Shri Hit Chaurasi, pad 19
Pad 19 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: “खेलत रास रसिक ब्रज-मंडन”.
The pad in full
खेलत रास रसिक ब्रज-मंडन ।
जुवतिन अंस दिये भुज दंडन ।।
सरद विमल नभ चन्द्र विराजै ।
मधुर-मधुर मुरली कल बाजै ।।
अति राजत घनश्याम तमाला ।
कंचन-बेलि बनी ब्रजबाला ।।
बाजत ताल मृदंग उपंगा ।
गान मथत मन कोटि अनंगा ।।
भूषण बहुत विविध रंग सारी ।
अंग सुघंग दिखावत नारी ।।
बरसत कुसुम मुदित सुरयोषा ।
सुनियत दिवि दुंदुभि कल घोषा ।।
(जै श्री) हित हरिवंश मगन मन श्यामा ।
राधारवन सकल सुख धामा
In Roman letters
khelat raas rasik braj-mandan .
juvatin ans diye bhuj dandan .
sarad vimal nabh chandr viraajai .
madhur-madhur muralee kal baajai .
ati raajat ghanashyaam tamaalaa .
kanchan-beli banee brajabaalaa .
baajat taal mridang upangaa .
gaan mathat man koti anangaa .
bhooshan bahut vividh rang saaree .
ang sughang dikhaavat naaree .
barasat kusum mudit surayoshaa .
suniyat divi dundubhi kal ghoshaa .
(jai shree) hit harivansh magan man shyaamaa .
raadhaaravan sakal sukh dhaamaa
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 19
Who wrote pad 19 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 19 begin?
It opens “खेलत रास रसिक ब्रज-मंडन”, in Roman letters “khelat raas rasik braj-mandan .”.
Is pad 19 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.