Shri Hit Chaurasi, pad 39
Pad 39 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: “खेल्यो लाल चाहत रवन”.
The pad in full
खेल्यो लाल चाहत रवन ।
रचि रचि अपने हाथ सँवारयौ निकुंज भवन ।।
रजनी सरद मंद सौरभ सौं सीतल पवन ।
तो बिनु कुँवरि काम की बेदन मेटब कवन ।।
चलहि न चपल बाल मृगनैनी तजिब मवन ।
(जै श्री) हित हरिवंश मिलब प्यारे की आरति दवन
In Roman letters
khelyo laal chaahat ravan .
rachi rachi apane haath sanvaarayau nikunj bhavan .
rajanee sarad mand saurabh saun seetal pavan .
to binu kunvari kaam kee bedan metab kavan .
chalahi n chapal baal mriganainee tajib mavan .
(jai shree) hit harivansh milab pyaare kee aarati davan
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 39
Who wrote pad 39 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 39 begin?
It opens “खेल्यो लाल चाहत रवन”, in Roman letters “khelyo laal chaahat ravan .”.
Is pad 39 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.