Shri Hit Chaurasi, pad 28
Pad 28 of the 84 pads of the Shri Hit Chaurasi, composed in Braj Bhasha by Shri Hit Harivansh Mahaprabhu, founder of the Radhavallabh Sampradaya, and set by the text itself to raag श्री. It opens: “राधे देखि वन की बात”.
The pad in full
राधे देखि वन की बात ।
रितु बसंत अनंत मुकुलित कुसुम अरु फल पात ।।
बैंनू धुनि नंदलाल बोली, सुनिव क्यौं अर सात ।
करत कतव विलंब भामिनि वृथा औसर जात ।।
लाल मरकत मनि छबीलौ तुम जु कंचन गात ।
बनी (श्री) हित हरिवंश जोरी उभै गुन गन मात
In Roman letters
raadhe dekhi van kee baat .
ritu basant anant mukulit kusum aru phal paat .
bainnoo dhuni nandalaal bolee, suniv kyaun ar saat .
karat katav vilanb bhaamini vrithaa ausar jaat .
laal marakat mani chhabeelau tum ju kanchan gaat .
banee (shree) hit harivansh joree ubhai gun gan maat
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 28
Who wrote pad 28 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 28 begin?
It opens “राधे देखि वन की बात”, in Roman letters “raadhe dekhi van kee baat .”.
In which raag is pad 28 sung?
The text itself names raag श्री. The pads of the Chaurasi were written to be sung, and rasik sants in 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.