Shri Hit Chaurasi, pad 11
Pad 11 of the 84 pads of the Shri Hit Chaurasi, composed in Braj Bhasha by Shri Hit Harivansh Mahaprabhu, founder of the Radhavallabh Sampradaya. It opens: “मंजुल कल कुंज देश, हरि विशद वेश”.
The pad in full
मंजुल कल कुंज देश, हरि विशद वेश,
राका नभ कुमुद – बंधु, शरद जामिनी ।
साँवल दुति कनक अंग, बिहरत मिलि एक संग,
नीरद मनौ नील मध्य, लसत दामिनी ।।
अरुण पीत नव दुकुल, अनुपम अनुराग मूल,
सौरभयुत सीत अनिल, मंद गामिनी ।
किसलय दल रचित शैन, बोलत पिय चाटु बैंन,
मान सहित प्रतिपद, प्रतिकूल कामिनी ।।
मोहन मन मथत मार, परसत कुच-नीवी-हार,
वेपथयुत नेति नेति, बदति भामिनी ।।
नरवाहन प्रभु सुकेलि, बहुविधि भर भरत झेलि,
सौरत रस रूप नदी जगत पावनी
In Roman letters
manjul kal kunj desh, hari vishad vesh,
raakaa nabh kumud – bandhu, sharad jaaminee .
saanval duti kanak ang, biharat mili ek sang,
neerad manau neel madhy, lasat daaminee .
arun peet nav dukul, anupam anuraag mool,
saurabhayut seet anil, mand gaaminee .
kisalay dal rachit shain, bolat piy chaatu bainn,
maan sahit pratipad, pratikool kaaminee .
mohan man mathat maar, parasat kuch-neevee-haar,
vepathayut neti neti, badati bhaaminee .
naravaahan prabhu sukeli, bahuvidhi bhar bharat jheli,
saurat ras roop nadee jagat paavanee
The pads of the Chaurasi are left here without a translation, as on the full Chaurasi page: sixteenth century Braj Bhasha does not survive a one-line English gloss, and a wrong meaning of a devotional text is worse than none. Each pad closes with the chhap, the signature line naming Shri Hit Harivansh, which is how a pad is known to be his.
Questions about pad 11
Who wrote pad 11 of the Shri Hit Chaurasi?
Shri Hit Harivansh Mahaprabhu, founder of the Radhavallabh Sampradaya, in the sixteenth century. The closing line carries his name, the traditional signature of authorship in Braj poetry.
How does pad 11 begin?
It opens “मंजुल कल कुंज देश, हरि विशद वेश”, in Roman letters “manjul kal kunj desh, hari vishad vesh,”.
Is pad 11 sung or recited?
Sung. The pads of the Chaurasi are set to classical ragas, and rasik sants in the kunjs of Vrindavan still sing them.
Why is there no English meaning for this pad?
Braj Bhasha of this period carries layers that a short English gloss flattens, and a wrong paraphrase of a devotional text is worse than none. The text is given as it is recited.
Can I download the Shri Hit Chaurasi?
Yes. All 84 pads are in a free PDF on the downloads page, with no account or email needed.