Radical Love as Autonomy

Mirabai abandoned her prescribed role as a royal wife to pursue direct devotion to Krishna, claiming her spiritual autonomy through love rather than duty. Her tradition teaches that autonomy is not separation from others, but the freedom to love according to your deepest truth. In Autonomy and Togetherness, this concept reveals a paradox: we become most ourselves when we commit fully to what matters most. Mirabai's radical love was simultaneously an act of independence and deepest connection—she transcended family expectations not through rebellion alone, but through devotion that superseded social bonds. This framework invites us to examine whether our autonomy serves a genuine calling or merely resists togetherness, and whether our commitments reflect authentic love or unconscious obligation.