Bhakthrathnakara- Meera 1.6 Trials for a true devotee

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Bhakthirathnakara-Meera

1.6- Trials for a true devotee

Gradually

the love of Rana for Meera reduced and

he started showing indifference towards her because she could not be like an

ordinary wife to him. He stopped going to the temple but he did not have the

courage to stop her from her activities

because she was adored by the people and revered by Raghunatha Panditha

, his preceptor. His sister Oodha was the main cause of his growing hatred

towards the krishnabhakthi of Meera. She poisoned his mind slowly by accusing

Meera of failing in her duty as a wife.

But

Meera was oblivious of his change of mind and reveled in her experience of

Giridhari , singing and dancing in front of Him all the time even forgetting to

go to the palace at all. Her devotion which made her unaware of the protocol to

be observed by married women especially a Rajput queen, did not create any

aversion to others since she was looked upon as a divine being and not a mortal by the devotees who gathered in the

temple. They thought that some gopi from Brindavan has taken birth as Meera. But as it is usually the case

with the uninitiated, the common worldly people who could not understand her

started talking ill of her for throwing all decorum to the winds and mingling

with all, not conscious of her status or womanhood.

Rana also got worried on this score and his

sister fanned his fury by saying that Meera was having a paramour with whom she

is heard talking in the temple. She said that she went to the temple in the

night and heard her talking with a man. Rana could not believe this because

even though he did not approve of her behaviour he knew that her heart was

pure. But the seed of suspicion sown does not let a person rest in peace. Hence

he decided to find out the truth by asking Meera herself.

When Rana

went to the temple the namasankeerthana was over and the crowd dispersed and he

found that the doors were locked from inside. Meera used to sleep inside the

temple most of the days and hence he thought that she had retired for the

night. But he heard the voice of Meera talking to someone in endearing terms

and he became furious thinking that what his sister said must be true. He knocked

on the door but it was not opened. He banged on it furiously and when Meera

opened it he sprang inside with drawn

sword expecting a man inside.

But what he saw made him feel ashamed. Meera had the idol

of her Giridhari on her bed and was

talking to him. When she asked him the reason for his sudden bursting in, he

hung his head in shame. Without telling her his suspicion he told her that the

people talk ill of her and he was upset about it. But Meera could not care less

about the gossip and told him that as long as he trusted her she did not bother

about what others say. Rana told her

that he did care about it and asked her to stop her activities. When she told

him that she would rather die than to stop worshipping Giridhari and singing his

glory, Rana did not know what to say and left her saying that she should take

care not to tarnish the name of herself and of him also, leaving her desolate

with grief. Who could she approach for comfort except her own Giridhari?