Shri Hit Chaurasi, pad 53
Pad 53 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 अबला के बल रासि अति गज मत्त निरकुंस मोहन ;”.
The pad in full
देखौ माई अबला के बल रासि अति गज मत्त निरकुंस मोहन ;
निरखि बँधे लट पासि ।।
अबहीं पंगु भई मन की गति ;
बिनु उद्यम अनियास ।
तबकी कहा कहौं जब प्रिय प्रति ;
चाहति भृकुटि बिलास ।।
कच संजमन व्याज भुज दरसति ;
मुसकनि वदन विकास ।
हा हरिवंश अनीति रीति हित ;
कत डारति तन त्रास
In Roman letters
dekhau maaee abalaa ke bal raasi ati gaj matt nirakuns mohan ;
nirakhi bandhe lat paasi .
abaheen pangu bhaee man kee gati ;
binu udyam aniyaas .
tabakee kahaa kahaun jab priy prati ;
chaahati bhrikuti bilaas .
kach sanjaman vyaaj bhuj darasati ;
musakani vadan vikaas .
haa harivansh aneeti reeti hit ;
kat daarati tan traas
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 53
Who wrote pad 53 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 53 begin?
It opens “देखौ माई अबला के बल रासि अति गज मत्त निरकुंस मोहन ;”, in Roman letters “dekhau maaee abalaa ke bal raasi ati gaj matt nirakuns mohan ;”.
Is pad 53 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.