Shri Hit Chaurasi, pad 26
Pad 26 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: “मोहनी मदन गोपाल की बाँसुरी”.
The pad in full
मोहनी मदन गोपाल की बाँसुरी ।
माधुरी श्रवन पुट सुनत सुनु राधिके,
करत रतिराज के ताप कौ नासुरी ।।
सरद राका रजनी विपिन वृंदा सजनि,
अनिल अति मंद सीतल सहित बासु री ।
परम पावन पुलिन भृंग सेवत नलिन,
कल्पतरु तीर बलवीर कृत रासु री ।।
सकल मंडल भलीं तुम जु हरि सौं मिलीं,
बनी वर वनित उपमा कहौं कासु री ।
तुम जु कंचन तनी लाल मरकत मनी,
उभय कल हंस ‘हरिवंश’ बलि दासुरी
In Roman letters
mohanee madan gopaal kee baansuree .
maadhuree shravan put sunat sunu raadhike,
karat ratiraaj ke taap kau naasuree .
sarad raakaa rajanee vipin vrindaa sajani,
anil ati mand seetal sahit baasu ree .
param paavan pulin bhring sevat nalin,
kalpataru teer balaveer krit raasu ree .
sakal mandal bhaleen tum ju hari saun mileen,
banee var vanit upamaa kahaun kaasu ree .
tum ju kanchan tanee laal marakat manee,
ubhay kal hans ‘harivansh’ bali daasuree
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 26
Who wrote pad 26 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 26 begin?
It opens “मोहनी मदन गोपाल की बाँसुरी”, in Roman letters “mohanee madan gopaal kee baansuree .”.
Is pad 26 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.