Shri Hit Chaurasi, pad 43
Pad 43 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: “अति नागरि वृषभानु किसोरी”.
The pad in full
अति नागरि वृषभानु किसोरी ।
सुनि दूतिका चपल मृगनैनी,
आकरषत चितवन चित गोरी ।।
श्रीफल उरज कंचन सी देही,
कटि केहरि गुन सिंधु झकोरी ।
बैंनी भुजंग चन्द्र सत वदनी,
कदलि जंघ जलचर गति चोरी ।।
सुनि ‘हरिवंश’ आजु रजनी मुख,
बन मिलाइ मेरी निज जोरी ।
जद्यपि मान समेत भामिनी,
सुनि कत रहत भली जिय भोरी
In Roman letters
ati naagari vrishabhaanu kisoree .
suni dootikaa chapal mriganainee,
aakarashat chitavan chit goree .
shreephal uraj kanchan see dehee,
kati kehari gun sindhu jhakoree .
bainnee bhujang chandr sat vadanee,
kadali jangh jalachar gati choree .
suni ‘harivansh’ aaju rajanee mukh,
ban milaai meree nij joree .
jadyapi maan samet bhaaminee,
suni kat rahat bhalee jiy bhoree
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 43
Who wrote pad 43 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 43 begin?
It opens “अति नागरि वृषभानु किसोरी”, in Roman letters “ati naagari vrishabhaanu kisoree .”.
Is pad 43 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.