Shri Hit Chaurasi, pad 52
Pad 52 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: “देखौ माई सुंदरता की सीवाँ”.
The pad in full
देखौ माई सुंदरता की सीवाँ ।
व्रज नव तरुनि कदंब नागरी,
निरखि करतिं अधग्रिवाँ ।।
जो कोउ कोटि कोटि कलप लगि जीवै रसना कोटिक पावै ।
तऊ रुचिर वदनारबिंद की सोभा कहत न आवै ।।
देव लोक भूलोक रसातल सुनि कवि कुल मति डरिये ।
सहज माधुरी अंग अंग की कहि कासौं पटतरिये ।।
(जै श्री) हित हरिवंश प्रताप रूप गुन वय बल स्याम उजागर ।
जाकी भ्रू विलास बस पसुरिव दिन विथकित रस सागर
In Roman letters
dekhau maaee sundarataa kee seevaan .
vraj nav taruni kadanb naagaree,
nirakhi karatin adhagrivaan .
jo kou koti koti kalap lagi jeevai rasanaa kotik paavai .
taoo ruchir vadanaarabind kee sobhaa kahat n aavai .
dev lok bhoolok rasaatal suni kavi kul mati dariye .
sahaj maadhuree ang ang kee kahi kaasaun patatariye .
(jai shree) hit harivansh prataap roop gun vay bal syaam ujaagar .
jaakee bhroo vilaas bas pasuriv din vithakit ras saagar
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 52
Who wrote pad 52 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 52 begin?
It opens “देखौ माई सुंदरता की सीवाँ”, in Roman letters “dekhau maaee sundarataa kee seevaan .”.
Is pad 52 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.