I Cannot Live Without You

Wild and passionate, Mirabai is Indias greatest poet of devotion and love. Married at a young age, after her husbands premature death she dedicated her life to worshipping the flute-playing Krishna. It was a decision that led her parents-in-law to evict her from their home. Mirabai spent the rest of her life travelling from village to village, singing and dancing to celebrate her love of Krishna. The rapturous lyrics she wrote enthralled worshippers then and continue to be sung in India today.

Kabir was a controversial figure. An illiterate weaver, Kabir celebrated both Indian and Muslim spirituality, while criticising each religions blinkered believers. Yet his straight talking, his wit, and the continued relevance of his cutting insights, ensure his often knotty poems still resonate powerfully for contemporary readers.

Superbly translated into English-language poems that reflect their original imagery and forms, this collection shows why Mirabai and Kabir have enchanted devotees for five centuries. Their poems are accompanied by new versions of two of the key Upanishads that laid the foundations for Indian spirituality. These engaging versions will delight readers new to the work of two of Indias greatest mystical poets, and surprise those already familiar with their playful profundity.