Mirabai
16th-century Hindu mystic poet and devotee of Krishna.
Mirabai, also known as Sant Meerabai, was a 16th-century Hindu mystic poet and a devoted follower of Krishna. She is recognized as an important Bhakti saint, especially within the North Indian Hindu tradition. Her inclusion in the *Bhaktamal* indicates that she was well-known and respected in the Bhakti movement by around 1600. Her poetry often expressed a form of devotion called *madhurya bhava* toward Krishna.
Many stories about Mirabai highlight her fearless rejection of social and family norms, her deep devotion to Krishna, and the hostility she faced from her in-laws because of her religious practices. They disapproved of her passion for music, which she used to express her devotion, viewing it as an insult to upper-caste sensibilities. Among her in-laws, only her husband is said to have supported her devotion, though some accounts claim he opposed it. Mirabai is the subject of many folk tales and hagiographic legends, which often contradict one another in details. One well-known legend says that when her in-laws tried to kill her with poison, she tied a sacred thread on a Krishna idol, trusting in divine protection, and was saved. This story is sometimes linked to the origin of the ritual of tying a *rakhi* on Krishna’s idol.
Millions of devotional hymns praising Krishna are attributed to Mirabai in Indian tradition, but scholars believe only a few hundred are authentic. The earliest written records suggest that, except for two hymns, most were first written down in the 18th century. Many poems credited to her were likely composed later by admirers. These hymns, called *bhajans*, are widely popular across India.
Some Hindu temples, including one inside Chittor Fort, are dedicated to her memory. Legends about her life, though of disputed authenticity, have inspired movies, films, comic strips, and other popular literature in modern times.
**Biography**
No primary records of Mirabai’s life survive, so scholars rely on secondary sources to reconstruct her biography. She was born into a Rathore Rajput royal family in Kudki (in present-day Beawar district, Rajasthan) and spent her childhood in Merta. Her father was Ratan Singh Rathore, and her grandfather was Rao Dudaji of Merta, making her a great-granddaughter of Rao Jodha and a cousin of Jaimal Rathore.
In 1516, she had an arranged marriage with Bhoj Raj, the crown prince of Mewar. Her husband was
- born
- 16th century, Kudki (modern-day Beawar district, Rajasthan)
- died
- Unknown (legendary accounts vary; no historical consensus)
- field
- Hindu mystic poet, Bhakti saint
- nationality
- Indian (Rajput kingdom of Mewar)
- known_for
- Devotional hymns (bhajans) to Krishna, fearless disregard for social conventions, persecution by in-laws
Lore & Background
Mirabai was born into a Rathore Rajput royal family in Kudki and spent her childhood in Merta. She was the daughter of Ratan Singh Rathore and granddaughter of Rao Dudaji of Merta. She had an arranged marriage with Bhoj Raj, crown prince of Mewar, in 1516. Her husband was wounded in wars with the Delhi Sultanate in 1518 and died from battle wounds in 1521. Both her father and father-in-law (Rana Sanga) died around the time of the Battle of Khanwa against Babur, though Rana Sanga actually survived the battle and died about a year later in 1528. After Rana Sanga's death, Vikram Singh became ruler of Mewar. Legends state her in-laws attempted to assassinate her multiple times, including sending poison and a snake, but she was saved by divine intervention. One legend ties her tying a sacred thread on a Krishna idol to the origin of the rakhi ritual. The year and manner of Mirabai's death are not historically verified; legendary accounts, such as her merging into a Krishna idol after being poisoned, are hagiographic and lack scholarly consensus.
Reader's Guide
Mirabai's significance lies in her role as a central figure of the Bhakti movement, expressing madhurya bhava (sweet, loving devotion) toward Krishna through her poetry. Her hymns, called bhajans, are famous across India, though only a few hundred of the millions attributed to her are considered authentic by scholars, with most first written down in the 18th century. Her life story, marked by legendary persecution and miraculous escapes, has inspired folk tales, films, and comic strips. She is remembered in temples such as one within Chittor Fort. Her poetry, in Rajasthani language, uses meters like the mātric line and rāgas for singing. Her appeal crosses social boundaries, resonating with high-caste individuals through her royal suffering and with low-caste groups who admire her renunciation of status. The earliest datable reference to her is in Nabhadas's Bhaktamal (c. 1600). Scholarly analysis shows significant regional variation in her hagiography, with some texts portraying her as sedentary in Udaipur rather than traveling. Her legacy endures as a poet-saint whose devotion and poetry continue to be sung and studied.
Did You Know?
- Only two poems attributed to Mirabai have been found in manuscripts dating from before the early 18th century.
- A legend states that tying a rakhi on Krishna's murti originated from Mirabai tying a sacred thread on a Krishna idol for protection.
- The third Mughal emperor, Akbar, is said to have visited Mirabai with Tansen, but scholars doubt this as Tansen joined Akbar's court 15 years after her death.
- An early 18th-century Punjabi text portrays Mirabai as married to a man named Giridhar, with her own father attempting to kill her.
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