Tracing the Idea of Spiritual Peace and Harmony in the poems of Meera Bai and Emily Dickinson

Abstract: The concept of spiritual awakening is not different from scientific phenomenon as it is the science of ultimate truth. A truth which transcends the ordinary and conscious understanding of man and takes him into the world of unconscious. This paper is going to explore the spiritual awakening, understanding and philosophical vision of India’s greatest bhakti poetesses, Meera Bai, and Emily Dickinson, one of the most celebrated female poets of America. It is an attempt to compare and analyze their love for the divine, their movements, concepts and their philosophical vision. It will highlight that the knowledge of the unknown and unseen is attained by losing the ‘self’ in the process but at the same time finding it in everything and beyond oneself. This paper is also going to emphasize on how world peace is related to inner peace.

Keywords: Spirituality, Mysticism, Bhakti Movement, World peace.

The article is divided into various parts-

The concept of Spirituality.

The social and cultural background of Meera Bai and her spiritual

journey through her poems.

The transcendental and philosophical vision of Emily Dickinson

through an analytical study of her poems.

The relation between world peace and self-awareness.

The    concept    of    spirituality    is    broad    in    its    definition and understanding. It’s a belief in the oneness of God and the ultimate truth. Spirituality is often associated with religion but it is beyond that. It’s a belief in the divinity, the need to look beyond oneself, the desires, the materialistic world and above all, the conscious self. But it is not a dissociation from life or mortal beings and their sufferings, rather, it is an act where different energies, known or unknown, unite together and form the One. One can feel a sense of strong and significant connection with this being. It is inclusive of the livings and non-livings. It attempts to see the world in all its glory and majesty and feel associated to it in many ways. This attachment is not permanent or personal as the person can dwell into an impersonal space and identifies himself with the energy that governs them all. Man attains spiritual awareness through the act of isolation that is called as “contemplation”. Though people in the beginning term a man on his spiritual journey as an escapist, it is then he takes a new birth and becomes a “spiritual man”. As Evelyn Underhill in Mysticism says, “The faculty or personality concerned in the “New Birth”—the “spiritual man,” capable of the spiritual vision and life, which was dissociated from the “earthly man” adapted only to the natural life—was always sharply distinguished by them from the total personality, conscious or unconscious.” This new man is called as ‘the mystic’. The mystics are those who have accepted the ultimate reality, ‘perfected the art of intuition, and believe in the Absolute.

The concept of Spirituality in India is age-old. The concept has been known to its people since time immemorial. India, known as the land of magic, mysteries and snake charmers, is also an abode for spirituality. Even when literary records and manuscripts could not be found, spirituality was spread through tales and ‘katha’ (a Hindu ritual event of religious storytelling and performances). Indians were introduced to spirituality through its rich spiritual literature like the Vedas and Upanishads. They imbibe the natives with the truth, realities, struggles, challenges and significance of life. The foundation

of       the       Indian       society       lies       in       the      concept       of

‘Satyam-Shivam-Sundaram’ which means ‘Truth-Integrity-Aesthetic’. A man is considered to be incomplete if he has not attained a sense of belongingness with the Absolute or the Supreme. This spiritual sense is attained by giving up the soul and not only the body. Various experiences and acts are performed by the ascetics to attain ‘moksha’ (a Sanskrit word, also called mukti, or freedom from samsara). An Indian male saint or mystic is also known as ‘Sadhu’ or ‘maharishi’, depending upon his stature in society.

In India, the concept of spirituality also flourished through the Bhakti Movement. Started in the southern part of the country, it soon spread all over. The practitioners of the movement used local languages to reach the masses. V. S. Lalrinawma defines the Bhakti Movement as: The term Bhakti comes from the Indo-German root form ‘Bhag’ and the Sanskrit verb ‘Bhaj’, meaning to be attached to, to partake of, and to share in. Bhakti is therefore the state of having a share in others. Bhakti is letting the other enter deep into oneself; mutual indwelling and participation. The meaning of "movement" is the practice that influences a large section of a society. It is ecstatic union, consciousness of non-duality.

It is a belief in the oneness of God, worshipping God with full devotion, treating men as equals and serving humanity. It is not only restricted to a religious movement but also a reform for the society. By believing in the equality of men, it shuns the orthodox practices of caste and class system, i.e., the Verna System, prevalent in the Hindu society. It arouses the consciousness of the believers about the Supreme Being and helps them look beyond the materialistic world. It highlights the goodness in people by spreading love and brotherhood in the society and rejects the evil prejudices that are already present. As Tara Chand in his book says, "Bhakti is the emotional aspects of religion, its roots lie in the feeling of affective side of human consciousness…”

Meera Bai, a sixteenth century saint and one of the most prominent, revolutionary female poetesses, was also a pioneer of the Bhakti Movement. She spread her spiritual vision and strong views through her poems and devotional journey towards ‘Krishna.’ Hailing from the royal family of Rajasthan, a princess of Merta, Meera Bai incessantly fell in an eternal love with the idol of Lord Krishna when her mother playfully said it was her groom, at a tender age. Since then, her love for Krishna grew stronger each passing day as she considered herself the bride of Krishna even when she married Bhojraj (Rana Kumbha of Mewar). After the death of Bhojraj in a war, Meera Bai refused to commit the act of ‘Sati’, an old age practice of women sacrificing their lives by burning themselves with the pyre of their husbands. Instead of confining herself within the four walls, as expected of a Rajput widow, Meera Bai used to visit the temples of Krishna, Govinda temples. Here, one could see her passionate and devotional love for Krishna. It was a transcendental love between God and His devotee. Meera Bai used to roam onto the streets and showed her love for Krishna through her songs like ‘Pag Gunguru Baandh Meeraa Naacheere’. Even after being inflicted with pain, atrocities, and many attempts to kill her, Meera Bai did not hesitate once to challenge the patriarchal norms that were prevalent and stopping her to show her love for Krishna. She believed that by being in love with God and following His path, she had attained wisdom which was above every pain and malice she faced at the hands of the wicked. On the narrow path, I found God’s people. What should I turn back for? I’m learning wisdom among the wise, and the wicked look at me with malice.

Meera Bai had never shied away to express her desires. She considered herself belonging only to Krishna and Him being her savior as she sang, “Mere To Giridhar Gopaal, Doosraa Na Koyee/ Jaake Sir Mor Mukut Mero Pati Soyee!)” She called herself as Krishna’s Dasi, a female servant. She lovingly called Him with the names of ‘Girdhar, Govinda or Gopaal.’ Her love was not restricted to temples but she could see Him in every other being- trees, flowers, stones, birds, etc. It is interesting to note Meera Bai’s love was not bound by the physical or bodily attraction as Krishna was ‘the dark one’, “The Dark One is Mirabai's lord, who else could slake her desire?” It was beyond and above the physique or body. It was transcendental and divine. Her immense love for God made her look beyond human follies, raise voice against injustice and prejudices (calling a Dalit as her Guru, Raidas or Ravidas as she sang “Guru Miliyaa Raidasjee/ Dini gyan ki gutki!”) and treat everyone equal. Her love which was ridiculed by people made her only stronger. It filled her with unshakeable faith, strength and devotion that surpassed the difficulties and obstructions that came her way. Her love for God served a purpose to spread humanity and love amongst her admirers. The political philosopher Fred R. Dallmayr believes that “Mira speaks the language of hope and of the promise of transformation, ‘a healing or redemptive message’ ‘hidden or sheltered amidst the horrors of our time”.

Meera was a devotee, saint, philosopher, humanitarian who had earned admirers and followers of many centuries, age and time. Her love for the beloved Lord Krishna was so great that her name would always be taken along Him.

The spiritual love of Meera Bai and the Bhakti Movement had inspired many scholars irrespective of age and time, and one such was the great American poet, Emily Dickinson. Spirituality in the western culture is known as Mysticism. It is a kind of religious ecstasy or state of consciousness where a person becomes one with the Absolute or God yet still believes in his Supremacy and ultimate reality. Often, the term is interchanged with religion but its practitioners look for God beyond the religion. The love for the Absolute and the Divine could be found in the poems of Emily Dickinson. Born during the nineteenth century in a Puritan household, many believes that Dickinson had an open rebellion against God. But it is the treatment of ‘love’ in her poems that makes her readers wonder about her beliefs. One could not deny that though she possessed the qualities of Puritan simplicity and austerity, she shunned the Puritan orthodox tradition that considered love as sin. Her love was romantic too. It was both carnal and divine. Many questioned her faith but she was certain of her beliefs and God. For her, love was multi-faceted. It engulfed the lovers fully and transcends the physical barriers. The force of love was so strong and profound that it converted into a spiritual one. This love for God was true and could be felt in every aspect of life- first and foremost, in nature. One could directly see God and feel a connection with the unseen in the beauty that lies in nature. As she says:

“Some keep the Sabbath going to Church –

I keep it, staying at Home – With a Bobolink for a Chorister –

And an Orchard, for a Dome –

Like Whitman, Dickinson also found the presence of God or the supreme entity in the ‘self’. The ‘self’ helped her to identify with the world and perceive it. The ‘self’ in her poems was fiery and strong and stood against every obstacle. It could not be defeated by worldly forces. In one of her poems, she writes:

They shut me up in Prose –

As when a little Girl

They put me in the Closet – Because they liked me "still" – Still! Could themself have peeped –

And seen my Brain – go round – They might as wise have lodged a Bird

For Treason – in the Pound –

Dickinson had used many metaphors and themes in her poems to relate to God. The themes of love, death, parting and immortality expressed her desire to unite with the divine soul. She had expressed joys and sorrows alike in context with human relationships to show the sufferings and agony of the world and the happiness that comes when one accepted his fate by having faith in God.

We have seen that these two poetesses have not only defied the patriarchal norms, evil practices and restrictions put upon them by the society but also did not hesitate to express what they want. They expressed love for the divine without conforming to societal standards. It was the knowledge of the Absolute, not restricted to forms of idol or attending to churches, that their soul had accepted the divine and saw God in every aspect. It gave them peace of mind and heart. When human mind and heart is in harmony, it brings peace in the external and physical world as well. The well-being of the body and mind contributes to world peace. As we know that unless and until man is at peace, he cannot bring peace to the world. By whatever name one may call his God, the practices that unite man to Him, make man not only a disciple of God but also an advocate of peace and harmony. Thus, we could conclude that these poetesses have spread the message of love, peace and harmony by expressing their spiritual love and philosophical vision through their songs and poems.

References

Chand, Tara. Influence of Islam on Indian Culture. Nabu Press, 2011.

Lalrinawma, V. S. Major Faith Tradition of India. Delhi: ISPCK, 2007.

Dallmayr, Fred R. In Search of the Good Life: A Pedagogy for

Troubled Times. 2007

Underhill, Evelyn. Mysticism: A Study in Nature and Development of

Spiritual    Consciousness.   Grand   Rapids,   MI:   Christian    Classics

Ethereal Library. 1911

Talwar, Shiv. “Elusiveness of World Peace and Harmony.” Cloverleaf:

Journal    of    Education    in    Evolvement    And    All-Encompassing

Spirituality. Vol. 3. Canada

Ramadevi, B. “Meera Bai: The Queen Who Danced On the Streets.”

The Hindu. 17 February, 2014, Coimbatore. Print http://cloverleaf.spiritualeducation.org/ https://www.britannica.com/topic/moksha-Indian-religion https://www.shabdkosh.com/dictionary/english-hindi-meaning-in-hin di https://www.livemint.com/Sundayapp/A-brief-history-of-the-Bhakti-

movement.html https://www.poetseers.org/early-american-poets/emily-dickinson/spiri tuality-emily-dickinson/ https://poets.org/poet/emily-dickinson https://www.emilydickinsonmuseum.org/emily-dickinson/biography/s pecial-topics/emily-dickinson-and-the-church/

Note: The translated poems of Meera Bai are quoted fromhttps://allpoetry.com/Mirabai https://www.poemhunter.com/mirabai/