Surdās ji and Meerā bai lived at the same period and were contemporaries. While Surdās ji was born in 1478, Meerā bai was born in 1498. There is no information that I have seen that implies the two saints ever had an interaction.
The following two poems, one by Meerā Bāi and the other by Surdās ji, caught my attention because of their nearly identical wording and general meaning. The fact that two very different poets who have never met can produce poetry that is practically identical struck me as extremely incredible.
Meaning of the Poetries
The things we have, what we desire, and what destiny has destined us to acquire are all very complex and difficult to understand.
The water in the river is sweet but is scarce, and the ocean water is abundantly available but salty and undrinkable.
The Swān appears good looking and attractive, but the Koel bird, which is often overlooked, has superior attributes.
The deer has the most magnificent eyes, or vision, but it runs about the forest constantly seeking and looking for something.
Idiots are born with silver spoons and become rulers, whereas the Pandits, the learned men, are penniless and lives a miserable life.
Surdās claims that although there is a hope and a longing that I will see Śri Krśna soon (in the future), this in itself is making every minute harder to pass by.
And “People think that Meera is crazy because her master is Girdhar Gopāl,” says Meera bai.
Surdāsji Writes: कर्मन की गति न्यारी
ऊधौ, कर्मन की गति न्यारी।
सब नदियाँ जल भरि-भरि रहियाँ सागर केहि बिध खारी॥
उज्ज्वल पंख दिये बगुला को कोयल केहि गुन कारी॥
सुन्दर नयन मृगा को दीन्हे बन-बन फिरत उजारी॥
मूरख-मूरख राजे कीन्हे पंडित फिरत भिखारी॥
सूर श्याम मिलने की आसा छिन-छिन बीतत भारी॥
oodhau, karman kee gati nyāree.
sab nadiyāń jal bhari-bhari rahiyān sāgar kehi bidh khāree.
ujjval pankh diye bagula ko koyal kehi gun kāree.
sundar nayan mrugā ko deenhe ban-ban phirat ujāree.
moorakh-moorakh rāje keenhe pandit phirat bhikhaaree.
sur shyām milane kee āsā chhin-chhin beetat bhaaree.
Meerā Bāi Writes: विध विधना री न्यारी
विध विधना री न्यारी।
दिरघ नैण मिरग कूं दीन्हा बन बन फिरता मारी।।
उजलो वरण बगलां पायो कोयल कीधी कारी।
नदियां जल निर्मल धारा समदां कर दीना खारी।।
मुरख जन सिंहासण राजे पंडित फिरत भिखारी।
मीरा के प्रभु गिरधर नागर लोग लखत अनारी।।
vidh vidhanā ree nyāree.
diragh naiÑ mirag kooń deenhā ban ban phiratā māree..
ujalo varan bagalān pāyo koyal keedhee kāree.
nadiyāń jal nirmal dhārā samadāń kar deenā khāree..
murakh jan sinhāsaÑ rāje pandit phirat bhikhāree.
meerā ke prabhu giradhar nāgar log lakhat anāree..
Meerā Bāi and Surdās Ji
Even though the two saints lived close to one another, I was intrigued as to why they had never met.
After discussing this with the living Meera Bai, Mātā Saubhagya Kunwari Rānāwat, the author of Meerā Charit, she mentioned that one possible reason for this could be that Surdās ji was initiated into the Pushti Sampradāya (sect), whereas Meerā bāi was not affiliated with any sect, and she generally avoided being around or meeting people of the sect.
It has been said that Surdās ji could only compose 100,000 pad/hymns (short poetries), whereas he should have completed 125,000 as per his guru’s wishes. In the last moments of Surdās ji, Vitthalnath ji, the son of Vallabhāchārya ji, informed that Śri Krśna himself had completed the remaining 25,000, which was eventually signed under the name Śur-Shyam.
The above poetry/hymn is under the name of Sur-Shyām, i.e. by Śri Kriśna and not by Surdas ji.
Is this Śri Krśna balihāri, mystic ways, to make the two great poet and saints of the 14th century meet, via a common poetry?
What do you think?
Summary
What a wonderful wisdom sharing by the two poets.
We frequently ignore the positive aspects of people, things, and situations because we take them for granted. Without appreciating the worth of things that may be both materially and qualitatively significant to us, we tend to judge things just on their outward appearance.
If I were to add anything to the poem above, it would be an example of the peacock. Even though the peacock has the most exquisite feathers, the fact is that they get in the way of its ability to fly great distances.
Both Meerā Bai and Surdās ji are attempting to convey the widsom that we should be more conscious of our surroundings and how we live. It is challenging to develop an intellectual understanding of what matters most to us in life when one is not conscious.
Bhavin Shukla has been working as an IT Consultant in the data space for more than 25 Years. As a Data and Analytics professional, he has worked extensively for years on complex IT Transformation Programmes within Healthcare, Finance, Insurance and Telco domains.
Bhavin is driven by a sincere desire to embrace a spiritual existence rooted in values, while genuinely striving to enhance societal culture by fostering a supportive community where we stand by each other.
Bhavin Shukla 
Leave a comment