Shri Hit Chaurasi, pad 17
Pad 17 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: “आजु देखि ब्रज-सुन्दरी मोहन बनी केलि”.
The pad in full
आजु देखि ब्रज-सुन्दरी मोहन बनी केलि ।
अंस-अंस बाहु दै, किशोर जोर रूप रासि,
मनौ तमाल अरुझि रही सरस कनक बेलि ।।
नव निकुंज भ्रमर गुंज, मंजु घोष प्रेम पुंज,
गान करत मोर पिकनि अपने सुर सों मेलि ।
मदन मुदित अंग-अंग, बीच-बीच सुरत रंग,
पल-पल हरिवंश पिवत नैंन चषक झेलि
In Roman letters
aaju dekhi braj-sundaree mohan banee keli .
ans-ans baahu dai, kishor jor roop raasi,
manau tamaal arujhi rahee saras kanak beli .
nav nikunj bhramar gunj, manju ghosh prem punj,
gaan karat mor pikani apane sur son meli .
madan mudit ang-ang, beech-beech surat rang,
pal-pal harivansh pivat nainn chashak jheli
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 17
Who wrote pad 17 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 17 begin?
It opens “आजु देखि ब्रज-सुन्दरी मोहन बनी केलि”, in Roman letters “aaju dekhi braj-sundaree mohan banee keli .”.
Is pad 17 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.