Shri Hit Chaurasi, pad 25
Pad 25 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: “ब्रज जुवति जूथ में रूप अरु चतुरई”.
The pad in full
ब्रज जुवति जूथ में रूप अरु चतुरई,
सील सिंगार गुन सबनितें आगरी ।।
कमल दक्षिण भुजा बाम भुज अंस सखि,
गाँवती सरस मिलि मधुर सुर राग री ।
सकल विद्या विदित रहसि ‘हरिवंश हित’,
मिलत नव कुंज वर स्याम बड़ भाग री
In Roman letters
braj juvati jooth men roop aru chaturaee,
seel singaar gun sabaniten aagaree .
kamal dakshin bhujaa baam bhuj ans sakhi,
gaanvatee saras mili madhur sur raag ree .
sakal vidyaa vidit rahasi ‘harivansh hit’,
milat nav kunj var syaam bar bhaag ree
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 25
Who wrote pad 25 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 25 begin?
It opens “ब्रज जुवति जूथ में रूप अरु चतुरई”, in Roman letters “braj juvati jooth men roop aru chaturaee,”.
Is pad 25 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.