Meera – In Gita Verse 12.9 My dear Arjuna, O winner of wealth, if you cannot fix your mind upon Me without deviation, then follow the regulative principles of bhakti-yoga. In this way develop a desire to attain Me.
Krishna says to Arjuna – follow the regulative principles of bhakti-yoga – means surrender to me. Foundation of Bhakti Yoga is surrender.
In my Bhagavad Gita Verse 6.10, blog I wrote – What is surrender? It is a mystery.
The false knowledge demystifies existence; the true knowledge re-mystifies it. Knowing, if authentic, makes life more of a mystery than it has ever been before.
When Bhakti Yoga comes, how can we forget Meera? She was so much devoted to Krishna and surrendered herself to Krishna. She surrendered herself in all the circumstances. Even to that extent she drank poison when it was sent to her by his brother-in-law.
Her brother-in-law was Vikramajit Singh. He was an angry youth, an ill-natured youth. And this was too much to hear… Meera’s fame was insufferable to him. Meera was so famous, people began coming from far away. Ordinary people came for her darshan; saints, monks, respectable people came too. Hearing the news of Meera they came from afar. The fragrance began to spread. The perfume was like the musk deer; everyone whose nostrils got a whiff of musk had to come.
This is a very surprising thing. From every part of the country people came, but the blind family members couldn’t see. Those people coming became the cause of more difficulty for the family because Meera’s fame was a shock to their egos. The king on his throne thought, “Someone in my own family higher than me? This is unbearable.”
Then he found a thousand excuses, and all the excuses logical – fault can never be found in them: “She is mixing with the common folk, with her veil aside. She is dancing in the streets; sometimes while dancing she doesn’t pay attention to her clothes. This is unbecoming. It is not proper for a lady of the royal household.”
But consider the stories: poison was sent and in Krishna’s name Meera drank it; and it is said that the poison became nectar. It must have become! It’s bound to. With so much love, so much welcoming – if someone drinks even poison it must turn into divine nectar. And if in anger, in violence, in hate, in enmity you drink ambrosia it too will become poison.
Years later the political situation changed in Rajasthan; the kingship changed and the youngest son of King Sanga ascended the throne, Udaysingh Mevar. He was King Sanga’s son and the father of King Pratap. Udaysingh had great feelings for Meera. He sent innumerable messengers to Meera to bring her back: “This is our disgrace. This is Rajasthan’s disgrace that Meera wanders from village to village, moving here and there. This stain will always remain on us. Let her come back. Bring her back. We ask forgiveness for our mistakes. That which has happened in the past is gone.”
People went, pundits were sent, priests were sent to explain and convince, but Meera always gave the explanation, “Now where to come or go? Where should I go now, giving up this temple of my life’s love?” She was ecstatic in the Ranchhoddasji temple.
Still Udaysingh tried very hard. He sent a group of one hundred men and said, “Bring her back no matter what. If she doesn’t come, give her a threat. Tell her you’ll fast, sitting at the door of the same temple.” And they gave the threat. They insisted, “You must come, if not then we’ll die right here.”
Then Meera said, “This again; if I am to go, then I will go and ask my love. Without his giving permission, I cannot go. So I’ll ask Ranchhoddasji.” She went inside and the story is very lovely, very surprising, very significant. She went inside and it is said she never came out again. She disappeared into Krishna’s statue.
This too couldn’t be historical, but it should be, because if Meera cannot merge into Krishna’s statue, then who can? And she had dissolved Krishna so deeply into herself, couldn’t Krishna at least let her be merged into himself? If not then the whole foundation of devotion will be broken. Then the trust of the devotee will be broken. Meera has dissolved Krishna so deeply into herself, then Krishna too has a responsibility.
Be aware, don’t take this as a fact and sit thinking over it. This is a truth and truth is very different from fact. Truth is far above facts. Just what is there in fact? Not worth two cents. Fact is not the limit of truth. Fact is that; which man’s small intelligence can understand. It is a fragment of truth; truth is vast.
If you ask me, I say it is so. It has to be. If not, the devotee’s trust is wrong. Meera must have said, “Now what’s your feeling, shall I go now? Where will I go? Either come with me or take me into you.” Ultimately that which you love, you become.
Love with care and understanding. Make your friendships with awareness. Because this friendship is no ordinary matter. Meera’s friendship was with Krishna, and if finally she merged into his image then to me this seems to be completely right. It must be so. It is just so.
This is what we can call Bhakti Yoga, Tathata or Surrender. Names are different but the path is the same, Bhakti Yoga. – In Meera, found nowhere else, is a natural expression of love. There have been other devotees, but they all pale before Meera; they become the background. Meera’s star is a very bright, shining star.
Come, let us go toward this star. If just a few drops of Meera’s juice rain on your life, flowers will bloom in your desert. If in your heart just a few tears make rain clouds like Meera’s rain clouds, and in your heart a melody begins playing as it is played to Meera, it is enough. One drop will color you and make you new.
Krishna says to Arjuna if you follow the regulative principles of bhakti-yoga, you can merge in me and I can merge in you.
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