Mīrābāī
16th century · Rajasthan & Dvārakā · Kṛṣṇa bhakti
Mīrābāī was a Rajput princess of Merta who married into the royal house of Mewar at Chittor. From childhood she loved Kṛṣṇa as Giridhar Gopāl, and after her husband’s death she defied royal custom, singing and dancing with sādhus in the temple. Tradition says her in-laws persecuted her, but she remained fearless.
She left for Vṛndāvan and then Dvārakā. Her padas, in Rajasthani and Braj, full of longing and joy — “Mere to Giridhar Gopāl, dūsro na koī” — are sung everywhere in India. Tradition says she merged into the image of Kṛṣṇa at Dvārakā.
Tradition says her enemies sent her a cup of poison as an offering from the temple; she drank it as Kṛṣṇa’s prasāda and it did her no harm. A snake hidden in a basket of flowers, it is said, became a garland.
Merta & Chittor · Giridhar Gopāl · Padas