Meera – The Miracle of Sai
by Gana Jega Deva
Meera played to packed audience on the 2nd of December at the Kalamandapam in Kuala Lumpur and an encore on the 21st. January at the Seremban Sai Centre.
This was the second of the Wanita Wing’s presentation on the life of the women saints of India the first being Andal in 2010 and in 2011, Meera. The Sathya Sai organization is a service oriented organisation , we are not a dance school, music school nor a speech and drama school. But the miracle of Sai saw an evening that was inspiring and very professional.
Swami, it was a labour of love for YOU, and after all, YOU were the director of the whole event. So it was perfect !!
When the women and girls went on stage in both Meera and Andal, it was NOT to show case talent, but to share with all, the devotion that is inherent in all of us, especially the bhakthi in women.
Meera, the Rajasthani princess, is regarded as an incarnation of Radha. Krishna asked Radha to come down to earth to teach humanity the essence of devotional love. Both , Radha and Meera’s relationship with Krishna symbolizes the soul’s yearning for the divine. The devotion and love expressed by them is above gender and everyone here, whether male or female, is a Meera and Radha, seeking the love of the Lord.
Meera’s life story infuses faith, courage, devotion and unconditional love of god in the minds of all. It and inspires us to follow the path of devotion not through ritualistic worship but through the simple sadhana, that of true love. Meera literally taught all of us the way to love God ; her many soul stirring hymns were the beginning of the bhakthi movement, reaching out to the common man knowing no caste or creed. It was the forerunner of Swami’s call that nama sankirtanam is the foundation of all spiritual sadhana.
Meera depicted the highest form of Bhakthi. Maadhurya bhakthi. Andal and Sri Jeya deva too had this bhava for Krishna. In his great work, the Geetha Govindham, Sri Jeya Deva sang about the love of Radha and Krishna, symbolising the longing and striving of the individual, for communion with God , culminating in their blissful union. Though Meera merged with Krishna at the end of her life, she continues to live with all of us as a symbol of Bhakthi.
Meera , the musical, concludes with the lively and vibrant ashtapadi of Sri Jeya deva – Chandhana Charchita – to show that the joy , the romance and the dance of the Lord and his devotees continues – the yearning for the Lord, by the Meeras of today, and their desire to merge in Him continues.
