"Only Shree Hari, My beloved Girdhar Gopala is Mine, no one else do I have to call as My own."
Shree Meerabai Devi and Her poems still echo in the hearts of every Haribhakt. She considered the Lord as Her Lover, so much so that She called Him Her Hu...
Jashoda called out to Her mother as She stood leaning on the wall of the balcony.
Her mother came at once to the place where She stood. She was on Her toes and peeping down, looking at the huge crowd that had gathered just below the balcony.
The balcony was decorated with beautiful, heavy velvet curtains and small pots with fragrant flowers hung around it. Her room had plenty of windows, or the jharokhas, and two balconies.
One of the balconies faced the palace backyard and the other one faced the main city. She was standing on the latter one.
"What happened, Jashoda?"
She pointed Her finger below at the crowd. "Maa, look! What a beautiful and big procession. Is there any festival today?"
Her mother laughed at Her childlike curiosity. "No, Jashoda. This is the wedding procession of a bride." She showed Her the bride, who was dressed up in expensive clothes and jewellery and seated on a golden palanquin.
She then showed Her the groom. He was dressed in a matching set of clothes and his face was covered with a veil.
"Maa, what is a groom?"
Her mother realised that She had no knowledge about the practices of society and had no idea about what marriage is.
"Every girl must get married to a man whom she addresses as her husband. Then she takes this journey towards the house of her husband, her new home. This groom is her husband."
Jashoda looked at the groom for a moment in silence.
She suddenly spoke up.
"Maa, then who is My Husband? Who shall be My groom?"
Her mother got agitated at Her silly questions and She was getting late for Her chores.
"Oh don't ask silly questions Jashoda!"
She went away after scolding Her. But Jashoda was still left unsatisfied with many questions in Her mind.
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Jashoda stretched Her hand forward to receive the prasadam from Her mother.
The pooja ceremony was completed and Her mother was distributing the sweets. They were inside the temple constructed within the palace premises.
It was a beautiful temple crafted from marble stones. Many different idols of all Gods and Goddesses were housed inside. Beautiful garlands and flowers hung around each pillar of the temple. Ancient architecture and temple paintings were a striking feature of the Rajasthani culture.
"Maa, are You still angry at Me?"
Her mother smiled and hugged Her. "No Jashoda, I have forgotten that long ago."
She looked up at Her mother with earnest eyes. "Maa, then please tell Me who is My Husband."
Her mother was agitated at the same question being repeated over again. She took Her hand and dragged Her along inside the temple.
She kept walking and then stopped infront of the idol of Lord Krishna.
"Here, He is Your Husband. You're His bride and He is Your groom. Are You happy now?"
Jashoda kept looking at the idol with wonder and amazement. Her mother left but She stood still for a long while in front of Her Husband.
"Finally She has an answer and won't bother Me anymore with the same question!" Her mother thought.
But little did She know that what she thought she had said in amusement, was only the beginning of an epic tale of love between a God and His devotee.
Her words had proven to be true and were already destined to be the purpose of her daughter's life.
Soon, it became the most important aspect of Her life and existence. She would ask everyone about the duties of a wife and perform them religiously for Her Husband.
Her mother had playfully told Her about the responsibilities of marriage and She listened patiently.
Initially, Her mother supported Her but it was becoming a cause of concern for her lately. Because Jashoda was not interested in anything else except for Her Husband.
People came from far and wide to meet the Princess and gave Her gifts and presents, but She distributed them to the poor, saying that She didn't require anything that had no relation to Her Husband.
Her only prized possessions were the peacock feathers and a flute Her uncle has gifted Her. She also had a pair of dolls which were dressed as a bride and a groom In her treasure trove.
She would play with Her dolls, imagining Herself as the bride and Lord Krishna as the groom.
She read all stories and scriptures and was well versed and well read. And in Her free time, She would write poems and songs for Her Husband.
"Oh Lord! Please come soon to fetch Me!"
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।। राधे राधे ।। ।। जय श्री राधारमण गिरधारी ।। ।। जय श्री मीरा मोहन प्रियतम प्यारी ।।
