Shri Hit Chaurasi, pad 60
Pad 60 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: “कहा कहौं इन नैननि की बात”.
The pad in full
कहा कहौं इन नैननि की बात।
ये अलि प्रिया वदन अंबुज रस अटके अनत न जात।।
जब जब रुकत पलक संपुट लट अति आतुर अकुलात।
लंपट लव निमेष अंतर ते अलप कलप सत सात।।
श्रुति पर कंज दृगंजन कुच बिच मृग मद हवै् न समात।
(जै श्री) हित हरिवंश नाभि सर जलचर जाँचत साँवल गात
In Roman letters
kahaa kahaun in nainani kee baata.
ye ali priyaa vadan anbuj ras atake anat n jaata.
jab jab rukat palak sanput lat ati aatur akulaata.
lanpat lav nimesh antar te alap kalap sat saata.
shruti par kanj driganjan kuch bich mrig mad havai n samaata.
(jai shree) hit harivansh naabhi sar jalachar jaanchat saanval gaat
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 60
Who wrote pad 60 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 60 begin?
It opens “कहा कहौं इन नैननि की बात”, in Roman letters “kahaa kahaun in nainani kee baata.”.
Is pad 60 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.