Shri Hit Chaurasi, pad 16
Pad 16 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: “आज मेरे कहे चलौ मृगनैंनी”.
The pad in full
आज मेरे कहे चलौ मृगनैंनी ।
गावत सरस जुवति मंडल में,
पिय सौं मिलैं भलें पिकबैंनी।।
परम प्रवीण कोक-विद्या में,
अभिनय निपुन लाग-गति लैनी ।
रूपरासि सुनि नवल किशोरी,
पल-पल घटत चाँदनी रैनी ।।
(जै श्री ) हित हरिवंश चली अति आतुर,
राधारवन सुरत सुख दैनी।
रहसि रभस आलिंगन चुम्बन,
मदन कोटि कुल भई कुचैनी
In Roman letters
aaj mere kahe chalau mriganainnee .
gaavat saras juvati mandal men,
piy saun milain bhalen pikabainnee.
param praveen kok-vidyaa men,
abhinay nipun laag-gati lainee .
rooparaasi suni naval kishoree,
pal-pal ghatat chaandanee rainee .
(jai shree ) hit harivansh chalee ati aatur,
raadhaaravan surat sukh dainee.
rahasi rabhas aalingan chumban,
madan koti kul bhaee kuchainee
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 16
Who wrote pad 16 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 16 begin?
It opens “आज मेरे कहे चलौ मृगनैंनी”, in Roman letters “aaj mere kahe chalau mriganainnee .”.
Is pad 16 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.