Shri Hit Chaurasi, pad 38
Pad 38 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: “चलहि उठि गहर करति कत”.
The pad in full
चलहि उठि गहर करति कत,
निकुंज बुलावत लाल ।
हा राधा राधिका पुकारत,
निरखि मदन गज ढाल ।।
करत सहाइ सरद ससि मारुत,
फुटि मिली उर माल ।
दुर्गम तकत समर अति कातर,
करहि न पिय प्रतिपाल ।।
(जै श्री) हित हरिवंश चली अति आतुर,
श्रवन सुनत तेहि काल ।
लै राखे गिरि कुच बिच सुंदर,
सुरत – सूर ब्रज बाल
In Roman letters
chalahi uthi gahar karati kat,
nikunj bulaavat laal .
haa raadhaa raadhikaa pukaarat,
nirakhi madan gaj dhaal .
karat sahaai sarad sasi maarut,
phuti milee ur maal .
durgam takat samar ati kaatar,
karahi n piy pratipaal .
(jai shree) hit harivansh chalee ati aatur,
shravan sunat tehi kaal .
lai raakhe giri kuch bich sundar,
surat – soor braj baal
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 38
Who wrote pad 38 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 38 begin?
It opens “चलहि उठि गहर करति कत”, in Roman letters “chalahi uthi gahar karati kat,”.
Is pad 38 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.