Shri Hit Chaurasi, pad 6
Pad 6 of the 84 pads of the Shri Hit Chaurasi, composed in Braj Bhasha by Shri Hit Harivansh Mahaprabhu, founder of the Radhavallabh Sampradaya, and set by the text itself to raag विभास. It opens: “कौन चतुर जुवती प्रिया”.
The pad in full
कौन चतुर जुवती प्रिया,
जाहि मिलन लाल चोर है रैन ।
दुरवत क्यों अब दूरै सुनि प्यारे,
रंग में गहले चैन में नैन ।।
उर नख चंद विराने पट,
अटपटे से बैन ।
(जै श्री) हित हरिवंश रसिक राधापति, प्रमथीत मैन
In Roman letters
kaun chatur juvatee priyaa,
jaahi milan laal chor hai rain .
duravat kyon ab doorai suni pyaare,
rang men gahale chain men nain .
ur nakh chand viraane pat,
atapate se bain .
(jai shree) hit harivansh rasik raadhaapati, pramatheet main
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 6
Who wrote pad 6 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 6 begin?
It opens “कौन चतुर जुवती प्रिया”, in Roman letters “kaun chatur juvatee priyaa,”.
In which raag is pad 6 sung?
The text itself names raag विभास. The pads of the Chaurasi were written to be sung, and rasik sants in 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.