The celebrated bhakthi poet-saint of 16th century, Meerabai dedicated her life in love for Lord Krishna. Earlier, a selection of her work was translated into English. Later, two films and a documentary were made exemplifying her. Furthermore, a musical story of Meera’s life was composed.

This year, Hashim Raza Jalalpuri, a famous poet, an awardee of Urdu Ratna and GJT Samman has completed translating Meerabai’s songs into Urdu. He spent 4 years researching, delving into her work and felt that her depth and dedication to God must reach the hearts of all Urdu readers.

Sriman Hashim Raza Jalalpuri invited Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji to launch the book, Meerabai Urdu Shairi Mein (Naghma-e-Ishq-o-Wafa) on 17th evening at 7:00pm at India International Centre, New Delhi. He felt extremely thrilled, highly grateful to have Swamiji release the book and speak on the occasion.

Other guests included Padma Shri Muzaffar Ali Eminent Filmmaker, Shri V. Jai Prakash Chairman Advisory Board Ministry of Labour, Shri Akhilesh Mishra Director General ICCR, Prof Akhtarul Wasey VC Maulana Azad University Jodhpur, Dr. Ghazal Srinivas, Dr. Abbas Mehdi, Dr. Gaurav Dahiya IAS, Shri Srinivas IRS, Shri M Vasu Raju.

We are happy to share the excerpt of Swamiji’s message on this event. Read on…

One day, a saint was visiting the place where Meerabai lived. Like everyone, she also planned to pay her respects to him. As she approached closer, she was told that the saint does not see women. She responded, “I thought there is only one MAN in this existence and that’s God. We are all equally His belongings. Looks like someone feels of himself as another MAN too. I will take my leave now…!”

Everyone was astonished by her firm belief in God as the sole-protector and one supreme power while the rest of us are all His belongings.   

The incident tells us how true love for God must put all differences beneath and create harmony and oneness. Example: Take a river. Beneath the flowing water, there are stones of varied sizes, aquatic life and plants of various types. But those differences are all hidden and do not block the smooth sail of flowing water. Meerabai and all other truth seekers have always followed this, simply by the acceptance of one supreme power, no matter whom one may perceive the power as! Truth or reality is ONE. But, how each individual perceives that reality differs due to multiple factors. That is why Krishna said in Bhagavad Githa,

Jna:na vijna:na yo:gaha, 7th Chapter, Bhagavad Gita

sri: bhagavan uva:cha
yo: yo: ya:m ya:m thanum bhakthaha
sraddhaya:rchithum ichchathi|
thasya thasya:chala:m sraddha:m
tha:m e:va vidadha:myaham || 21

sa thaya: sraddhaya: yukthaha
thasya:ra:dhana mi:hathe: |
labhathe: cha thathah ka:ma:n
mayaiva vihitha:n hi tha:n || 22

Krishna says “Any devatha (a member of God’s administration) is considered part of my body. One can worship any of the devathas with love and devotion. Depending on what devatha one worships, I give the devotee what they are seeking for through that devatha. So, I don’t insist on anyone to worship me alone.”

However, Meerabai was intensely captivated by the love for God in the form of Krishna. She referred to Him as her soulmate. Her love for Krishna out-poured in the form of poems that innately revealed every soul’s relation with God.

This sweetness in her feelings for God drove Mr. Hashim Raza ji to translate her work for the sake of all Urdu readers. He was inspired by his uncle who translated Bhagavad Githa into Urdu appreciating the length and breadth of the wisdom! Let every truth seeker walk the path of realising the Supreme, no matter which language or belief the truth is preserved in.

Today, it is important to realise how we all must work as limbs of that one true supreme power, God. Just like the limbs of the body co-operate with each other, and respond to the needs of one another to keep the body healthy, we must also let love for Lord take precedence over anything. The limbs are all functionally, physically, or structurally different but they all work for a single motive. If they don’t, then the entire body suffers the consequences sooner or later. Similarly, we are all different in terms of professions, colour, religion, creed, gender, race etc but we all must work for the well-being of ourselves by understanding how we are all equal in the eyes of God.

Ramanujacharya stood for this equality 1000 years ago. That is why, we have Statue of Equality being built as a mark of gratitude towards the great acharya. He did not say anything about abolishing the differences, he talked about raising above the differences and standing as one. Many people talk about eliminating the caste system or regional or religion based differences. That does not work! History proves that. What will work is to let love for Supreme keep all the differences beneath itself. Harmony and love for one another will then flourish with strong foundation, God!

– From the discourse of Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji
– India International Centre, New Delhi
– 17 th June 2019 7:00pm to 9:00pm