged into the nearest river to die in obedience to the order she had received. It is said that she was miraculously preserved by an angel who brought her to shore and addressed her “O queen, thou hast obeyed thy father-in-law and art worthy of all praise for thy devotion, but thou hast a higher duty still to perform. It is thine to set a high exemplar to the world, and show unto men how to fulfil the designs of the Creator and become absorbed in Him." When she awoke she found herself alone on the river's bank with the current flowing at her feet. She stood up in amazement not knowing for the moment what to do. She met some cowherds, of whom she enquired the way to Bindrában. They presented her with milk, and directed her whither to proceed. She walked on singing her hymns, the object of blessings and attentions in the villages through which she passed,
On her arrival in Bindraban she desired to see Jiv Gondin. To her disappointment he sent her word that he would allow no woman into his presence. She replied "I thought everybody in Bindrában a woman, and only Girdhar Lal a man.? I learn to-day that there are other partners than Krishna in Bindrában." By this she scoffingly meant that the Gosain placed himself on an equality with Kțishna as god of Bindsában. The Gosáin, on hearing her rebuke, went bare-footed to do her homage, and beholding her became filled with the love of God."
Mirá BA with loving devotion traversed every grove and pathway of Bindrában, and having fixed the sweet image of Krishna in her heart returned to her late husband's home. On finding her father-in-law still obdurate, she went on pilgrimage to Dwaraka, where the youthful Krishqa had played and sported. There again she became entranced with the pleasure of adorning and enhancing the beauty of her favourite god.
During her absence from Chitaur, the Capital of Mêwar, the visits of holy men to that capital cessed. Dissensions arose in the state. It was only then that the Rânâ realised what a holy person he had lost. He sent several Brahmans and instructed them to use every entreaty to Mirá Bải to induce her to return, and finally to tell her that it was impossible for him to live unless she complied with his prayer. The Brahmans executed his orders, but Mira Bai refused to put herself again in the Rank's power. Upon this the Brahmans set at hør door and declared their intention of neither eating nor drinking till she had returned with them. She replied that she lived in Dwarakê only by the favour of Krishna. She would go and take leave of him and return to the Brahmans. She went to do homage to Ranchor, the visible representation of that god, became absorbed in his love, and what she had she gave a humble offering of verses at hig shrine
O God, remove thy servant's sufferings ; Thou didat supply Draupadt with inexhaustible robes and save her modesty : For the sake of thy saint Prahlad thou didst assume the body of a man-lion ; Thou didst kill Hiranyakasipa, who had not the courage to oppose thee; Thou didst kill the shark and extricate the drowning elephant from the water.
This is common ides in the Granth Sahib. The guide deem God husband, and themselves w His wives.
Jiv Gosti, it may be stated, was the son of Ballabha, and anolo of Råpa and Sanatan, two devout followers of Chaitanya, the great Vaishnava reformer of Bengal (1485-1588). Rdpa and Sanatan had been ministers of the Mubammadan ruler of Bihar, and were of royal blood, high rank, and great wealth, all which advantages they rolin quished to lead religious life. Jly Gosali wm an author of some pretensions. He annotated a treatise of his nephew Båp deeoribing religious pleasures and emotions. He wrote book on the sets of Kyiahpa, but his greatest work WM one in which he amplified his annotations on the treatise of Bupl, and dwelt At length on the various pham of devotional exaltation.
Krishpas received the pame Ranchor when he fed from Japadha to Dwipak,
